Rips

Josephine has been working hard at the gym.  I picked her up from practice today and she, very proudly, showed me her rips.  Rips is the gymnastics term for the tearing of your skin that happens as you hold the bars and spin around - she's learning how to hold the bar tightly enough to stay on and loosely enough to not tear off the skin on her hands - rips.  Her coach pulled the team around and said, See?  This is what hard work gets you.  Rips are considered a badge - proof that you are working hard and hitting a new mark.  Eventually we will get her some grips, to cover this new skin she will grow and she will move onward and upward.  For now she looks a little like a burn victim, but, good work, Joey!