SMH and Smiling

Sometimes I just sit here and shake my head and wonder how did I get here?  I’m glad I’m here, but some days I just wonder, how did a conservative, middle aged, mini-van driving, wife and mother of two find her way to jiu jitsu.  The odds seemed pretty stacked against me ever stepping foot on a mat anywhere.  I do believe that somehow we were destined to be together (jiu jitsu and me).  Trust me, I certainly didn’t even know jiu jitsu existed before September of 2009.  But the stars and planets aligned, my kids schedules became free of baseball and softball obligations, and the magic ingredient…my daughter didn’t have to take physical education in 7^th grade junior high.  Crazy!  Right?  No PE?  How could that be?  Every kid needs to run and jump and sweat.  It’s good for them.  But that was the catalyst that got me off my butt and looking for something physical for my kids to do.   Voila, 2 ½ years later, here we are.  My kids started first, and I followed suit about 9 months later.  I was infatuated from the very first class I took my son to.  What were those people doing on the mats?  That looks like fun.  Could I do that?  Really, could I do that?  Would they let somebody like me try to do that?  Yes, yes and YES!!

I guess I was feeling a little bit sentimental today.  I get that way on occasion.  Sometimes I do need to get it all out…to get it all off my chest, the good, the bad and the ugly.  Today it was good stuff that needed to get out…I like those days.  I was also thinking that the internet and blogging community can be a wonderful place.  For me, it’s been an outlet for the emotional and physical aspects of my jiu jitsu journey.  I appreciate all who stop by and read my thoughts and musings and rants and ravings and a special thank you to those of you who send me encouragement and support (and even a few gis)!  A girl needs all the help she can get.  I feel like I’ve got this community of people around the world that are all walking this journey with me.  My desire is to one day travel this great big world and train with all the amazing people I’ve met through the blogging community!  Get ready…one day I might just show up at a gym near you!!