To be totally honest here...

[Lesa]

I had these cutsie jokes i was going to post for a few laughs. Then I read all of the news, along with all the people who have died lately. And it has me totally depressed. It has been raining here in okie ville for almost 2 weeks off and on. I need some sunshine!! best wishes from the bottom of my heart for everyone who is hurting.

My husband passed his third cancer screening, clear as it could be. :)

A lighter subject. I have a 1st degree black belt in tae kwan do. So i help teach. We have what we call Pandas and they are three and four years old. Oh my they are sooo cute. And we teach them about good character, morals and so on. We were talking about modesty, and they were saying things like and u never say i cool, or i can jump higher. Then this littler girl so sweet and beautiful as an angel, looks up at the head instructor and says " and you never say a__ hole!!!!!!!!!!! We were in pain from trying not to laugh.

love and respect to everyone!!!

[Mary6906]

awww that is so cute.... I used to teach little kids GoJu-Ryu karate when I was back in Okinawa. It was more enjoyable than the adults!

[DaveM]

I applaud your efforts! Martial arts training of any sort teaches self-discipline, focus, and "mindfulness" quite unlike anything else of which I am aware (ok, music, but not quite in the same sense). The little girl who knows what not to say has already learned one of the greatest lessons.

If only more people would remember those lessons when they get in the cars and go out to drive in heavy traffic....

[Lesa]

Thanks, u are so right. Sometimes, and it's great when it happens, we fall into things without even knowing it. I took my son to tkd for years and finally decided to try it. Seven years later i'm where i am. I've been trying to learn the guitar for 16 years, it doesn't come so easily, but i'm not giving up! I think i might be a little too critical on myself.

The kids are the best. Off for four classes in about an hour. Three year olds to 8 year olds. It's a sad part of our society that parents/grandparents bring their kids to us to teach them to be polite, saying yes sir, yes ma'am, no thanks, that kind of stuff. There aren't enough people paying enough attention to their kids. But, we love them! ok, jumping off soap box. :)

[hoops]

My little dragons class was so much fun. Kids are like sponges. among the other laudable qualities martial arts teaches, Joy and love were two that we learned in every single class. more often than not they taught me. And even in this day and age, i was trusted by the parents of these little ones to respect them completely, a hug was always welcome, often leading to group hugs. When someone trusts you in this way, it's a huge responsibility, one that I wanted to live up to more than passing 13 different black belt testings, more than a teaching degree, more than anything i can think of in my lifetime
peace
hoops

[Lesa]

Totally agree Hoops!! And when you have the parents and grandparents thanking u for what u do, with tears in their eyes, because of the help we are giving their child/grandchild it makes me a little teary eyed as well. But, it's something I love!! There are always hugs and hi fives! It's going to be a little hard working all of that in with pres's footballgames/ he marches in the band, band competitions, he's also in speach this year, with all that to do. You know i was so hyped up when I received my black belt. But it was the most humbling experience in my life. I joke all the time, get a black belt and u become the janitor! ha ha But it is the teaching that matters, not the belt. sometimes i even forget i'wearing it. As my friend, another blackbelt told me along time ago, it's not about the belt, it's all about the journey!!

wow i think that's the longest post i've ever received from u! JK