Goodbye, 2020!

 2020 has been a challenge, to say the least.  Had someone told me this time last year that in just a few short months we would be ambushed by a global pandemic, I would have been shocked.  When Eric and I traveled to Arizona last January, I remember seeing the news stories coming out of China about Covid-19 as we walked through the airport and I thought to myself, "we don't need to worry about that here in the U.S."  Boy was I wrong.  Just several weeks later and you couldn't find toilet paper or cleaning supplies anywhere, people were hoarding food when grocery shopping, the kids were sent home from school and all actives, and life as we knew it had flipped upside down.  At the time, we all thought the kids would return to school in a couple of weeks and life would go on as normal.  One year later and we are still in the midst of this pandemic but hoping for a slow return to normal soon as the vaccine is starting to make its way through the most needy populations.

2020 is a year we will never forget.  Lots of ups and downs.  Lots of frustrations over lost privileges we normally take for granted.  However, in the middle of all of the hand washing, mask wearing and social distancing this pandemic year has been one of growth as well.  It has shone a light on the importance of family since we literally haven't felt safe visiting with grandparents and great grandparents.  Education has never been more important as we hang on to the couple of days of instruction the kids get each week, praying that these lost school years don't do too much damage.  Small luxuries like going out to eat without having to distance or mask, being able to be a spectator at your kids' sporting events, going to concerts, traveling and vacationing, attending birthday parties/funerals/weddings have all been so drastically affected by the pandemic that we will never take them for granted again.

It's so wild that I am even typing a blog entry about living through a year of a pandemic, chaos and an upheaval of what we know our "normal" life to be.  In the end, we are all healthy (Eric had Covid mid-December with mild symptoms and has recovered) and that's what matters.  We even managed to make some really happy memories over the past year which I choose to hang onto as I look forward to a brighter 2021!

                   

After about a month of dealing with Covid exposures  (the babysitter and Eric) and quarantining we broke the rules a little and had a small gathering on New Year's Eve to say goodbye to 2020.  It was fun to be social while the kids ran around.  Nolan crashed just before the ball dropped but Quinn managed to stay awake to ring in the new year with us.

Some of my favorite memories from 2020:

* Traveling kid-free to Scottsdale in January. 

* Nolan turned 9 and was able to celebrate with friends before the lock down.

* Quinn turned 7 on Easter so it was a double celebration and a very special day.

* Father's Day weekend at Lake Norris.  Much needed after a cancelled spring break.

* Mairin turned 2 and we were able to celebrate with family outdoors.

* The kids went back to school on a hybrid schedule.  So thankful they aren't 100% virtual!

* Halloween was a beautiful day this year and the only holiday that was celebrated as normal.

* Built up the courage to fly to Anna Maira for our annual Thanksgiving trip.  Zero regrets.

* Christmas Eve/Christmas day as a family of 5.  We have stuck like glue this whole year and are only stronger because of it.  No one else I would rather have survived 2020 with!