ATA Worlds!

This past July my family and I traveled to Little Rock, Arkansas for the ATA World Tournament and Expo.  While this is something we thought we’d attend at some point, to see the Expo and associated ceremonies, etc.), if you had asked me a year ago if this was something we’d attend for Paul to compete in after the 2018 season, I would have said no.

With the need to learn the new open hand (Shim Jun) and weapons (Gum Do) forms as 1st Degrees, we assumed any shot at going to Worlds to compete in the Tournament of Champions would have to come in 2019 at the earliest.  The time it would take to learn the new forms well enough to perform at a competitive level took us out of play for the first 4-6 months of last season.  Even so, we talked about going to “see Worlds” and cheer for our friends if we could afford the time and expense. Last March, however, we realized Paul just might qualify to compete in 2018.  Then the surprise of surprises happened when Stephanie told me I was ranked in the World standings and it looked like I’d be eligible to compete.  I honestly thought she was pulling my leg.  (She wasn’t.)  With the potential for both of us being able to compete, we began to plan to go!

For those who aren’t familiar with ATA, the season basically runs all year, with the bulk of the competitive season occurring from August through May.  There’s a small pause as all the State and Provincial champions and top 10 are determined, then each District holds their Championship in June.  At the same time as the State top ten are determined, the top ten in the world for each division are finalized.  That group of top ten in the world are qualified to register and compete for a world title.  Added to that list is anyone who wins a gold medal at their District Championship that isn’t already qualified for Worlds.

When the regular tournament season ended, Paul missed being ranked for Worlds by just a few points.  We were so proud of him though, for how well he did basically only competing for half the season and still making it so far!  I remained qualified to compete in Traditional Weapons, and so off we went.  

It was surreal being there to compete, thinking when that day came I would most likely be there cheering on my son, but not competing myself.  As it turns out, I was the competitor and Paul was the one cheering for me.  Honestly, his ring full of young athletes is incredibly more difficult than mine.  It seems the pack thins quite a bit for those of us in the 50s.  My ring had 11 men in it.  It was an incredibly fun and busy week.  Two days before I had to compete in the Tournament of Champions, I had the opportunity and privilege to train under Chief Master Raimondi and certify in the Gum Do (Level 1) form.

Then competition came.  I went into the ring ranked 6th in the world in Traditional Weapons.  When it ended, I was humbled to stand on the podium with a Bronze Medal around my neck, ranked 3rd in the world in Traditional Weapons for 1st Degree Black Belt men (50-59 years old).  It meant so much to me to have Stephanie and Paul there to cheer me on, along with a significant number of friends from our school who were also there to compete.

Then another tournament happens the two days following the Tournament of Champions.  This “Worlds Open” tournament kicks off the new season.  Two days later as the new season began, I entered the ring again to compete and when the dust settled, I took 1st Place!  What a great way to start the new year!

Just as important as the competition itself though, was the time we spent with our martial arts family.  So many of our friends were there from our District!  We celebrated the end of the tournament having an awesome dinner with our chosen family, we took pictures at the Gate, we strolled the gardens with the kiddos and learned about some of ATA's history, and we spent long evenings together in the hotel enjoying the pool, pizzas and friendship!

  

We’ve been competing for several years now and this was definitely the pinnacle of our experiences so far.  Worlds was huge, well run, and there was a constant and high level of energy.  We enjoyed everything about the tournament itsefl, seeing some of ATA’s history (including the beautiful H.U. Lee International Gate and Garden), and even the fellowship at the hotel each night where several of our own school’s families were staying where we sat and told stories late into the evening.  We had a wonderful time competing, cheering for friends, and making new friends and when it was over we returned home very content and tired.  We knew as we boarded the plane, Paul and I would do what we needed to do this year to return to Worlds in 2019—this time with the intent for both of us to compete for world titles.

It’s great to be a dad!

