Oh 2020

I’ve started about 15 different posts this year but haven’t been able wrap my thoughts up as nicely as I wanted to so they never made it to “publication.” I’m not sure I’m wrapping up my thoughts any better now, but here goes nothing…

Here’s a quick recap of 2020 in our house:

-    In January we had an amazing appointment for Owen with a doctor in Toronto who set us on a clear path for his care. It was a long but fruitful appointment and I am so happy we went. We also made a weekend out of it so that was a nice mini-vacation!

-    February /March – planning planning planning all these fun trips, birthday parties, etc.

-    Mid- March – Screeeeeeeeeeech to a halt. Why did we book all that stuff? Hello quarantine. Mommy is now thrust into the role of a school teacher AND a therapist…ut oh. Silver lining…Evan took his first steps while daddy was working from home so he got to see them!

-    April/May – Welcome to zoom EVERYTHING. Play dates, school meetings, birthday parties, violin lessons, family gatherings.  We even resurrected an old printer from our basement to assist with the school stuff…and to print about 400 scavenger hunts.

-    June – LOTS of outdoor activities…hiking, biking, tennis, general exploration (and 400 scavenger hunts). Kids got fishing poles at the end of the month and I think they used them nonstop for two weeks before our vacation. Also, am I the only person who watches TV and gets all judgy when the characters aren’t wearing masks, but then remember it’s not real life and chills out?

-    July – trip to the Adirondacks…lovely time away, more hiking, exploring, swimming and fishing. We ran out of chocolate for our s’mores and thus, the s’mornie was invented by Matt since we had brownies on hand – and of course used them to replace the chocolate. Yum.

-    August – absolute stress ball (me) about the upcoming school year. Hybrid or all virtual? Why are people bringing up taxes during a pandemic? And, to all those calling teachers lazy and telling them to get themselves back in the classroom – 90% of my friends are teachers and lazy is a word I would never even consider using to describe them. 

-    September – Masks on and to school kids! Commence crazy schedule of hybrid for two kids, 13 therapies for O (12 on zoom) and a wee little 1 year old running around.

-    October – Owen started scooting on his little ride on that we bought for him almost a year prior. It was surreal to see him moving on his own! One of the last weekends in October we had an unusual warm up and were able to gather our entire family to celebrate my dad’s birthday outside, masked and safely distanced. I can’t even describe how happy I was after that, and was also so grateful for that opportunity. 

-    November – School shut down in person learning mid-month so we went all virtual and no more swim therapy for O. Our first Thanksgiving in the garage!

-    December – First week of December Owen started taking steps on his own using a walker! We were so ecstatic and although he is still super unsteady and cannot be left even for a hot second, it is hopefully the beginning of a new form of mobility for him. Christmas via zoom and Chinese food for dinner! 

 

A week or so ago, I was talking to my mom about this year in general and she brought up something I have often thought about…which is that everyone is wishing 2020 away but there is no guarantee that 2021 will be any better. I really do consider myself optimistic and always hope for better days, but deep down I knew she was right.  I told her I felt that way about 2017 after spending so much time in the hospital with Owen, and then the beginning of 2018 was so terrible that I was ready for 2019 by February! 

 

While there wasn’t any life-altering health issues for my immediate family, there were other things that happened to some of our close friends and neighbors that made a year of living on edge even more nerve wrecking. And as a human being in general, it was a painful year. We can do better, and we ALL NEED to do better!

 

Each week Matt and I watch Judy Woodruff on PBS news hour and at the end they feature a handful of people who lost their lives to COVID 19.  It is a reminder that people around us are still dying from a terrible virus and their families are suffering because of it. And that, as a fellow human being, makes us feel some of their pain and suffering. It keeps the pandemic close enough to our thoughts so that we continue to make smart decisions for the greater good, and not because we are tired of not doing what we want to do.  

 

I have a lot of hope for 2021. And we will continue to take things day by day, hoping for a little more normal for our kids. More than anything though, this has shown us that there is no such thing as “normal”…it is “normal for now.” 

 

Things I am grateful for on this New Year’s Eve 2020:

1)  Every single front line worker that puts their own life and the lives of their family members at risk in order to care for others during this pandemic. 

2)  All the scientists out there who are all over this pandemic and are doing their best to get educated, thoughtful information out to people. Special shout out to Dr. Fauci.

3)  All the leaders who are doing what they need to do for the safety of all. 

4)  Everyone who voted in the election this year. They are all important elections...but this one was especially important.

5)  All of Owen’s therapists who continue to work with him and push him towards his goals even if it is all via zoom. While my preference is me not having to physically do their job, it has made me eternally grateful for all their hard work now and when they do get to be in person again. They know I’m tired of doing their job – and I know they are tired of watching me not do their job right. But day after day we show each other we are in this together, try our best, and well – he IS taking steps so it can’t be all that bad!

6)  Our kids teachers. They are amazing and are doing such a great job despite having to juggle a million things at once. 

7)  Instacart. Even with all their flub-ups and terrible substitutions.

8)  The PURA Syndrome Foundation and all they do to increase awareness about our sweet one’s diagnosis. That and for featuring him first in their most recent awareness video...https://fb.watch/2J4nXb6-YY/

9)  My 5 roommates who rode the emotional mommy roller coaster this year. They hung on tight and stuck with me. And I love each and every one of them more and more each day for it.

10)  My friends who rode the emotional pandemic roller coaster with me this year. What a ride friends, but I am so so very grateful to have had you all in my coaster car for that. 

 

Cheers to all for a happy, healthy, 2021! 

 

Let this little guy inspire your first days of 2021...