Matt's a black belt!!!

 Big news.  BIG NEWS.  Tonight Matt had his kamiza which is the karate promotion ceremony to black belt!!  So so so incredibly proud of him. 

He started karate about 1-2 weeks before we started dating and it was one of the first things we talked about.  At the time he told me it was 2 years until he had his black belt (hah!).  I told my sisters it would be so cool in 2 years when I could say my boyfriend was a black belt.  They asked how I knew he'd still be my boyfriend.  Well the 2 years was a bit off (he did take about a 2 year break when he was in school the first time and then another year the second time) but he finally did it.  And he's not my boyfriend but my husband. =)

He found out a couple months ago that he was going to be up for his black belt tests and that began the studying.  And study sessions.  And more studying.  Lots of studying.  He had his physical fitness tests on November 23rd (which cut short our trip downtown for the lightings) and took the actual tests on December 8th.  I was nervous for him.  He said the written tests were worse than studying for boards and he studied his butt off for those!

Now, it all paid off.  He was the 82nd black belt for the Fort Wayne school.  The completion rate is something like 1/500.  He did it though.  He got his black belt.  It was a very exciting and loooong night (apparently kamizas = lots of sake drinking) but he deserved it.  It all paid off. =)