A Family Affair

As many of you know, Paul has been taking Tae Kwon Do for eight months now, and I’ve been training with him for the last six months.  Two months ago, Steph also joined us, making the practice of martial arts a family affair for us. 

Steph’s commitment has been amazing, especially since the beginning of her journey hasn’t been easy.  With bad hips and a bad knee, she found herself unintentionally on the floor several times, but she maintained her “yes I can” attitude and continued to train with the support and expert advice of her physical therapist.  Two months after she began, all three of us went through testing last week to advance in rank.

I need to mention the instructors and staff at Victory Martial Arts - Summerlin.  Without them, this journey toward black belt wouldn’t be possible for Steph or I.  Our son is young and strong, and like most kids, he’ll try anything with a little encouragement.  His mind is sharp and his body is able.  Training is to do something new is always challenging, but his body adapts and grows stronger.  Steph and I “enjoy” all the challenges of middle age, along with a few additional permanent bumps and bruises that always try to assert themselves.  The instructors at Victory Summerlin willingly accommodate us, always adjusting the training to allow older bodies the chance to grow strong and more able.  Somehow they do this without making things easier or cutting things out that others are expected to do.  Then when testing comes, we find ourselves accepting the challenge to do the forms and break the boards just like the young men and women!  Mr. DeSmith, Mr. Guerrero, Mr. Scott, Mrs. Garretson and Miss Bivens:  you inspire us, you keep us motivated, you train us hard, and because of you, we succeed.

Our instructors are like family, but there are others in our Victory family too.  Paul has a wonderful circle of friends he trains with:  some ahead of him in the program, some at the same level, and some coming up behind him.  These young men and women are amazing, and it’s a pleasure to watch them all grow together.  He also goes to school and church with some of these kids, making this circle of friends a part of his whole life.  The same is true for Steph and I as we’ve become close with several of the parents, many of whom have also joined their kids on the training mat (and adding to the ranks of what several of us at Victory, with tongue in cheek, call the “Senior Division”).  We struggle and sweat together in training, encourage each other and our kids, and love it when we find ourselves doing things we weren’t sure we could.  Then we socialize and celebrate together.  There are too many to call out here, but we love each and every one of you!

So the recent testing week was special for us.  After all three of us successfully tested, we sat together as a family and were called up to receive our new belts.  Then we stood in a circle of three, with a hand on the ends of each other’s belts, and at the appropriate time, we all pulled and tied our new belts on together as a family.

The journey continues now as Steph works toward replacing her orange belt with yellow, and Paul and I do the same, hoping to replace our cammo belts with green.  Yes we can!

It’s great to be a dad!

Busy with Belts

October through December were fun and full months for Paul and I!  Paul competed in his first tournament and both of us tested twice to advance to our next belts:  Paul went from orange to yellow and then cammo (recommended), and I went from white to orange, then to yellow.

The Las Vegas Inter-school Tournament

All four Victory Martial Arts schools in the Las Vegas valley came together for a city-wide tournament on October 18th.  With approximately 300 participants and four rings, it was a crowded blast!  Right after the tournament was announced, we asked Paul if he wanted to participate and with his nod of approval, we signed him up for two events:  traditional forms and traditional weapons, knowing these were two events he could perform well in, even if he was nervous.  The goal was for him to do something new, and build his confidence and self-esteem while having fun.  The morning of the tournament Paul went through an anticipated round of nerves, and we had to remind him we expected him to do what he committed to do.  Once he realized he wasn’t allowed to just back out, he began to relax.  Then after a few of his friends arrived, he shook off the nerves, found his confidence and was ready to compete.

Since this was his first tournament, everything about it was new.  Paul had to line up with the other beginner kids he was grouped to compete with (and without Steph and I).  This refueled a few nerves but by that point his enthusiasm and confidence was in control.  As his line walked in, they announced them and directed them to their ring.  Steph, her parents and I had seats at Paul’s ring and the competition began.

