What a year...

2020 always seemed like a magic year.  Who knew that it would turn out to be marked by a global pandemic and a year like nothing we could have expected.   March 2021 is the one year mark and since we've been talking about these milestones lately, it seems pertinent to reflect again, lest we forget.

The lasts.. before the world turned upside down.

*February 12, 2020: Our last in-person rock concert and Lexi's first concert.  We saw Ledger and Skillet with Xav and Lexi.  Had we known it would be the last for some time, we probably would have taken Skyler. Especially since Lexi rocked so hard, she passed out before the headline act.

*February 28, 2020: Last professional haircut with my beautician.  Since then I've watched YouTube videos, purchased nicer shears, and become confident enough to give myself three trims in addition to the monthly undercut that I've always done. I keep my hair braided or pulled into a ponytail for work, so no one really notices whether or not it is straight. I'm hoping that by mid-April, after my second dose of the vaccine, I'll feel comfortable enough to make an appointment.

*February 29, 2020: The last time Brandon and I attended church in person.  February 26 was the last day our children attended their AWANA program at church.

*March 4, 2020: Last day of in-person school. We picked our kids up after lunch for our 12 day family vacation.  What we didn't know was that would be *THE* very last day our children would walk through their school doors and play with friends.  Skye was scheduled to start preschool on March 17. Schools closed for the spring, beginning March 16.

*March 10, 2020: Our last visit to a movie theater.  We watched "Sonic the Hedgehog" in Oceanside.  We also saw "Onward" on March 8 in Yuma.

*March 14, 2020: Our last in-person visit to a restaurant, Culvers in Cedar City, Utah.  

Lessons learned:

*To trust our parent instincts.  Even though not everyone may agree, and the options each had as many pros as cons, making the decision eased our minds.  The biggest of those was choosing to have our children attend virtual school for the year and beyond.

*We are more free-range parents than we thought.  While it's bittersweet that Skye won't have a "normal" preschool experience, she's had a lot of time to just be a wild, independent little lady.  

*Priorities: I really can balance work and home life, and when necessary, I pick the right one.  I was blessed to be able to work flexible hours as well as use FFCRA (Family First Covid Relief Act) time to spend most the first semester doing the bulk of our virtual teaching with the kids.  While they miss their friends, and we all miss our school family, the kids have flourished with the one-on-one time and the ability to get their work done in a time and pace that works for them.  They like sleeping in, having play time, and being able to spend time together. 

*While I'm normally a positive person who sees the good in others, I've been disappointed in our community, society, and some of the institutions I believed focused on taking care of and loving one another.  The pandemic has become a political issue rather than a medical and human one.  We've forgotten that the loss of instant gratification for a year to 18 months will have more benefits for the world than what we'll miss in the short term.  

*We binged a lot of shows...and I fell in love with "The Office".

*I like podcasts.

*While I loved the times that Brandon and I had going to Denver for doctor visits, I wasn't comfortable traveling during the pandemic.  Thankfully Casper finally has a rheumatologist, and I was able to not only switch to her care, but have had a very positive experience.

*Family time and new traditions. While we miss our friends, our family bubble has been one of the best things that has grown out of the distancing, restrictions, and shutdowns.  We have Saturday night dinners and dance parties during "Fight Night". 

*We still enjoy eating out, but order to-go.  We've also taken advantage of grocery pickup when we can.  We've purchased movies online and watched at the times that work for us.  Skye's favorite thing is having a "picnic floor" and serving everyone.  

*Breathing room.  Literal time and space to just be... be a family of five, be a bubble of 11, not feeling like we *have* to be out or with others.   There were lots of things I thought I might do during quarantine, but gave myself the grace to realize that discovering how to survive whatever we were experiencing took a lot of brainpower.  And it's okay to just be and feel.

As we move to whatever will come next, I hope we hold on to the good, learn from the bad, and safely navigate into the "next."