I cannot believe I am almost done high school! It’s gone by so fast!

He said

We’ve obviously have had a lot on the go and not all of it has been great. But, it also has been good stuff too. Let’s start with Cheer… For the past few months since Nationals, Emelia has been mulling over what she was going to do this season—the choices went from retiring all the way to trying out for the World’s Team. She landed on going to assessments first before she made her decision. When they offered her to move up to the Level 4 team, Legacy she was all set on coming back to do her final year as it had been her ‘dream team’ she’d always hoped to make. But, in a weird turn of events just a few days after that, she was asked if she wanted to tryout for the Level 6 Worlds Team, Valiant as they needed a Third. She went and a few days later was added to Valiant. She was beyond surprised and delighted. So a team that will vie for and hopefully get the World’s Bid to go and compete at Disney in Florida will be our reality this next year.

And, if you think all of that going on in the last week was a lot in Emelia’s life, let’s add in the other things that also played out. First, last Friday night, Emelia had her Relay For Life at Lucas, something she has passionately participated in every year of high school. With cancer hitting so close to home for our family and with us losing Greg to it a year ago it means a lot to her to participate. On Thursday it was her Senior Sunset where all the graduating class get together and reflect on their high school years while watching the sun set. But then, this week there was also her high school graduation on Friday. We had Prom just over a week ago, and it seems all these moments that signify the end of her high school journey are flying up to us before we’re ready for them to be here. It’s been an absolute delight to see all of these major moments that will live with her through her adult life, but it’s also a little hard to believe that we’re already at them!

In a week’s time she will start her final exams and in short order our daughter will be making the transition from high school to university student. And if all this isn’t enough, through sorting through Mom’s will and funeral, we have also been picking away at getting Emelia’s basement suite ready for her university years. We’ve surprisingly made a lot of headway—getting the drywall up and the door framed much to her delight. After a tiny bit more work, she should be at point where her bestie Carter an aspiring construction worker of sorts (headed to college to become an electrician), can try his hand a mudding and finishing the drywall so that Emelia and her friends can paint the room. Pretty much, and that point, we’re done that project! (We hope)

After what has been a very busy last couple of weeks, we finally got back up to the trailer yesterday after work. When Danielle were siting by the fire last night figuring when the last time we were at the tailer, we landed on it being almost an entire month since we last were there. And, after a week of getting up with a 5:00am alarm for bike rides before work this week, as well as everything else that has been going on, we were ready for a little time away at the trailer. Last night we watched the Stanley Cup playoff game by the fire and enjoyed not having anything to do or anywhere to be. This morning we slept in, went for a glorious bike ride on the G2G trail and then Danielle made me a wonderful Father’s Day brunch that we at on the deck enjoying the wonderful weather. By late afternoon we were back at home, a little rested and relaxed before this next week gets us going again.

She said

We have had so much going on in the last few weeks, some being the lowest of the lows (losing Helen) to some pretty amazing highs (Emelia making a World’s team for cheer and also seeing her graduate from high school). The last few weeks have felt like a blur of emotions that is has been having a big toll on all of us. As John & I along with Matthew & Shawn navigate the planning of the funeral, working through closing everything out of the estate, plus packing up Helen’s room at the nursing home we have been burning it at all ends. We handed over the keys to her room on Monday saying good-bye to the incredible staff who took care of her in over the last 10 months. It did lift a bit of a weight off our shoulders having one more thing off our plate. Now I won’t comment too much on what Emelia’s old room looks like right now as it is the current dumping ground of everything we do not know what to do with right now.

In the middle of all the chaos John and I made some amazing headway in Emelia’s new room. I would say we are 95% there, we have a bit of drywall to hang, some patching and hopefully Carter can get over here this week so the taping and mudding can start. Now the kids do have to work around this last week of school and preparing for exams but she has such great friends that are all excited to see her room done that she has a gaggle helping with these last stages.

To add to Emelia’s very busy last few weeks she started training with the world’s team at cheer. This is going to be a hard, focused and fun year for her. We are not sure if this is her last year in cheer but if it is it will be a great one we hope. Making a world’s team was a dream but something she never thought could possibly happen. They have a lot of training to get ready and build a competitive routine that can get a bid to World’s in Florida. This is a whole new world for all of us. This year will be very different, everything they do is to get that bid, this competition is only set for the best of the best and you can only compete in Florida if you have a formal invite (a bid). There are two teams at Emelia’s gym, both working hard and cheering each other on with the same dream to go to Florida together.

But believe it or not all of the above is not even the biggest event of the week for Emelia; on Friday our baby girl officially graduated from high school. I was told before Emelia started high school to prepare that high school goes by in flash. And they were right, it honestly feels like yesterday I was driving three very nervous teenagers to grade 9, I remember seeing Emelia, Anna and Grace looking absolutely terrified before Susan and I drove away. Now 4 years later Emelia has grown so much as a person, gone is this meek and shy girl and before us is the confident, smart and beautiful woman who is ready to take on the world. The whole ceremony was special, before the grads came in they had a slide show on a big screen (that we only found out tonight that Emelia put together as part of her Viking 101 class), of all the graduates grad photos and countless memories of their 4 years in school.

We got to see photos of events, memories and everything that made the last 4 years at Lucas so special. Once the graduates came in there were meaningful speeches and then each of the students walked across the stage to get their diploma and the teacher would announce what their plans were for next year. It was so great to hear where all the students were going to in their future and happily for Emelia so many staying in London to go to either Western, Kings, Huron or Fanshawe. As the grads were about to throw their caps in the air the MC for the night reminded everyone how far these students had come, all of the students who graduated on Friday all lost their grade 8 grads due to Covid—it tells you right there how much has changed in these kids lives. Once the ceremony was over the kids were quickly off for the post grad party and by all accounts the kids had the best time! I will miss these moments, the moments when I know all the kids she goes to school with, the stories they all share and I hope she cherishes this last few weeks, as the valedictorian said it was the last time that this group of students would ever been in the same room together. They have come so far and the future is limitless for them all.

With grad behind us we were able to focus a bit on just John and I. Emelia stayed home and hung out with friends while John and I went to the trailer for the night. After so much stress over the last few weeks just having that one night at the trailer, around the fire and under the stars really recharged us. Today we woke up at a lazy pace and went for a ride. We spent today together celebrating Father’s Day doing what John loves to do, a nice long bike ride on the G2G. It hasn’t been an easy few weeks for John, he has now lost his big brother, and both his parents in 18 months. He needed today, a quiet day to reflect and recharge. Thank you John for being the best dad in the world to Emelia. I know that this day will never really feel the same anymore but know that you have both Emelia and I knowing that your biggest love is being a father and that you have made your own dad so proud. Love you!