He performed his empty handed form as well as he’s ever done it, and made us proud. He did a great job entering and leaving the mat, and showed all the proper respect to the judges.  After completing his form, he sat and cheered for his friends, then prepared to do his traditional weapons form with the Jahng Bong (Bo Staff).  Even though it wasn’t the weapon he was currently training with, Paul chose to use it because he was already comfortable with the form and most other competitors would probably be using the current weapon (the baton-like Bahng Mahng Ee), allowing him to stand out a bit.  As it turned out, he was the only one in his group using the Jahng Bong and he stood out in a good way.

The first real surprise came when the first in his group was called up to perform with her weapon.  Like Paul, she was prepared to perform a trained set of moves (a traditional form).  When she was ready, the center judge told her, “you have 30 seconds…begin!”  She completed her form comfortably in 10-15 seconds and waited at the end for the next command from the judge, only to hear him say, “you still have 15 seconds…keep going!”  It was clear at this point that whatever the kids were going to do, they had to fill the time (or the remaining time) with a creative weapons performance.  It was a surprise for parents and kids alike, but  she didn't miss a beat and finished strong.  I looked at Paul to see if the change was going to trouble him, but he remained excited and confident—I honestly wasn’t sure if he didn’t realize there was a change, or was confident enough not to be bothered by it.  Steph and I had no idea what he would do once he took the mat.  He could perform his traditional form a couple times, traditional form once, then some creative moves, or just wing the whole thing and perform creatively for 30 second.  He did the latter and it looked like it was his plan all along, and his score for this was higher than his empty-handed form!

At this point, he was done with his events and could relax, continue to cheer for his friends and enjoy the rest of the day.  The next event that followed was board breaking and before we knew it, Paul was signaling us and silently mouthing, “I want to break boards!”  So much for the earlier nerves and a lack of confidence!  Since we didn’t register him for board breaking, he wasn’t able to perform, but I suspect he will during the next tournament!  Sometime about mid afternoon, we headed home and that evening he slept like a rock.

Belt Testing and Ceremonies

On October 21st I tested for the opportunity to move from white to orange.  It was an exciting time for me after training for two months.  As mentioned in an earlier post, resuming martial arts training after over 30 years is exciting and quite a challenge.  The mind remembers, but a 50 year old body doesn’t behave quite like the mind may want it to.  The training is challenging and fun and this is a deliberate first step in my own journey toward black belt—a chance to finish what I started so long ago.  I passed my test and what made it most special was having Steph and Paul there cheering me on, and Paul holding up a totally cool sign he made to motivate me.

Two days later it was Paul’s turn.  Steph, her parents and I were there to cheer him on.  With a sign we made for him, and a cowbell to make some noise, we watched our young man approach the challenge as a totally different guy than two months prior when he tested for his orange belt.  With several more months of training under his belt, being selected for the Leadership Program, and being bolstered by the experience of the tournament, he was completely confident.  (When he tested for orange belt, it was quite an effort to keep him calm and cut through his worry.)  He tested very well and passed without any issues.  We’re definitely proud that he’s continuing to advance and enjoy martial arts, but we’re most proud of him for the incredible amount of confidence he’s gained since he began.

The Belting Ceremony (Graduation) was fun and well done as always.  With the school decorated and students in clean, white uniforms, Paul and I were called up at the appropriate times to receive our belts.  Then family members were allowed to join the students on the floor to help remove the old belts and tie on the new.  Stephanie joined Paul and I and with our new belts loosely tied around our waists, Paul and I held one end of each other’s belts and Steph held the other two ends.  When the time came, we all pulled and tightened the new belts!  With the ceremony over, the celebration continued with food and music.

Then in December after another training period it came time to test again.  Paul worked hard toward his cammo belt and I did the same to advance to yellow and we both passed again!  Due to travel I was unable to test with the group I was supposed to , but consistent with our school’s emphasis on family, I was able to test with Paul the evening I returned from my trip.  It made an already special event even more special for the both of us.  Earning cammo, is significant for Paul as it moves him from beginner ranks to advanced.  At this point the learning, rigor and expectations increase for him individually as well as his involvement as a leadership student ratchets up as he starts helping the school’s instructors with the kids’ beginners class.  As for me, I continue to remind him I’m racing him to black belt!

