COVID

 On Friday, Jacob called because he wasn't feeling. He went to school just fine but throughout the morning went down hill. While he was at the school I said to just go ahead with a COVID test. His positive test dominoed Jack and Amelia getting picked up from school with positive test, me, not being able to go to work because I tested positive, and Dad testing positive. 

We are now all quarantined with COVID for the next ten days. Lucky for us we all were able to receive a positive test on the same day so we are all on the same timeline. Other then having some lagging coughs and congestion we all feel fine. Dad says he can't smell anything and taste hardly. 

RIP Skipper

So tragically Skipper died yesterday. He suffocated in a chip bag while we were all gone to school or work. Horribly Jack found him when he got home from school. Jack became frantic and hysterical, obviously. Jack removed the bag from Skipper's head. He then tried calling my phone, but I had the sound turned off. He called Dada at work. Dan said he could barely understand him because he was so upset. Dan told Jack to call Myrna for help while he drove home. Myrna wasn't home but she sent Alex over to help. Alex checked Skipper out and let Jack know he was gone. He then wrapped Skipper up in a blanket. Once Myrna got there she called me at the school thru the office. I was frantic with worry over Jack finding Skipper. Luckily I was able to leave right after I talked with her.

Myrna was at the house to stay with the boys until I got there. Both boys were upstairs when I got home, they didn't want to be near Skipper's body. Jack fell into hysterics again, he was so upset, when he saw me. He was crying uncontrollably. Jacob explained that the bus had been too full to take him so he had to walk home. That was why Jack was there alone.

Minutes after I got home, Dada showed up. Jack, Dada and I held each other and cried. We petted Skipper's body. We also sat with Jack in the kitchen since he collapsed there in grief. 

After a bit, when things had settled down I picked Amelia from school. I talked with the school counselor about the situation before I picked her up. Outside the building she asked why she was being picked up. I told her Skipper died. She broke down in tears, sobbing. We stood there for awhile hugging. When we got home, Dada and I showed her Skipper's body and we petted him a bit. After that she crawled into bed.

Right before I took Skipper's body to the vet to be cremated our family prayed around Skipper's body and touched him a final time. 

Needless to say we are all devastated. It is just so sad that he is gone. We all depended so much on Skipper to be here and to love us. We received so much reassurance, companionship and support from that little dog. All of us are physically hurting from grief. As with all grief, we are coming together as a family. Slowing the pace down of our life; allowing each of us to process this in our own way but not alone in doing so. 

RIP Skipper

Football

 It's football season again! Jacob decided he was going to play again this year. He isn't too excited about the tackling part but he as several friends that play. Jacob is a kid who loves being with his friends. He has always been someone who believes in "the more the merrier" and loves family gatherings. Now that he is a teenager is seeking out his peer groups; and of now, his peer group is a nice group of friends. But I digress back to football... So far he is enjoying it. As of now, they will get to play football games so I am hoping that happens.

Now it is Jack's first year playing football and he is LOVING it. He plays on the defensive line. He tells me all about practice and how he gets to push kids around. He loves pushing "big blue" around, that's some kind of tackling sled. He has started working out each day; which consists of a list of exercise, my 3lbs weights and very inspirational music. I am so glad he is enjoying himself and has found a place for him to belong.  

First Day of School 2021

 

4th Grade

8th Grade

7th Grade

The Fair

 Amelia and Jack entered things into the fair this year. It all started with Jack wanting to enter his elephant picture he painted with Ms. Stephanie. He ended up entering one other painting. Amelia entered two paintings, a tie dye shirt and a poem she wrote in school. When we got to the fair the first thing we did was look for their entities. It was so exciting to see the ribbons!! The highlights were:

Jack won Best in Show for his elephant watercolor. We both agreed Ms. Stephanie would have been so excited and proud of him. 

Amelia won a special Grand Reserve ribbon for her pigeon picture. Amelia's poem won Best in Show, Best in Division, Best in Class and People's Choice. 

We were so shocked and surprised by their winnings! They should be getting a check for the money they won in the mail soon, but we are not sure how much it will be. Needless to say they are probably going to enter stuff next year.