We made it. It is the LAST DAY of 2020. Whoa.
I, for one, am most excited because I can fully and officially start using my new planner tomorrow! 😁
What a year, what a year. When I look back, I think…did that just happen? IS THIS still happening?? It is so surreal. Yet, if there’s one thing I know, it’s that misery loves company. There is something very UNITING to me about the entire world sharing this experience together. Does that make sense? It’s like we are all members of this special, but not-so-great, club. Maybe it’s how people feel that lived through WWII. It’s an era that will never be forgotten.
Our Year: 2020
January
An exciting new year! Hope and promise. Busy busy. Swim meets. Indoor soccer games. New goals and plans. In the thick of trip planning for a March Ireland/Paris/Amsterdam trip.
February
Mostly revolved around the culmination of Asher’s swim season. Regionals, then State. Big emotions. Smiles and tears. The word “coronavirus” started becoming more widespread. A text from my sister: “Gee, I hope this coronavirus thingy doesn’t end up affecting our trip to Paris next month.” Me: “Oh, I doubt it.” 😳
March
Ethan’s first time working on Crew for Drama Club! Lucky they got the show in before CV worsened. Then, massive confusion. Virus started to explode in Europe and we had tickets to fly March 12. What to do? What is happening? We didn’t know. LITERALLY were packed and ready to go, but cancelled our trip 12 hours before we were supposed to be at O’Hare. Dumped the sweaters, packed sandals instead and the next day arrived in Mexico (was safe at that time, it seemed- nothing was closed down on this side of the ocean yet). Major whirlwind I’ll never forget.
April
Made it home just as CV exploded now in the U.S. School cancelled. Shutdown underway. What is going on?!? Unbelievable. Hunkered down. Family time. Muddled through disorganized virtual school. Started doing home workouts and liked them (what???!). Walks! So many walks. Movies. Baking. So many home cooked meals. Easter alone at home.
May
More walks. Still home all the time. No soccer. No swim. No school. Bike rides. Got hamsters Flint and Steel! Painted the deck rails. School breaks outside/ reading together. Lots of juggling…work/school.
June
Some things slowly reopening. Tennis lessons again. Gym pool open- will always remember biking with Asher to the pool some mornings, then sometimes biking after to eat at McDonalds outside on the curb!! End of this strange school year. Bonfires. S’mores. Our road got re-done-= huge construction mess all summer. Fishing! Bike trails. Reading. Gardening.
July
Still home so much. Some outside play with friends. Trampolines. Sprinklers. Asher- open water lake swimming! 4th of July with no big fireworks to attend. More fishing and some golfing. Ethan’s 12th birthday! River tubing. Upper Michigan!!! Amazing. Walks every single morning with Ivan before work.
August
The boys’ best friend/ neighbor moved away. Sadness and more emotions. A couple of outdoor swim meets + 1 mile lake swim for Asher. Road trip to Panama City Beach. Plans for in-person back to school suddenly up-ended by new orders. More confusion, stress.
September
Staged 1st Day of School pictures- went back virtually for a few weeks. In-person orientation with masks/ new guidelines. So strange to experience school that way. Finally back to school in person. Soccer season happened for Ethan too, with many adaptations. More swim practices again. Life inching back toward a “normal” feel…kind of. With masks. 🙂
October
Lots of fall leaf adventures this year. Soccer games. Visited friend in the country. Many walks/ podcast episodes. I turned 37. Broke in the new hot tub!! Loved using it in the fall. Many long conversations happened in there. Halloween decorations. Pumpkin contest. Hiking!! Trick or treating happened, with adaptations. Chili. Leaves. Fall in Wisconsin. 🙂
November
More leaves. Yard clean up. Virus trending way back up…more shutdowns. Ivan’s mom’s trip here cancelled. Drive thru holiday lights. Decorating. A quiet Thanksgiving. Gratitude chain making! Apple pie. Workouts with Ethan. Swim practices/ soccer all cancelled again. School returned virtual Thanksgiving week through January 11. Cooking with the boys. Game nights.
December
Holiday prep. Felt busy despite low number of scheduled activities. Still virtual piano and band lessons. Asher turned 11. No party. December State for swim cancelled. More drive thru light displays! Cookie baking. Huge library book stacks. Virtual school Christmas concert. A wonderful Christmas with my parents. Lots of movies! Puzzles. Video games. Books. Feeling more cooped up now with less outdoor activities.
THE END! That’s a wrap. Hope you enjoyed my little trip through 2020.
And, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 2021. It’s here. We made it out.
Yearly Gratitude:
I am most grateful that while the coronavirus has certainly up-ended our lives this year, we have not personally been terribly affected as many families have been. We still have our jobs, our home, and our health, despite this pandemic. That is my biggest gratitude entry of all time.
GRATEFUL KAE 
It’s interesting to see a summary of the year as a whole! Happy New Year! Wishing your family a happy and healthy 2021.
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great recap. you did a lot despite the covid! love your gratitude quote.. .so true.
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What a year! I am glad you still were able to take some trips – although that doesn’t make up for not seeing your sister or having your big European adventure. I hope you can go in 2021 or 2022? Hard to know what is going to happen this year and how soon country borders will reopen.
February/pre-Covid feels like a lifetime ago. I got pregnant in March so March-early December felt like a lifetime. Ha. But it’s over now and we have a new baby so at least we ended the year on a positive note!
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