Steph and I owe genuine thanks to our martial arts instructors, Mr. DeSmith, Mr. Guerrero and Mr. Daos.  These three men and our fantastic Program Directors (Mrs. Garretson along with Miss Bivins— both also black belts!) do a great job, as does the rest of the Victory Summerlin team of leadership students and black belts who are always there helping the beginners.  It’s a gift to be able to push kids and adults to their limits in a way that provides an important part of what they need for success in martial arts and in life, while keeping it fun at the same time.  As a footnote, we learned that Mr. Daos was selected to travel and perform with the Marvel Universe Live.  (Now we can say we know Spiderman!)  We’re sad to see him leave so soon, but in his place we gained another awesome instructor, Mr. Scott.  As a family we’ve all already benefitted from his expertise as he moved right in and started instructing as if he’d been there all along.

Steph and I look forward to watching our son continue to grow in the best of ways physically, mentally and emotionally.  Adding martial arts, and specifically the Victory Martial Arts’ program under the American Taekwondo Association, into his life alongside his academic education is truly preparing him for the years to come.  And speaking of Steph, she’s joined us in our journey and is training now as well.  We all test for our next belts in February: came (decided) for Paul, came for me, and orange for Steph.  Victory Martial Arts has truly become a family affair for us!

It’s great to be a dad!

Victory Martial Arts - Leadership Program

Following up from my last post, Paul has taken another step in his development as a martial artist and in his growth as a young man.

Not long after Paul earned his Orange Belt, our Chief Instructor talked to Steph and I about placing him into the Victory Martial Arts leadership program based on the potential he shows in class.  Around that same time, there was a special demonstration and instructional event hosted by the Victory schools here in Las Vegas, featuring several senior black belts from Orlando, Florida (the home of Victory Martial Arts).  During that event, Paul also caught the eye of the visiting leaders and we consented to have them publicly invite him to enter the leadership program.

A week later, at our school, one of the Chief Instructors at our school announced in front of his friends that Paul had joined leadership.  He received a new belt representing his participation in the program (an Orange Belt with a gold stripe in place of the usual black stripe), and a new leadership uniform.  

Since then, he attends an additional 30 minute training session twice a week following the normal Beginner’s class.  It’s fantastic.  In these sessions he trails with the small group of other leadership students in a more difficult, but also more fun, class.  While the practical focus is on more advanced knowledge and discipline, more complex forms and additional weapons, the goal within the school is to develop these kids into martial arts leaders as they work toward black belt.  As Paul continues to advance in rank he’ll attend his usual training and leadership lessons, but he’ll also start help the instructors when they teach the beginners class.  He’ll directly apply what he’s learning as he helps other students.

The character traits taught and fostered through Victory Martial Arts are: Respect, Self Esteem, Communication, Discipline, Honesty and Belief. As important as these are in the practice of martial arts, it’s more significant that the knowledge and practical experience Victory provides for the kids is intended to directly translate into a positive attitude and a lifestyle of action in the child’s behavior and performance at home, in school and eventually in their jobs and all of life.  After only three months we already see these life skills carrying over into the Paul’s life at home and at school.  On a humorous note:  recently we were leaving a restaurant with Paul.  As we reached the door, he quickly turned back to face our server and the folks who work there and in a strong voice thanked them by proclaiming, “Goodbye Sir, Goodbye Ma’am!”, then stepped outside.  It was already habit to be courteous and show respect to those who had just helped (or in this case served) him.  Obviously this wasn't required ore expected but the habit carried outside the school.  We were amused and very proud at the same time.

