Last night the question was posed, “Was there anything good about 2020?” And my knee jerk response was “no”. Having had time to reflect, I know that’s not really true. While we still find ourselves challenged and exhausted from this pandemic, there were plenty of moments this past year that were indeed good. So here’s a short recap of mine:
January saw myself and the kids ringing in the new year at Disney as always. New Years day two of my athletes performed live at the Citrus Bowl. Pre Pandemic things were looking up! My travel agency was seeing its highest numbers ever as we entered into our 9th year. There was a marked illness that passed through the kids and Daddy at the end of the month - a virus that had no treatments. We would later suspect this may have been our introduction to COVID19.
February saw my Varsity Cheer team blaze a trail to 3rd and 4th places in their respective state divisions of Varsity Game Day, and Varsity Coed Small. At this point 2020 was looking to be our best year yet as a program. Coming off a winning season brought heightened interest and nearly 30 athletes ready to start the new season.
At home there was excitement as our financial picture had made great improvements and we were excited for potential remodels at both homes, and paying off student loans.
Little did we know we hosted what would be our last public gathering for 2020 - BoBears 5th birthday complete with a bounce house. Princess Putterpants attended her first (and what would later become her only) studio competition of the season.
March crumbled all our high hopes quickly with the arrival of pandemic shutdowns. So much was a loss this month on so many different fronts, and to keep things interesting Bo marked the occasion with a broken arm on the first day of virtual school.
It was during this month I had a greater appreciation for the amazing teachers at our small school. They all did whatever they could to remain connected and engaged with the kids. Whether it was FaceTiming, sending video messages, or hanging out on Kids Messenger to assist a Princess Putterpants with monumental decisions (such as what American Girl outfit should she pack for her doll to wear camping)... these teachers adapted and met the challenges every day.
April saw us one month into the pandemic. Unable to sit locked up at home we fled north for the second month in a row, and camped. If not up north you could find us at the campfire in the back yard with our bubble buddies. This time spent with family have become memories that we will cherish forever. The weather didn’t matter, snow, cold, or beautiful — we kept our weekly dinners around the campfire steady.
May saw this trend continue, and Princess Putterpants made her turkey hunting debut. Daddy calls her the turkey whisperer, having helped him bring home a big bird!
Brother Bear re-signed with his Army Reserves unit, receiving a promotion to Sergeant. While it has been his dream to serve our country, we cannot ignore the many opportunities the Army has brought him as well. His time with the Army continues to provide a pathway through life.
Through the spring thoughtful surprises made their way to our porch. Flowers, plants, sweets and drinks! We were into our third month of shutdown and the pandemic fatigue was strong. The leisure travel industry had practically ground to a halt leaving our family with just a single income. To have such kindness from friends and neighbors come to our door was to provide another moment of joy and hope.
June was the month our sweet girl pledged her heart to God and was baptized among friends, family, and her favorite educators at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. While this is a decision she had made shortly after the shutdown occurred, she wanted to wait for the chance to be baptized in church. It was a moment of great pride for Daddy and I to hear her love for God and see her make this commitment all on her own.
July saw the kids and I returning for the opening of The Walt Disney World Resort. While so much was different, it was still a much needed escape from reality. Taking advantage of travel credits and agent benefits, I also hoped that sharing my travels with clients would help them to feel the courage to do the same themselves.
It did not matter to the kids that so many things they “know” and expect of Disney was now gone. They signed and waved to characters as their cavalcade sailed past us. There were new experiences and moments of magic even without the fireworks and shows. And masks became a new norm for us. We came home refreshed and hopeful for the fall.
August saw more cancellations of events and festivals so we continued to camp and fill our time with some of the few open venues such as the zoo. Family time continued to be the centerpiece of this summer.
Brother Bear turned 26 and continued to work hard for his unit, having received word he would be heading out for training in early 2021. This news was much awaited as it will be the step he needs to move up towards the MOS that will advance his personal and military career!
September was a triumphant return to school in person! Our family could not have been more excited seeing as both kids quit virtual school on day 3 all the way back in March! Finally, we felt a slice of normal return to our daily lives.
October had the kids and I using the last of our travel credits and agent benefits as we headed down to Disney for our annual Halloween trip. By this time it was to make one final push to show clients traveling is safe. The trip also served as a distraction for me. My High School cheer and dance teams were still on hiatus due to COVID, and I was struggling to keep positive while watching surrounding teams move forward with their fall seasons.
November had my patience worn thin and in need of something to look forward to as everything was still on hold for my teams, and COVID19 had officially hit our household.
The weather was unseasonably warm for fall. I can only wonder if it wasn’t God’s grace. We had been through so many challenges, the losses piling up. And yet, we were given two extra months of delightful weather to enjoy outside with our friends and family.
Our little BoBear, ever the optimist, began pulling out the Christmas decorations on November 3rd ... and so it began that we would celebrate Christmas a little earlier.
December saw us moving forward in small steps. While the travel agency is still up and running, it’s now banking on the fearless clients who have booked for 2021. I am in my third month of teaching at the studio, such a blessing as it keeps Princess Putterpants dancing. And, at long last, we had a start date for my high school teams!
Finally it was Christmas! With COVID having invaded so much we were fortunate to be able to be with some of our family. Holiday celebrations looked different as there were no grand gatherings of family. We instead sent pictures and videos to our loved ones and enjoyed a little fun as a smaller unit.
There were a lot of laughs, and many memories to hold dear. The grandparents even stepped into the fun with some Ugly Sweater action!
Photo credit: L&A Photography
To end the year, Daddy made his way up North for his annual ice fishing trip, while the kids and I said goodbye to 2020 with friends and great food. There was gut busting laughter, smiles, and joyful kids the whole night through. High fives for everyone making it to midnight and pumpkin time right after!
2020 served as a reminder that in order to survive this thing called life, we are required to possess two traits - a relentlessly positive attitude and an equally strong resilience. 2021 will continue to bring the same hurdles we’ve been endlessly jumping over and through. However, it will be our frame of mind, our conscientious choice, to adapt and move forward that will leave us grateful for yet another year.
