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| At the Kiddie Kross |
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| On a hike with Grandma |
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| Front Kick |
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| Showing off my High White belt |
Hi Sidra,
You
are a busy girl. Your mom has scheduled
you into many activities besides school.
Well, I got you into a couple things, too. I thought I should share some of them.
First
of all I took you (and your sister) to a few Kiddie Kross races. They are bike races held on varied terrain
and coincide with adult races called cyclocross. Both your mom and I have raced in these events in the past and
have enjoyed them. That’s why we
thought you might like them. The kiddie
races are usually around the midday, as the adult races run all through the
morning and afternoon with different age and ability groups. Sometimes the kiddie course is separate from
the adult course. That’s the best thing
for the kids because that means the course is probably a little easier and you
get to practice on it a lot before and after the actual race. Sometimes the course is part of the adult
course and the kids can’t go on it except when the adult races are
stopped. That actually only happened
once.
We
went to races in Vancouver, Cascade Locks, Barlow High School and Edgefield
Manor. The first two were probably the
best experience because the weather was nice and the courses were good. You got your first taste of having to
dismount and carry your bike over a barrier.
At the Edgefield race you had your first time on what’s called a “run
up.” That’s where the course is
intentionally made so steep you have to get off your bike and push or carry it
up. That’s what you’re doing in the
video posted here.
Naturally,
you played another season of soccer this fall.
You have become a better focused, more aggressive soccer player. I think it helped that you’re not the
youngest/smallest anymore. Last year,
you never contested an a opponent or a teammate for a loose ball, but this year
you did. You still don’t understand
some of the strategy of the game, but you’re getting there. I think the highlight of the season was when
you scored a goal by taking control of the ball at about mid field and going
all the way. The fact that your Grandma
and Grandpa were there to see it brightened an otherwise miserable (because of
the weather) day.
Your
piano lessons have ended or are at least on hold but you’ve taken up the
ukulele. Your mom got a local performer
she knows to come to the house to teach you.
It seems like your level of enthusiasm for it is following a similar
path as it did with the piano. You
were really into it a first but that energy has waned. For instance, when I had you play and sing
for the video you wouldn’t do a song that featured more than one cord and put
very little effort into demonstrating all the chords you know when I asked you to
do that.
You’ve
started Taekwando lessons and have already earned an upgraded “belt.” You began with a white belt and last week
took the test to earn a ‘high white’ ranking.
So your belt is now white with a black stripe through the middle. It’s a good program for you. They train you in fitness, discipline, and
confidence. You can’t argue with the
rules: 1) always respect your parents, 2) always do your best in school, and 3)
always believe in yourself. I think
you’ve bought into it. Your enthusiasm
hasn’t waned yet. One challenge you have
is staying focused for the whole session.
You usually fade a little in the last 10 minutes or so.
You will be performing in your school's holiday program this week. You have an solo speaking part. You will be reciting a Channuka poem that you learned from your aunt Jane. You've already performed it for the congregation at Beit Havarim twice. Once during the Friday night family service the night before Channuka and once for the group gathering after Sunday school. I got to see the Friday performance but not Sunday. We didn't have a camera ready so I had you reprise it tonight so I could record it.
I was lucky to be able to attend a conference with your school teacher. Usually it's too hard to make it because I'm working. Anyway, she confirmed what your mom and I believe, that you're an incredible reader. You have some focus issues occasionally but you're a great student. You're not a math whiz but after talking with your teacher I'm not worried about that. You're just not quite ready to be that yet.
Love, Aba
