A Year of Resiliance

It has been quite a year! I will never forget on March 13, 2020, Alex was sent home from school, and Doug was sent home early from work and we felt so unsure of everything. And, at that time, we had no idea what was in store for us all collectively. COVID-19 has impacted all of us in some way. Sadly, so many thousands of people have died from COVID-19. Even though it has been a tough year, with a lot of shifting living with this virus and the uncertainty of it all, some good things have come from this year. And, it feels like, with spring coming soon, along with the vaccines, that there will be a new sense of freedom without the fear of getting really sick.

During this time, we have been able to spend more time with Alex and our fur girl, Victory! Even on days Doug and I are incredibly tired from the juggle, it has been really nice to have this time together, which I will never forget. We have been able to spend a lot of time outdoors together since we had to readjust from our normal outings. Doug and I have been able to spend more time together as well, which has been really nice.

Victory seems to love us being home. She is even more attuned to us and she loves to go out with us, even in the snow this year, where she pranced around like a puppy! (Usually, during past winters, she was not a fan of the snow!) We love her so very much and she has been a real sense of comfort for us all, a constant and steady presence in our lives.

Alex has enjoyed the the extra family time together. And, she has changed in so many ways, this past year, just look at the physical changes, not to mention all of the developmental change, shown below! I cannot believe we were working on getting rid fo the paci last March! My baby girl has blossomed into a beautiful little girl! (Also, here is a link to the video of the girls, below.) We even started doing yoga together in the evenings, and Alex really enjoys it. She does a mean warrior pose, tree pose, and downward dog pose! When things are deemed “safe,” we plan to sign Alex up for some fun classes!

We have learned to live with this great uncertainty for quite awhile, and we still do not really know how things are going to look, post-COVID, as our previous normal, that we were accustomed to, will not be quite the same, I imagine. It has taught me to really readjust expectations and not really have any expectations.

This time has definitely forced us to slow down more and be more present; and I have learned not to take anything for granted. Our oven, dishwasher, and Peloton all broke during COVID. It took months to get parts and replacements due to COVID! I will never take anything for granted, even the simple things that seem so ordinary.

This time has also provided me time to finish my long-term photography project, get the images copyrighted, and to finish my proposal in preparation for submission. And, due to the pandemic, Doug was able to review everything for me, which has been incredibly helpful and insightful.

Overall, I think 2020 has forced us to consider the idea that life as we know it can shift; it can change; it can be re-imagined. And most of all, we have learned and have been forced to be resilient through it all. And, someday we will be able to share this time with Alex through photos, videos, and our memories!

March 13, 2020

March 13, 2021