the Pan Am's

Holy man, I have talked about the Pan Am's so much, but I think that's what I get to do because I am the mom of an athlete who really does well in his sport. He LOVES karate. The kid walks down the street doing side kicks, round house's, Back kicks, punches. I am sure to someone watching who does not really know him he looks like a hyperactive little kid who could drive his mother nuts. But to him, it's practice. He will drop anywhere and show people he can do splits. At our house, front lawn, school, grocery store, you name it. But he LOVES his sport.

I got a little nervous before the pan am's because he was getting a little sloppy with his kata and his kata is his strong point. When it came time for it, all was well.

This was at 6am the morning we left for the pan ams. Seriously, it seemed like B qualifying was the easy part! I had put his uniforms in the washer the night before with bleach. We have a front load so I thought the bleach would not touch his uniform. wrong. I set it for a 1 hour delay and went to bed. I woke up the next morning and ran to put it in the dryer and this is what happened. I could have died. I was so upset. It was eaten away! I put the other uniform that had rust stains on it to get dried. And I prayed.

I went to work. Normally my job is done by 11 and I am done. Oh not this day. My stuff was not even ready for me until almost 1. I kept trying to keep cool and prayed about what to do. The only solution I could come up with was to get my work done so I could be in Regina by 5 to register. At about 11 I started to panic. My stuff was obviously not ready, I had no one to do it and felt like I was going to puke. I was walking back to my van and I had a name come to my head. We were supposed to be taking her and her son back from the pan ams. I called her house and she was gone. I was so flustered I could not even properly ask for her cell, but got it anyways. I called her and she happened to be driving right by where I was! Coincidence, I do not believe that at all. She was so calm cool and collected,  it was just what I needed. She took B. And took fantastic care of him. What a blessing! 

We finally got to Regina and stayed the night before in a hotel. This is a pic of M and I messing around the night before. Everyone was resting but we were wired.

LOOK AT HER HAIR!!!!! I never thought it would grow. Ever. I am the one that resorted to shaving her head to encourage follicle growth! Now, we got some. The 2nd pic I just love. She's been such a blessing in our lives.

The first pic is Team AB's flag! The 2nd one shows B and some of his teammates walking right by us! The red on the side of his head is the maple leaf. He wanted one shaved on the side of his head. We got it done the night before and then when we got home he decided he wanted another one, so I pulled out my cookie cutter and traced it and shaved it on the other side. It worked fantastic! Then we dyed it red. And then the red ran onto his new Gi! (Oh my really? Thanks to shout and oxy-clean, it's out!) He just wanted to represent Canada really well, and he did!

Team Canada at the opening ceremonies. (The US didn't show up. "restructuring" is what they said but really, team Canada kicked their butts in Las Vegas and we are pretty sure that's why they didn't show)

Good action shot of him doing his kata. The lady judge is his very first sensei. She was so tough on him right from the get go and I am so glad she was. Never in a mean way, just that she had expectations and knew he could do it. Her daughter actually worked with B on his kata in lessons. She was tough on B as well and I am so glad she was! He did e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. he was supposed to do, to a T! I was happy with his performance, no matter what he got. I have a hard time watching scores so I didn't know until the called out names that he WON THIRD!!! Really?!?!!!! I knew if he did what he was supposed to do that he could do it. And he did!

Part of his competition

Mr. M took this pic for us. He is so grown up. We are so proud of him and how well he did. He is a delightful child! We are so blessed to have him as our child.

This is the pant leg of his wrecked Gi. Could you not just cry too? I texted one of our sensei's and told her what happened. They happened to be at the dojo and brought one to Regina for me. What a blessing!