Choi Kwang Do Party!

I AM SO FRUSTRATED - I SPENT AN HOUR POSTING AND GUESS WHAT - I LOST IT. SO HERE I GO AGAIN. CHATTY - BREATHE DEEPLY HERE!

You all know my GS received his black belt last month. We waited until now to have the party so that his Uncle and family could come. So this was the weekend of the party. His uncle and aunt and cousin - my new grandson 8 months old - made their first car ride since the baby and it was to us! The baby cried three hours on the way down here. Once here he was great! Until the night of the party - mom took him home early and put him to bed - but he woke up and cried all night. Being they had to drive 8 hours home on Sunday - my DIL let my son sleep so they could get home safely. My poor DIL was really tired Sunday morning. Anyhow GS was perfect going home in the car - slept and cried only the last hour - which they could handle so much better.

The party was nothing short of a miracle - it went perfectly and so did the visit from the son and family - couldn't ask for anything better. Thank you God.

So here goes. My other grandson who the party was for - is always the life of the party and this was no exception. If he could major in fun and playing he'd be the Valedictorian for his class! Still trying to show him - lol - work is fun too - right?

My daughter's friend helped her decorate the Japanese restaurant. We had four tables of 8 and had 32 people - did that work out great or what???



My grandniece is hiding here - but my daughter even made home made chocolate in the shape of karate figures in the booty bag!



Balloons for the king - tied to his throne.



My son and grandson. Isn't he cute?



My DIL. She came and let everyone see the grandson and then she went home to put him to bed and let hubby stay for the party.



This is my grandson's other set of grandparents and his dad.



This is my brother's family - his son, daughter, her husband, and son. I think my brother was in Heaven watching the party. My GS was named after him.



Okay this is my grandson or king of the party! Leading his friend astray and his cousin (a girl) of course did not partake.



Three of my four loved ones - son, daughter, and grandson - or yeah and ole me!



GS's dad - me and mini me.



Now we had it at a Japanese restaurant. We went last week to check things out - and had this performer. He knew karate a different form of martial arts then Choi Kwan Do. There are a dew different forms of martial arts. So he was really entertaining the troops. Lots of fun and laughter.



GS uncle - my son made this collage for him. We have it hanging on the family room wall. It goes from the first day - see him with grandpa in the upper left? He was so scared to start. And all the way to black belt.



My son also made hard copy book for my GS so that he can carry it around and show off - again from beginning to end - with the oath - promise - and etc in it.



The cake my daughter ordered this - it had all the colors of the belt from beginning to end and the do-john is blue (the mat they practice on) with white surrounding it.



Okay mom and grandson - he has her chin - and the dimple from my grandfather. Kind of good as his dad really doesn't have a chin.



My husband and GS.



My son let his nephew my grandson cut the first piece of cake for himself.



Look at the size - he didn't worry about it -as GS is a horrible eater.



Grand Master P - signing GS autograph book that I made.



They couldn't sing happy birthday so they sand Happy black belt to you - cha cha cha . . .



Okay this man is the second highest - Grand Master P. He is an 8th degree black belt. Now the only one higher is Grand Master Choi - a ninth degree master.

Master P usually doesn't go to parties he told us. It's a long story, but he deliberately took the GS under his wing because he said he saw the love and pain in my eyes for my grandson. My grandson had been in Tae Kwang Do for a year and a half. The first year was Tigers and he went all the way to Tiger Black Belt. When he got put in the adult program - he was lost. And no one found him. He hid and they never knew. They didn't care. If you weren't great - and wanting and able to compete - they like you flounder - at this place. He cried and was so sad that we had to do something. One of my friends was a black belt and she suggested this place and hooked us up with Master P - which I know helped a lot. Anyway Master P said we had to change the GS's mind now about himself. He pointed to his mind and said the black belt is up here.

I can tell you the entire team didn't give up on my grandson in spite of his SPD and ADHD. We even wondered if first if he could do it. Three years later - he totally changed and now they are using him to help out in some cases.

Another thing to be so grateful about. His self esteem.



Now these are all his instructors - that all had so much patience with him you would not believe - I want to thank each and everyone of them and the ones that couldn't make it. We heard "GS' sit down, "GS" don't fool with the rug, "GS' kick higher - so many times - and then one day - we didn't hear it anymore - and he had changed. THREE YEARS MORE OF HARD WORK!

Another thing to be grateful for. His new family of great role models!

Well, I hope you enjoyed the family and my grandson's journey to black belt - tomorrow a couple baby pictures - lol.

"Just living isn't enough," said the butterfly, "one must also have freedom, sunshine, and a little flower."

- Hans Christian Anderson

We don't always get that much freedom, sunshine, and flowers - but for this weekend we did - and of course it is in my grateful journal.



PS This better post and if it does - another grateful journal entry!