Y’all- it has been a year. Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of when life changed. I remember hearing about a new virus at work last January and hearing that we should stock up on groceries. I remember my son coming home and asking about the coronavirus for the first time because he had a friend on the bus, of Asian descent, being bullied because of it. I remember telling my kids that everything was all right, but panicking inside with worry of how to protect our family. Then, I remember that Thursday, having our Scout pack meeting and talking about Luke’s birthday that was coming up. They had cancelled school the next day, but were planning to return Monday. We never came back…
Life never went back to the way it was. The school room stayed empty until our sweet teachers came back to pack up the kids’ things. We started our virtual school journey continually thinking it was just temporary. “We will go back after Spring Break, after Summer, after Christmas for sure…” We had amazing friends who came to say a socially distanced goodbye when we moved from Virginia. We have continued virtual tae-kwon-do with our phenomenal instructors all this time and have had virtual Scout meetings. We have not stuck to my incredibly over-ambitious homeschool schedule, but you know what? We have thrived anyway.
Life is different- yes, but in many ways in a good way. I hit my latest pandemic wall over the last few weeks. Work was insanely busy and virtual school is just hard. Yet, when I look back at all that has changed and all that we have done, I am encouraged. We have made bread together, cooked meals together, camped all over, and Facetimed more. Our kids still are thriving, just in different ways. They have adapted to their new normal and are still happy young men. We have a library full of educational books, games, puzzles and Legos, that we play together when we can.
We had virtual birthday parties and I learned how to somewhat decently cut hair. We got a puppy. We took classes with an astronaut and Blossom taught us about the brain. We virtually toured Prince Charles’ garden at High Grove and danced with Juliana Hough. Dolly Parton and Josh Gad read to us, Wes rapped Dr. Seuss and our favorite performers hosted virtual concerts. We did ALL the belt loops for Scouts on our own because we had the time and they LOVED it! We played board games and chess and talked and laughed. The other weekend while we were playing with our older boys, we all started singing along to The Chain by Fleetwood Mac at the same time. It was one of those moments that gives you goosebumps and that you know you’ll always remember. Those are the memories that matter and without this lockdown, we may not have had them.
Last weekend, the boys and I started our seedlings for our garden this year. We are growing vegetables and flower and decided for the first time to start them from seeds. The boys have been checking them daily and caring for them as they grow. This Spring, we may still be in lockdown, but life goes on and we are all still thriving! It is ok to admit that it is hard, because it is, but try to find the good stuff too! Spring is here and new life is all around us!
Tasty Baskets 