Corona Virus Quarantine Day #18: April 3, 2020

Today my guest writer is our spunky, sweet and funny Cooper Dorsey.

Today after breakfast we I went on to a computer and I finished my reading workshop.  We have been doing school online.  I like it because I can see my friends on the zoom meetings.  I don’t like it because we have to type everything and that takes a long time.  I’m a slow typer…  but I’ll get better!

Then I went on an I PAD and I did IXL Math for 20 minutes and that was fun.  After that I read my new book called “Dive: WWII Stories of Sailors and Submarines in the Pacific”.  It’s a really cool book about WWII.  The best part I’ve read so far is when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.  I like History books those are my favorites.  The best history book I’ve ever read so far is Hitler’s Secret.  My mom is reading it with me now.  It is awesome, so amazing!  I read a lot today.  I also played games on the I PAD.

Then we went to the barn and I practiced working on my shots with Daddy.  I got better today.  Then we played a 2-hour soccer game with my siblings and Hunter and Logan.  We killed the girls and Logan.  I scored like 35 goals.   Everyone on our team scored a lot.  It was a fun game.  I had a lot of fun and I hope we play again soon.

Then we went to my Aunt Jenny and Uncle Luke’s and made homemade pizzas.  It was so delicious!  It was cool to make it in the pizza oven.  It was a yummy dinner.  After that we played a fighting game.  We shot the girls a lot and they locked the door so we couldn’t get it.  We are the best team ever.

Then we watched a movie and ate popcorn.  It was the newest Jumanji.  It’s an amazing movie.  When the movie was happening we had a big pillow fight.  Overall I think the corona virus quarantine is good because I can see my family more and spend a lot of time with them and play around and stuff.  I don’t like that you can’t go anywhere, you can’t see your friends or go to restaurants and only one person can go to the store and I like to go to the store.  I miss my teachers.  Today I thankful for about everything in the world.

Love, Cooper

My thoughts on the week…

TGIF for the second week in a row. It’s been a full week that’s for sure.  Between virtual teaching, being a full time mom and homeschooler, a chef and a maid…I am spent.  I don’t want to take for granted a single second of this slow down time but sometimes in the heat of it…it’s hard…and it’s easy to just pray this will all be over soon and life will return to “normal”

The kids for the most part seem unaffected by it. They have adjusted to the new norm so much better than I could have hoped for…Fletcher is by far having the hardest time.  He’s always been a bit stubborn but this has reached a whole new level.  Bryan and my mom keep reminding my how much his world has changed and he is such an extrovert, such a people person and now all his “people” other than his siblings have gone away.  He’s too young to really process that…so I am trying to give him grace…but when he’s losing his ever living mind…that’s hard.

Today in virtual teaching I had several visitors.  Ellen came in because she knew I was teaching about women on the 1920s and she did a school project on that and she wanted to listen.  My kids didn’t even know she was there, because she’s that kind of student. Sit, listen and learn.  Cooper came in to my second class and when I asked my students a question and got crickets he raised his hand.  So I thought…what the heck and I called on him. He then answered the question…correctly.  As you read above he loves history (which makes a mom’s heart so happy).  So I had to give my students a hard time about the fact that my 9-year-old son answered a question before they did.  Virtual learning has a lot of elements no one could plan for!

I am hopeful that all of this virtual learning will give everyone a new found respect for teachers and what they do each day. It’s hard and important work…work that not everyone in this earthly world’s cut out for…that’s for sure.

Zoom while not the way I prefer to interact has truly been a blessing.  It has allowed us to teach virtually and allowed our kids to interact with their friends.  Today Fletcher even had a zoom call with his pre-school class and he was so happy to see “all his friends”.  It made my heart hurt a little for his sweet soul because I know, like his mommy, he is longing for human interaction outside his home.  In time Fletcher…in time.

Fletcher was so excited to be on a zoom call with “all his friends”.

Fiona had a zoom call with friends, Ellen face-timed a friend and even Mommy go to see some great friends via zoom today.  So, while mere months ago I lamented at technology and how it disconnected people from the real world…I think we are all seeing how in this super unique situation it is connecting us all in a very real and profound way.  It’s amazing how perspective in our new situation keeps slapping me in the face.

Finally, my day was made complete with a letter I received in the mail. If you do not write hand written notes…please start. Our mom was always an advocate of it and as a small child I can remember her sitting us down and having us write thank you notes after parties and events.  I’m so grateful she did because I know I speak for my sister and I both…we both love the handwritten note (writing them and receiving them).  I got a letter in the mail today from a former student. He graduated in 2014.  I have seen him a few times since then but not a ton.  He is now in the seminary…GOD bless him!

As a student I always liked him.  He was funny and sarcastic, qualities I am quite fond of…he was smart and quick witted, kind and obviously, given the fact that he selected to become a priest…just an all around good human being.  His letter was among one of the nicest I’ve ever received from a student.  He reflected on the fact that it was long overdue and that given all the extra time he had he wanted to let me know the profound impact I had on him as a person.

As a teacher/coach, I have always cared so deeply about my students and players.  I have always been willing to share my life experiences with them, regardless of how painful and hope that my life lessons will help them learn important life lessons themselves. Most teenagers aren’t able to properly communicate to you how they feel or what kind of impact you made on their life when they are in the fray (meaning high school of course).  Many times it isn’t until years later when they tell you the true impact you have had.  Even though you know you are making an impact…you often aren’t hearing about it in those moments directly.  In this position you have to trust that what you are doing is working.  Even the strongest people need to hear even once in awhile how they are doing things well.  Be the kind of person that tells other when they are crushing it…that’s how this blog started in the first place…to celebrate other people’s awesome!  This was a reminder of how I can do this even more in my own life.

This young man made my week.  It’s been a tough one as you all know…I’ve chronicled it all here…and this young man reminded me why I was born to do this job I love so much.  He reminded me the importance of my gifts and that I can’t let any corona virus or on line learning get in the way of what I was born to do.

To the young man who wrote this letter (I won’t use your name because I didn’t ask permission) if you are reading…thank you.  You are going to be an amazing priest.  I cannot wait to listen to you say mass and sit in the pew with the upmost pride in the person that you are.  You are and always have been a magnificent person.  Also…I’m sorry I scared you all those years ago when I was in labor in the classroom. It all worked out…no babies were born in the classroom that day.  Thank GOD for that!

Stay well my friends and write a letter this weekend to someone who impacted your life.  That letter could turn their whole week or maybe even world around.  I think that fact is worth taking that time….I know I’ll be writing a few!

Homemade pizza night.  What a blast!

Have to celebrate this sweet girl tonight…she has worked so hard the past few weeks to get better at volleyball. She has asked me everyday to help her.  

The first time she did this she cried because she couldn’t get 20 in a row and she’s a competitive soul…GOD bless her.  Today she passed against the wall for over 5 minutes.  She was so proud of herself.  I was so happy for her.  It’s so much fun to set a goal and crush it. 

#celebr8awesome

#dorseyshenanigans