I think I have finally figured out which High School I want to go to!

He said

Emelia – in her way – has been deliberating diligently over the last month trying to figure out which High School she wants to attend next year. For the longest time we were certain it was AB Lucas –the same school her cousin currently attends. But in last few months a few dark horses came into the mix in Central and Beal that we talked about a few weeks ago. It threw us off because she was adamant previously that those were schools she did not want to go to, but because we wanted the decision to be completely hers, we rolled with it. Well, this week she became firm in her decision and resolute about it being AB Lucas. What we’re proudest of her for is she made this decision with the possibility that her two best friends from kindergarten – the twins – might be going to a different school and that she might be doing that on her own. Word is as of today that may not be the case and they will be together, but we’re proud of her for being open to that big leap of faith for herself!

This week, we entered even deeper lockdown, though it doesn’t really seem any different. I am still working and we’re staying safe, but the big change was – no surprise to us – online learning for school has been extended until the 25th of the month. I suspect this week we will find out that is going to get extended yet again, and unfortunately for Emelia she won’t get to have her birthday at school, with her friends. It’s definitely a bummer for her, but let’s be honest, the entire last year has been for kids for sure. Danielle and I are trying to find anyway that we can to do a little bit more and make her birthday this year feel as special as it can. I don’t know if I am ready for her to be 14 yet, but I do want her to feel special.

This week in my continuing journey as Mom & Dad’s primary care I got tested for my tenth consecutive negative COVID-19 Test. It has surprisingly become routine for me such that’s just part of my weekly routine, but it’s also a pretty small thing to be able to help out when needed for Mom & Dad in their new living arrangements. And that actually came up this week as Dad’s left eye which he has had an ongoing issue with infection and irritation since well before Christmas when he was hospitalized for a bout with shingles. Well, this week the medical staff at Oakcrossing wanted him to get the eye checked out by the hospital as it was getting quite red again. It was something I’d noticed in the last couple of visits as well.

It meant Tuesday I had to take him over to Emerg at St Joe’s so they could have a look at it. In these strange lockdown times, it meant I could only be a taxi to take him from Oakcrossing and to the hospital and drop him off—I wasn’t allowed to go in. Then, when he was done he called and came and picked him up. I was done work by the time he was ready so I was actually able to swing by the house as we live right by St Joe’s and get a driveway visit for Dad, Emelia and Danielle. We then stopped by Wendy’s and got Dad & Mom a treat for dinner. I got him back to Oakcrossing and settled in for the night. The next day we had to take him back to St. Joes so that they could do a couple of more tests with the optomologist from the Ivey Eye Institute which they did. Everything came back okay and we took him back to Oakcrossing with some eye drops and tear gel to help with the irritation he’s experiencing.

There were a lot of moving parts to the week and it felt like it was over before it even got started but the best part about it was watching Emelia on her own navigate her school choice, and then having Sunday off to pretty spend the day as a family doing the things we love.

She said

As John has already mentioned this weeks big focus was anchoring the decision for high school for Emelia. It isn’t a simple decision since she has been very focused on Lucas being her first choice. What this means is that she has to apply for an out of zone application. For anyone who knows Emelia is my child through and through. There has been a lot of research, a lot of thinking and overthinking but the decision is final for her. Once she has decided something it is hard to change her mind. One thing we know for sure for Emelia is that she doesn’t make decisions lightly. What we were concerned with was her going to high school somewhat solo. It is not to say Emelia doesn’t have a lot of friends going to Lucas but of her security going from our direct neighbourhood she was going solo.

She and the twins have talked at length about school, Emelia has rarely wavered from her decision but the twins have flipped back and forth between the three high schools. What made us so proud was Emelia’s decision to do this on her own. She and I on the weekends go for long walks, today was almost 10kms. On these walks we talk about everything – today was a lot about high school and the logistics of it all. I have told we would support whatever she decided but was she sure. She was sure. This is something I am sure a year or so ago I don’t know she could have done without the twins. For years Emelia’s dependence on the twins as her friends would have wavered a lot more of her decisions but over the last few years she had come into her own and is much braver going solo.

So, with her mind set we mapped out course selections, the logistics of how to get her back and forth from school without a school bus options as well as how she would handle going to school for the first time without the girls. She was ready. Well… All of this changed this afternoon. Emelia came downstairs after talking to the girls they have decided that they will be going to Lucas as well. Emelia is over the moon excited. She was worried about taking the city bus by herself after school to get home. (Not going to lie I wasn’t over comfortable with this either). She was also nervous going to high school without them. She is so happy and we are as well.

Our girl is growing up so fast, she is developing into this amazing independent person, one who stands strong behind what she believes in. We are so proud of you baby girl! And we cannot believe you are going to high school next year!