One Year Later

We’re all still here, just kind of old.

Hello internet world! It’s been almost one entire trip around the sun since we last had a chat, and man has it been a YEAR.

The last time I posted, we were staring down the barrel of the COVID gun if you will, the pandemic had just started and quarantine was just kicking off. Well a year later we are still fighting the good fight and the COVID threat is still real, however with some mandatory mask wearing, some federal guidance (hallelujah), and a vaccine rolling out to more and more people each day, it is safe to say things are starting to look up.

On a personal level, I had been laid off due to COVID, when I last posted it was projected to last for two weeks… which rolled into four months but honestly it was the best four months of family time I could imagine! I got to spend so much more time with the baby than I ever thought imaginable, the big dude grew into a whole human over night and even though we were all stuck home together, we were all together and safe and that was all that mattered.

Over the past year so much happened to our country, we saw social injustice and police brutality on a large scale, we witnessed millions struggle through a pandemic and watched as our government just sat back and laughed, but then things began to change. With the election we saw hate, love, anger, hope, all written in the names of those on ballot, and by the grace of the universe and a hell of a lot of democracy, we found leadership when we needed it the most and honestly it’s been smooth sailing ever since.

We saw what domestic terrorism really looked like, that was a scary day to watch unfold, and now my time belongs again to the Army away from my family, but it’s what I signed up for and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this never ending history book.

The kids are thriving, Little Man is now 18 months old and the sassiest little monster I’ve ever encountered, we like to say he gets it from his mama and I continue to apologize to my husband for now having two of us to deal with. Big Dude is the smartest, sweetest, never ending ball of energy I’ve ever experienced! Big Dude can read, trace his letters and numbers half decently, and will always let you play monster trucks with him. Both boys are just so full of love and light and I can not wait to see what the next year brings for them. The Husband is currently thriving in his single parent roll, and even prior to my departure for work he was holding down the fort day in and day out with the grace and patience I wish I could one day have. He is the absolute best partner and steps up every single day with every crazy thing that seems to be thrown his way.

As for me, I left my first ever day care center job after a solid 18 months of service, I had worked my way up from a non-certified float, to a full time lead teacher, but it was my time to move on and see what else the world had to offer. I’m still pursuing a degree in education, slowly but surely we’ll get there, and eventually I’ll find a forever home career wise, but until then I’ll be doing whatever I can to put that dream into reality. Life is going, some days we’re thriving, other days we’re surviving, but everyday we are doing it and that’s what counts.

Moving forward, I have no idea what this blog will look like, honestly I just started writing to try and find something to pass the time while I’m away, but the joy of creating and the feeling of my fingers click clacking away on the keyboard is one that I missed, and I’m hoping not to abandon it again for quite sometime.

In my complete frenzy of creative excitement I wrote a poem (so cheesy I know) but here it is, hell hath no fury like the year we just had.

So here’s a little toast

to the past year

the ups, the downs, the run arounds

to the people we lost, and those we found

to all the places we wanted to visit

may we take those trips

may we find the tricks to keeping our souls happy, healthy, and free.

And lets not forget that I am you and you are me

lets live for the lessons learned in 2020.

Stay healthy, stay awake, and please enjoy the sunshine when you get the chance! Until next time!