Movin' On Up

Mason and his buddies have been heading to karate every Tuesday night since the fall, and we hit a big milestone today! They got their first belt promotion, from white to orange.

As Kushinda, the master, explained it, they are not fully accepted into the community until they hit this mark, so it was kind of a big deal. While they're still working a lot on the basics, they have mastered the art of following directions. Here's Mason performing the technique to move on:



Officially receiving his belt:



The new crop of orange belts:



And, the entire class -- as you can see -- there's a big range of skills and age levels, but all in all they have fun each week when they meet!



Lastly, striking a proud pose with Dad-O after the festivities: