Around 1:00 this afternoon I got an e-mail from Lottie's school teacher,
Ms. C, asking if I'd set up a Zoom meeting with Lod
asap because she was feeling "homesick".
Zoom meetings between Lottie and me aren't unusual during the day.
Since going back to school post-Covid restrictions late last November,
Lottie hasn't had the easiest of transitions.
I think her super small classroom size
(at first it was just Lottie and another girl),
wearing masks, social distancing, and just overall weirdness
had her feeling a little anxious and homesick most days.
And I know she really enjoyed virtual school with me and the other
Nies working together at the table all day,
and so leaving that environment twice a week made her sad.
Ms C. and I came up with the idea that I'd create a Zoom
link for Lottie and me to use on her lunch break for those days that
were hard for her.
So just like usual, I set up the Zoom and in a few minutes Lottie popped on,
I immediately knew something was wrong.
Her face was pale and she acted somber.
Not wanting to point out the obvious I decided to distract her
because I thought she was about to lose it and cry at any minute.
I asked her about her day, and what she had been doing and learning.
Her responses were short and she acted squirmy.
So I asked her about lunch.
That was a tragic mistake because just then her eyes got big,
and then it happened...she threw up.
And I saw it all happen right there on Zoom.
I practically yelled into the computer:
"Lottie are you throwing up?! Oh no! Honey, it's OK!"
She heaved several more times. I felt helpless!
Then her computer crashed to the floor and
I could see her teacher running toward her.
At that point, I was in grabbing the keys to the car and
Christian, who had overheard our conversation stopped working
in the other room and came into my office and began consoling her.
I could hear angelic Ms. C in the background
comforting her, then she picked up the computer and said
"Did you see that?"
"YES!" I shouted steps away from the door "I'm on my way!"
At school, I found Lottie in the office sickbay
crying with throw-up on her shirt, hair, lips, and her neck.
I got her in the car, wiped her up, and changed her shirt.
After a bath, she told me how embarrassed
she was but how nice her teacher was to her.
My heart is full of love as I think about Ms. C pulling Lottie's
hair back in a ponytail so she could throw up without it getting
in her hair, then cleaning up and sanitizing her desk and her computer.
And then there's the smell. THE SMELL!
Lottie's doing much better! I think it was a deadly combination
of music/PE/dance class after lunch while wearing a mask
because after a nice bath she was back to being Lottie again.
Thank heavens!!
"My dear friends—please, first doubt your doubts before
you doubt your faith.8 We must never allow doubt to hold us prisoner
and keep us from the divine love, peace, and gifts that come
through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ."
