To my newest sweet baby granddaughter I want to say how much I love you. Every time a child has come to this family I have watched a miracle. That new life is so amazing to me. I want to tell you how fortunate you are to have a mommy and daddy who love you and want you. They have given much for you already because before you ever came you were wanted.
I watch as you grow so quickly. You change daily and I am so glad you hold my name as part of yours. I want to thank your mom and dad for that. It means so much to me to have a precious little one named for me. I hope that I live up to what you need and expect.
I know you are another gift from God to your parents and your sweet brother and sister and to the rest of us. I hope you will always remember this and be grateful that you are so loved.
Welcome to earth and to this family baby girl. I hope we are all that you hoped we would be. I love you Lexi!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
My Family Omega
Yesterday was Black Belt Testing for Omega Martial Arts. Time goes by so quickly and I can't believe that it has been 16 1/2 years since Jenny started her Martial Arts Head Instructor/Studio Owner career. It has been 12 since she made the very wise decision to ask to be a part of this amazing system. It is one of the best decisions she has ever made.
It was an emotional day for many of us. Jenny is turning her school over to her colleague/brother, Jason Davis. She wants to focus on giving her own children all that she has been able to give her other "children" in her martial arts family. There have been hundreds of those "children" including me. Sometimes a child can be older than their parent, in spirit at least, and this is how I feel about each of my children at various times. Jen has been part of many of these times. She is struggling somewhat with this decision but it is the right one for her at this moment in her life. She is strong and things will work out I'm sure. She isn't completely gone from it and will still be teaching and still hold the senior position she has earned with Omega.
It was probably my last chance to go to a testing for a long time since Ken and I are planning on going on a mission this spring. I will not be sitting at the judges table with all the other Black Belts I have grown to love, at least not for a couple of years and possibly ever. I will not be watching people I love being tested on their work of years to prove their devotion to something so building and uplifting. I will not be in the office with the Sr. Black Belts laughing about turning on a shredder or standing outside the door tearing a certificate up or jokes about "fearing the glasses".
I will not be watching the looks on students faces when they make a mistake or when they "nail" a technique. I will not hear the cheers and screams as everyone in the place encourages everyone else to make it through the gauntlet or their board or brick breaks. I will not share in the tender moments when instructors tie belts on students they have taught for years or the comments about those students or when the "Buddy Award" is again presented to some deserving student such as Sabumnim Randy Payne.
I did have some supreme moments yesterday though. I watched my beautiful newly married granddaughter, Amanda Schoemig Wright do her test and her totally amazing musical presentation which included her Aunt, "Master" Jenny Jarvis, who has been her instructor for years, her brother, Sabumnim Kenny whose example brought her into Omega and her new instructor, Kwonjangnim Jason Davis. I doubt that I have ever seen a more beautiful musical from a 1st degree and it isn't because she is my granddaughter.
It was truly the best. It included her heart which is the most important part of any discipline. It showed the progression of her martial arts through her aunt to her brother to her new instructor. It showed her emotions. Everyone could see the love that Amanda and her immediate and extended family share. It was planned and executed to the best of everyone's ability and it was a credit to Amanda and all those who have loved her and helped her get her belt.
I watched Jenny tie Amanda's new belt on and I watched as with true grace, Jenny turned over what she has held so dear to someone she trusts to take care of that precious legacy. I saw buckets of tears cried (at least a couple of them from me because I was so proud to be part of this whole amazing scene). I saw dozens of hugs and smiles and heard hundreds of encouraging words.
I hope that everyone there felt the same things that I did. I know that many others did and the ones that didn't, well, they just don't "get it" YET!
It was an emotional day for many of us. Jenny is turning her school over to her colleague/brother, Jason Davis. She wants to focus on giving her own children all that she has been able to give her other "children" in her martial arts family. There have been hundreds of those "children" including me. Sometimes a child can be older than their parent, in spirit at least, and this is how I feel about each of my children at various times. Jen has been part of many of these times. She is struggling somewhat with this decision but it is the right one for her at this moment in her life. She is strong and things will work out I'm sure. She isn't completely gone from it and will still be teaching and still hold the senior position she has earned with Omega.
It was probably my last chance to go to a testing for a long time since Ken and I are planning on going on a mission this spring. I will not be sitting at the judges table with all the other Black Belts I have grown to love, at least not for a couple of years and possibly ever. I will not be watching people I love being tested on their work of years to prove their devotion to something so building and uplifting. I will not be in the office with the Sr. Black Belts laughing about turning on a shredder or standing outside the door tearing a certificate up or jokes about "fearing the glasses".
I will not be watching the looks on students faces when they make a mistake or when they "nail" a technique. I will not hear the cheers and screams as everyone in the place encourages everyone else to make it through the gauntlet or their board or brick breaks. I will not share in the tender moments when instructors tie belts on students they have taught for years or the comments about those students or when the "Buddy Award" is again presented to some deserving student such as Sabumnim Randy Payne.
I did have some supreme moments yesterday though. I watched my beautiful newly married granddaughter, Amanda Schoemig Wright do her test and her totally amazing musical presentation which included her Aunt, "Master" Jenny Jarvis, who has been her instructor for years, her brother, Sabumnim Kenny whose example brought her into Omega and her new instructor, Kwonjangnim Jason Davis. I doubt that I have ever seen a more beautiful musical from a 1st degree and it isn't because she is my granddaughter.
It was truly the best. It included her heart which is the most important part of any discipline. It showed the progression of her martial arts through her aunt to her brother to her new instructor. It showed her emotions. Everyone could see the love that Amanda and her immediate and extended family share. It was planned and executed to the best of everyone's ability and it was a credit to Amanda and all those who have loved her and helped her get her belt.
I watched Jenny tie Amanda's new belt on and I watched as with true grace, Jenny turned over what she has held so dear to someone she trusts to take care of that precious legacy. I saw buckets of tears cried (at least a couple of them from me because I was so proud to be part of this whole amazing scene). I saw dozens of hugs and smiles and heard hundreds of encouraging words.
I hope that everyone there felt the same things that I did. I know that many others did and the ones that didn't, well, they just don't "get it" YET!
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