One thing I think we all have in common this year, is that it did not go the way we planned it. Due to the pandemic, 2020 was a year of unexpected isolation, disrupted plans, unconventional schooling, and a loss of normal routines. Fear over getting sick, spreading the virus, maintaining jobs, maintaining sanity while working from home, and facilitating remote elementary educations took over. We stopped going to church, eating out, or socializing at all. And yet... you don't even have to look that hard to find the beauty in the midst of the uncertainty. We have slowed down. We were forced to refocus. And when I look back at this crazy year, the thing that I feel sums it up the most is gratitude.
We did not lose our jobs. We have not been sick. The kids have adapted to learning virtually. Our home is our happy place and we enjoy all the extra time together. While I was sad that we didn't travel for Thanksgiving, the silver lining was that I didn't have to share this tasty turkey leg with anyone else:
When my parents moved here last year, we could not have imagined how glad we would be to have them close enough to include them in our quarantine bubble. We had never ever heard of a quarantine bubble. They have been a tremendous help with childcare when summer camps closed and after school programs are still scarce. Some Christmas traditions have been canceled this year, like holiday parties and church pageants, but cookie baking with Oma was still possible!
It is so sweet seeing the relationship my kids have with my parents, inside jokes and shared moments between them that I don't understand and never had with my grandparents. If you're reading this and feeling like the cute picture above of Luke learning to knit, baking, or the afterschool book club will make the kids' other set of grandparents jealous... don't worry. By the end of this week, our lucky duck kiddos will have all four of their grandparents living in the same state as them!!! In a span of less than 2 years, we will have gone from no family nearby to having all of our parents here! We are so excited to welcome John and Peggy to the Palmetto State. As if the adorable faces of Kate and Luke weren't enough reason to pack up and leave behind 40 years of memories in Oak Ridge, their new home has stunning views that make saying goodbye a bit easier as well.
Exhibit A:
They bought a lovely lake house and we can't wait for all the fun that this place will provide! Next week it will be TEN years since I moved to South Carolina, and I never dreamed that a decade later my parents, in-laws, and two amazing children would all be living here. The only ones missing from our little extended family is Claudia, Stephen and Hannah. While they say they have no plans to move south, I have heard that before, and will never give up hope! It has been weird going a whole year without seeing my sister, that has never happened before, but the cousins see each other virtually most nights to read bedtime stories together, and Claudia even worked her graphic design magic to fake a Christmas memory for us:
This year has definitely called for some creativity and adaptability. I know we have it much easier than most, and I hope and pray that if your year was full of heartbreak, sickness, loneliness, or frustrations that much better times are up ahead. We're looking forward too- to the vaccine, to splashing in the lake, to bigger family get togethers, to a regular week of school, and to seeing and squeezing some of you blog readers again in the future!
No comments:
Post a Comment