This has been a great time striving toward a goal as father and son!  We’re less than a month away from testing again.  This time Paul will test for his Yellow Belt and I’ll test for my Orange.  And not too long from now, Steph is going to join us in the program too.  What an amazing addition to the things we do throughout the week to build and strengthen the bonds that tie us together as a family  through shared experiences, struggles, and striving together toward a goal.  In the process we’re also getting more fit, and we’re making some amazing new friends as a family!

It’s great to be a dad!

Our "Karate Kid"

Nine weeks ago my son began taking Taekwando lessons through an American Taekwando Association school called Victory Martial Arts—something he’s been asking to do for almost a year.  Steph and I kept putting it off simply because he’s been playing soccer for three years and at the end of each season he kept asking us to sign him up again.  At the end of last season, he told us he was tired of soccer and wanted to do something new, and asked to start martial arts instead of soccer.  So we signed him up!

As an athlete, I’ve been an “individual sports” kind of guy my whole life.  Maybe it’s fairer to say that I enjoy sports that I compete as an individual in.  Not that I’m not a team player or enjoy the community of team sports, but there’s something about how I’m wired that drew me to cross country running, and in High School, Kenpo karate.  While we encouraged Paul’s participation in soccer, there are all kinds of signs he’s wired the same way I am.  I wasn’t surprised when he grew tired of soccer and was even less surprised when he continued to ask to participate in martial arts.  (He also says he wants to run with me, but I haven’t convinced him to start yet.)

Steph and I are working the life-balance issues with Paul, just as all parents do with their kids.  We have a pretty stable routine that we believe best ensures he continues to do well in school (including getting his homework done in a disciplined manner), but not to squelch time during the week for him to participate in some form of physical activity (sports), and time to just play and fuel his imagination (LEGO, video games, etc.).  He knows school is always the priority, but we want him to have plenty of time to explore the other things that keep a life balanced/full/colorful.  In all these things, he has his circles of friends, and in most cases they overlap, creating a cool, common thread that connects all these major aspects of his life.

I’m pretty sure Paul doesn’t know just how thrilled I am that he’s involved in martial arts.  As I’ve watched him these past couple months, I’m remembering and reliving the thrill, challenges, pain, and excitement of learning and doing new things physically and seeing the tangible achievements (mental and physical focus, balance, confidence, etc.), especially represented by working hard and advancing to the next belt.  This past week, Paul tested for the first time and moved from White Belt to Orange Belt.  He was more nervous than I think I’ve seen him be about anything.  Steph and I worked through it with him as best we could.  Most of the time both of us were at every practice since he joined the school, and one of us was always there.  We were his champions, his encouragers, his cheerleaders when he practiced at home and during lessons.  As with so many things in life though, we can’t do this for him.  When testing time came, he had to take the test and perform the necessary elements in front of other White, Orange and Yellow Belts…and the Black Belts.  Yes, the Chief Instructor has the Black Belts test on the same evening as the junior belts.  The Black Belts were amazing examples for the young martial artists, and the advanced students also championed and cheered the new students as they took these first steps toward earning their own Black Belts.  Even with all the encouragement and practice, several of those testing to advance in the junior belts didn’t pass.  Some of the Black Belts didn’t pass either.  In this they became amazing examples to the lesser experienced athletes.  The parents were well represented at testing too—for the White Belts testing for the first time, all the way up to the Black Belts testing for the next degree!  It warmed my heart to see the amazing turnout by the parents and even other friends, many of whom brought signs and noise-makers to encourage the kids and adult students.

Paul worked through his nervousness and did amazing with his forms (with and without his weapon).  He struggled with board breaking though—the event we knew he was the most nervous about.  Along with several others, on his final attempt he broke his board and the crowd went wild, for Paul and every other athlete who tried so hard!

