Celebrating the 4th on the 3rd

Emily is connected at the hip with four other girls from her Sporting soccer team.  They ran and worked out together during the entire lockdown and as their parents, we have all commented that their mental health really benefited from the exercise and the contact over three long months of distance learning and forced separation from their teammates and other friends.  The girls continue to see each other almost every day and over the long holiday weekend, we were all invited to spend some time at Jules' lake house.  Because we've been a pod for months, it was a no brainer and the girls spent the day swimming, tubing and just chilling in the lake while the parents did much of the same.  It was a really awesome day and I am just so grateful that Emily has this friendship.

We took the boat out to a rock outcropping and everyone (even me) climbed the rocks and jumped into the water. 

Great group of people right here.

#allthelasts

We thought that there would be so many more lasts when I started this post back in September, but here they all are.  What a year for Emily.

Last first day of school at JPII

Last Bernie Ward Soccer Tournament

Last cross country practice

Last cross country race

Last JPII Christmas Concert 

Last Father Daughter Dance 

Final home basketball game. 

8th graders at the final home basketball game.

Last day of 8th grade - last day ever at JPII

At Last - Graduation

Emily graduated on Thursday in a very small ceremony.  The graduation was originally scheduled for early June but had to be postponed because of COVID-19.  In conjunction with the state, the Diocese allowed for graduations of small numbers, beginning on July 6th and suddenly, we had a graduation scheduled for the 9th.
With two weeks remaining in the school year, Emily was one of three students in a virtual tie for valedictorian (all within two decimal points of each other) but when the final grades came out, she ended up out of the running completely.  I think that Lee and I were more disappointed than she was - but she knows that getting both academic and music scholarships to high school were more important.  We've been joking for weeks about how she's embarrassed the family name by only getting an Honors Cord, but we are definitely just joking.  We are proud of her years at JPII and we are so looking forward to watching her spread her wings and soar in high school

As a side note, we took these photos on a different day (the school had a photo day for graduates).  Each student was allowed only two guests and because Elizabeth had a conflict, Lee took her to where she needed to be and Aunty Strom was Emily's other guest.

It was a brutal 95 degrees and oppressively humid when we headed to the ceremony. 

Officially a graduate. 

Last Day of Sophomore Year

There is no doubt about it, Elizabeth struggled far more with distance learning than Emily.  The first couple of weeks were very difficult for her, and the only saving grace with the school adjusting it's schedule and the fact that she had actual classes every day - real instruction and interaction with her teachers and classmates over FaceTime each and every day.  After a little over a month of struggling, Elizabeth was able to pull herself together and get into a routine that worked for her, salvaging both her spirit and her grades.  She was able to get her best grades of the these last two years in the 4th quarter and kept her GPA above a 4.0.  She is really looking forward to getting back to school and her friends in August.

This is what studying for finals and completing final projects looked like for over a week.

As she sent off each of her final projects/assignments, she sent each of her teachers a personal note, thanking them for the effort and kindness they showed her this year and telling them how much she appreciated them.  This was one of her favorite responses - her math teacher, widely known as the best but most difficult math teacher in the school, is the mother of one of her best friends.  She single-handedly guided Elizabeth through an incredibly difficult year of math.

COVID-19 Diaries: Week 17

Emily was able to get her Class of 2024 sign from NWC a few weeks ago and is proudly displaying it on our front lawn.  She got her ears double pierced a few weeks ago as well, as part of her 14th birthday present.  And I pounded out 200+ miles over the last two months, after a 4 1/2 year hiatus from running.  Silver linings.

Went into the office for the first time since March 5th. 

Post 7.6 mile run to end the month of June.

Last Day of 8th Grade

These last few months have not exactly been easy, but this girl rolled with the punches.  Despite missing out on her 8th grade semi-formal, 8th grade banquet, class trips to New York City and Holiday Hill, her final season of school sports and countless other memories and milestones, Emily never missed a beat and never stopped smiling.  Even when the projects and tests piled up the last two weeks of school, she just kept plugging away.  Here she is, up early on her final day of middle school, because she wanted to get in some extra studying, having spent the week taking other teats and finishing up other final projects.  We are love her so much and while we are so sad to see this chapter end, we can't wait to see what the future brings.  #allthelasts.

 

COVID Gains

The girls have been running together five days a week since March, plus relentlessly practicing lacrosse and soccer in our backyard for hours on end.  Emily also does conditioning work with her friends 2-3 times a week at various local tracks (to get ready for high school soccer) and she's been hitting the gym with Lee.  These girls have put in some serious work over the last few months.

Short sprints.  Long sprints.  So much running.

On this particular day, the girls had to run 12 400s.  Emily got sick to her stomach halfway through (she was a little iffy before track and probably should have stayed home).  She ran home, and once she felt better, returned to the track to finish the second half of the workout, after her friends had left. I have to say, I was quite surprised.

Small group soccer training 

A few 400s after weathering the Beep Test.