After just four days back in school, Rowan caught COVID. Two days later, Cruz, Cora and I had it as well. Roger got tested and still has his antibodies from his previous infection and somehow did not get sick! It was a rough time to miss those precious early days in a new school. Thankfully, everyone is healed, caught up and back on track!
Rowan:
Rowan had a really hard time missing those first days of school. Eighth grade is no joke, especially Algebra I. Rowan felt pretty behind going back to school and has spent extra time with his math teacher working to catch up. Row is loving his first time playing flag football in a very long time. It's been SO important in helping him feel a part of SCS and get to know all the other kids. He had his first painful sports injury this month as well! The 8th graders on the team get to take turns being captain, leading the end of the huddle chants and getting to sit in the back of the bus on the way to games. Rowan is really enjoying the privileges that come with being a big eighth grader. He is enjoying singing alto in choir and the fact that closed toed shoes are no longer required for middle schoolers. Socks and his UA slide sandals are his shoes of choice. It's the little things. ;)
Cruz:
Cruz seems to be thriving the most of the three kids in his new environment (which is so surprising to me). He didn't get too far behind on his work, mostly because sixth grade math isn't out of my wheelhouse yet. ;) Cruz has made a lot of friends and was even chosen as student council president for sixth grade. Cruz has loved playing flag football as well and starts on the varsity defensive team with Rowan. He's the only sixth grader to do that. I am just so thankful for sports opportunities for the boys. Like Rowan, Cruz has gotten to know tons of kids and they've gotten to know him through football. Cruz chose STEM as one of his electives and his little face popped up on SCS's Facebook page. He's also playing the trumpet.
Coco Bean:
This little girl has worked through a lot of big changes. She went from having her closest friend in school and dance with her to being on her own. She has several new little friends at school, one named Haven who she talks about most often. She loves her teacher too. Cora caught up from COVID pretty easily since we were able to do most of her work at home. The hardest part for her was having to learn her dance choreography on Zoom. The way her competition team works, they spend their August rehearsals focused on learning their tap and jazz choreography for their competition routines. At the end of the six rehearsals, the girls generally know those two dances. Cora had to do four out of the six on zoom, deal with glitches in the internet and having no sound. I'm really proud of how hard this little eight year old worked without getting frustrated. I was feeling frustrated! She's back in class now, catching up and the routines and getting to know her team.
Flag Football:
Game Balls are given each game. Cruz received one the first night for being the only sixth grader on Varsity and hanging with the big boys.
Rowan received his game ball in their second game for being one of the top two flag pullers on their defense.
Daddy hasn't had to miss a game yet and everyone is super joy filled about that.
Cruz is the player in the white cleats closest to the camera. Rowan is the one who grabs the flag at the end.
Gershwin Team:
Cora's new studio names their competition teams about performance venues around the US. Cora's team is named after Gershwin Theater in New York. Her team has around fifteen girls. She is the only third grader. There are several fourth graders and a few fifth and sixth graders on her team. I'm really proud of her passion and hard work. She's dancing two nights a week and one hour on Saturday mornings. She has a lot of fun competitions and performances to look forward to this year including one at Universal Studios.
Disney Days:
It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that we've frequented Disney two separate times. We've spent so much good time together as a family the past few months and it truly makes the hard days of living in a new state worth it.
I LOVE this beautiful rainbow that we saw on the way out of Animal Kingdom. God's faithfulness has been so apparent to our family in so many ways over the past months and I love this visible reminder.