So, Paul has begun a new adventure in his life:  the practice of martial arts and the pursuit of a Black Belt.  But wait, there’s more.  As I mentioned, I participated in martial arts (over 30 years ago!).  This week I’m going to begin to train again, in a new style and with my son at the same school—Dad and Lad, racing each other toward a Black Belt.  And by racing I mean encouraging each other.  Paul’s excited about this, and so am I.  And since he’s a full training cycle and one belt ahead of me, I’m having fun pointing out that in this this thing we’re doing, he’s beating dad.  He’s already getting used to hearing me say, with a huge grin on my face and a high-five:  “don’t let me catch you, son!”

As always, it’s great to be a dad!

I Didn't Mean to Scare Him

It’s happened to many of us before, I’m sure.  I was supposed to be a tender moment, and I scared my son.  It was the middle of the night and he was asleep.  He’d been fidgety all night, having dreams, talking in his sleep, and tossing and turning.  At one point it sounded like he might have been awake so I got out of bed and went to his room to see what was up.

He appeared to be sound asleep.  If he had awakened, he was already back in dreamland.  Or maybe he never woke up and it only sounded that way.  I went over and stood by his bed for a while just watching him, gently adjusted his sheet and blanket, then stood a bit longer to see if he would stir.  Nothing.  He was out, and for the moment quiet and still.  So cute and peaceful.

It was time to head back to bed myself so I slowly knelt down on his bed and leaned over to give him a gentle kiss.  This is nothing out of the ordinary.  Every night before I go to bed, I walk back to his room to check on him.  I always give him a kiss and whisper in his ear that I love him, I’m proud he’s my son and I’m proud to be his dad.  This was no different other than it was in the middle of the night.  As I leaned down, just a foot or so from his face, he opened his eyes, saw me and screamed.  I felt horrible!

As quick as he was scared by the presence of someone so close to him, he realized it was just me.  I had also moved my face back from his a bit and said, “it’s okay buddy, it’s just me.”  Recognition set in immediately and I moved back in, now to comfort and hug and hold him.  He latched on, and out of breath, quietly said, “dad, you scared me.”

“I know, son.  I’m so sorry.  I just came in to check on you.  I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Catching his breath, “I know, dad.”

“I really love you, son.  Please don’t be scared.  I’ll always protect you.  I never want to scare you.”

“I love you too, dad.” And he held me tighter.

He quieted back down, faster than I would have thought possible after scaring him so bad.  Within a few minutes he was back to sleep.  I re-adjusted his sheets, gave him the kiss I had intended to give him at first, and whispered my usual affirmation of love to him in his ear.  As I started to move away and off of his bed, on the cusp of sleep he whispered back,  “I love you too dad.  I’m proud to be your son.”

That young and amazing boy broke my heart twice in just five minutes.  First because I felt so bad that I had scared him, knowing there was no way to undue that moment.  Then, with his sweet words of love back to me.  I left his room knowing the last thing on his mind as he went back to his world of dreams was my love for him.

It’s great to be a dad!

A Big Month!

First there was Free Comic Book Day, then Steph and I went away for a week-long vacation visiting friends and attending a convention on the east coast without our son, and shortly after our return the school year ended with Paul finishing kindergarten.

May the 4th (be with you)...Free Comic Book Day.  Yes, being the geek parents we are, we have a favorite local comic book store and took Paul to pick out a few issues and enjoy the costumes.  And boy did he!  He went in costume himself and was a hit with everyone there.  At his request we pulled out an old Halloween costume and transformed him into a little Bobba Fett.  When he arrived he was instantly greeted and flanked by by a few fellow Star Wars characters:  a Stormtrooper and a full-sized member of the Fett clan.  Our son told my wife, "This is the best day of my life!"

