Corona Virus Quarantine Day #67: Memorial Day: May 25, 2020

My guest writer today is the sweet, handsome and funny Cooper Claerhout Dorsey…

This morning we played outside and rode our bikes and Finley and I played catch to get ready for baseball.  Then me, Ellen, Mom, and Fletcher took Gigi on a walk around the pond.  She really likes to get in the pond and get wet.  We went on a new bike ride today.  It was a new path.  The path was really, really cool and really fun. It had two giant hills and we got to go really fast.  The going up those hills was hard but when we got to go down them on the other side it was awesome.  At the end of the path there was a house of some kind.  It looks like an old school house but it was closed.  After that I played hockey in my room and then I rode my bike some more.  I also worked on my 5^th grade summer packet.  Some of it was hard and some of it was easy.  Then Hunter and Logan came over and we had dinner with them.  It was super good.  I had a brat, corn, beans and mac and cheese.  It was a good meal.  Then we played hide and seek freeze tag outside.  It’s a really fun game.  We won a couple games.  After that we went inside to get our treat.  I ate a cookie sandwich with mommy’s famous cookies and Uncle Luke’s homemade ice cream.  It was amazing.   After that we played more tag. We did a lot of running.  To finish the night we finished Freaky Friday.  I liked it, it was funny.  Finley and I played ping pong while we watched the movie.  So that was super fun.  When I hear that it’s day 67 of corona virus I kind of wish it would just end right now because then we could go places and see our friends and go to restaurants.  Today I am thankful for about everything but sicknesses and stuff that can hurt people.  I’m not thankful for those.  I’m also thankful for soldiers because today is Memorial Day and we celebrate people who serve in the military.  I like to read books about WWII so I know that being a soldier is hard and you can die and really bad stuff can happen to you.  So I am thankful for soldiers today too.

Love, Cooper

Mommy’s thoughts:

I have always loved this day.  Maybe because it’s a time for family to get together and eat BBQ food…maybe it’s because it’s related to history and I can talk to my kids about war and the men and women who are brave enough to fight for our freedom.  It’s not a concept that many little kids can grasp but like anything…if you tell them enough times, eventually it sticks.  I love how Cooper said he was thankful for soldiers.  He is my little History buff and loves to learn about wars, especially WWII so I wasn’t surprised but it did warm my heart.

The highlights of my day are often the same.  We went on a long family bike ride, which I love.  Our walks together around our pond with the dog are also fantastic as we can talk and Fletcher always wants to hold my hand (which I love as well).  My sister made an amazing meal and my favorite chicken recipe and we ate together as a family.  The kids ran outside until they couldn’t run anymore and I got to play volleyball today.  Man do I still love to play that game.  Teaching people how to play the game is my favorite thing and seeing it click for them is such a high.  I love to help people get better at the game I love the most.  Such a thrill.

I’ve never in my life met a child that can spot wildlife like Fletcher Matthew Dorsey.  It’s incredible.  He nearly caused a giant Dorsey bike collision coming to a quick stop to see this turtle but he wasn’t going to miss it…that’s for sure!

The school house at the end of our bike ride.  Fletcher thought it was a haunted house.  No one is quite sure what the heck it is!  I thought it was super cook.  Fletcher’s face was covered in dirt after our bike ride because he insists on riding through all the puddles.  He didn’t let me clean it off because it made him look tough.

It’s been another wonderful week full of quality time together.

But I like Cooper, go to bed tonight, thankful for all of those that are brave enough to protect our country so I can enjoy these moments with my family.  Whenever I teach my students about war and we discuss the draft they always ask me if I think that will ever happen again.  My answer is always the same, “I hope not because if that ever becomes necessary again it means we are in a very large, very ugly war.”

But…that’s not to say how grateful we all should be that someone is willing to put on that uniform and protect our freedom.  Also, I can’t help but think of the sacrifices their family makes.  When these men and women serve they are often gone for long periods of time from their loved ones.  They miss birthday’s and anniversary’s…some even miss the birth of their children.  I cannot even imagine that.  It is a huge sacrifice for both the person serving and those that love those that serve.

So to anyone I know that is a veteran or currently serving in the armed forces.  Thank you.  To strangers I don’t know that are serving in the military…thank you.  To the people who love someone who is in the armed forces, thank you as well for your sacrifice.  I pray for all of you and your families.

I’m sure there are important things I am forgetting to teach my children but this won’t be one of them…a deep respect and love and appreciation for our armed forces.

A few other highlights from the day…

The kids finally went through their school bags and the amount of fun they had doing it was strange to me but whatever it made them so happy!

The rainbow jello was a huge hit.  This time we made one large one just like my mom used to when we were little.  So much fun.  

This sweet girl.  I can’t.  She loves to read so much.  When she found her locker white board she wrote herself a motivational message.  Ellen Anne…the sweetest.

I can’t with this one either…Fiona Bell. I want to remember this time that she wants to be like me.  I am sure when she’s a teenager that will change drastically :)…but now it’s the best and so sweet.

#celebr8awesome

#dorseyshenanigans