Toward the end of the month it was time for the convention.  I completely trust my in-laws with Paul, but I think I suffered from something akin to fatherly separation anxiety.  As I think I’ve said before, I miss my son when he’s in the next room asleep.  For my wife and I to be on the opposite side of the country for a week was a little stressful for me.  I’ve been on trips before, but Steph’s been home.  This time it was both of us going and while we had confidence he’d do well, listen to what he was told, and have a good time, there was really only one way to find out:  so off we went!  We had a blast at the convention and Paul had a blast with his grandparents, but this was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done as a father, and maybe in my life.  We spoke with him several times through the week and it was all fun and games.  The conversations weren’t long.  He was so busy having fun he’d give us a quick data-dump, and then off he’d go.  It warmed my heart to see how comfortable he was!  His behavior was great for his grandparents and at school, he did everything he was supposed to, and best of all he didn’t stress over our absence.  It was a great relief to know he took it all in stride.  (In fact, I think our dog stressed more than anyone, but she’s clingy and defensive.)  When we returned home, Paul was happy to see us, mostly because he could finally tell us about his adventures playing games, going on walks and especially playing in the pool.

I’m sure fathers who have gone around this track before understand--as a father this was a big step for me.  I think the same was true in a different way for our son.  Each of us grew a little (or maybe a lot) due to the experience and I’ve had the privilege of watching my son take a small but major step in his growth.  I’m happy to see this level of independence in him.  As I pray with him every night: I’m thankful and proud that he’s my son, and that I’m his dad.

Then, school ended this past week and we’re now the proud parents of a graduated kindergartener / brand new first-grader.  Paul did well this year at school and I’m confident he’s very ready to enter grade school.  For him it means next year he gets a new teacher and new friends in class, but Steph and I have made a bit of a big deal about it with him, pointing out we’re proud of him for being a first grader now and for how well he did this year.  He’s already excited rather than nervous about it, and we’ll reinforce this with him toward the end of the summer.  In the meantime, summer break is here and we’re swinging out efforts toward encouraging him to enjoy the fun and the days away from the classroom.  I’m pretty sure we won’t have a problem with that and if this summer is like the last two, he’ll tell us he’s ready for school sometime during the last month of summer break.  I love this lifetime adventure and as always...

It’s great to be a dad!

Calico Basin Trail Hike

Last weekend I took Paul on a trail hike around a small peak in the Calico Basin part of Red Rock Canyon.  This would be the longest and most difficult hike he’s ever done.  With water and snacks in hand, we joined with another parent and one of his friends from school and off we went.  

In the Google Earth image, we parked on the left side near the intersection of Sandstone and Kraft Mountain Loop, then started counterclockwise around the peak.  You can see the trail circle the mountain, then cut up and over, circling around the top of the image and back toward where we parked.  At the start, most of the trail was relatively flat, with elevation changes happening gradually.  The scenery was awesome and we made our way about half way around the peak on a trail that varied between powdery sand and gravel.  

At about the halfway point, the ground got a bit rockier and we came to the first of several obstacles, primarily large boulders, we had to climb up and over.  The challenge for the two parents was to coordinate our efforts to work the boys up and over the obstacles.  Usually one of us would go up first, then both the boys, then the other parent would come up last.  The boys were also challenged by this, not just because of the climbing, but because once on top of an obstacle, it took all the attention a five and six year old team of boys could muster to pay attention and be still.  They did great!

With the rock scrambles over obstacles behind us, we rounded the peak to turn back toward the car and had the opportunity to hike a trail up and over the peak, taking us very close to the highest part.  We rested at the top for a bit, enjoyed a little more water and took in the view, then made our way back down.

We spent the rest of the day resting and visiting my wife’s parents.  He’d given everything he had to a physically demanding day doing something he’d never done before.  He rode an emotional high too, probably fueled by regular statements by me of how proud I was of him for doing something that difficult for a little man.  Then bedtime finally came, his head hit the pillow, and he slept hard and peacefully.  When my bedtime came, I did too.  Being a dad, for me the day brought its own stress and excitement as I watched my son do things he’d never done before, some of these things with a bit of very managed risk, but risk nonetheless.  I fell asleep content and very proud of Paul.

Another adventure is behind us now: one more special experience I’ve had the privilege of sharing with my son.

It’s great to be a dad!