Family update - pandemic-style

As we round out 6 months of mostly staying in and trying to keep our family safe and healthy, I felt that it was important to document a few things, update those who may care and reflect on the blessings during this albeit trying and overwhelming time.  We are blessed to be healthy but admittedly it has been overwhelming at times. I’m sure everyone reading this could agree to one extent or another. Even grocery shopping isn’t normal anymore. 

Our youngest, Ruby who is 4, has struggled with the reality of the “birus” as it meant her social scene was halted for months. She is our resident social butterfly who loves people and going places. She finally got to see her Lolli & Pop (bonus parents) a couple of weeks ago after not seeing them since February.  Thank goodness for FaceTime to make those gaps of time more tolerable but nothing beats real time with your people. She has declared more than once that “when the birus is gone, all my people are gonna come to my house!” Amen, Sister!

Ruby was set to start a pre-k program at a local public elementary school back on August 4th, but the school district delayed opening so the program was delayed as well. Since we found out less than a week before the new program was to start, it was a little crazy trying to make it happen but Mama came in clutch and got Sister enrolled in a pre-K program at a local Christian school. While the curriculum hasn’t officially started, she has been working on handwriting and letter recognition, improving each week. She loves her new friends and her teachers and has adjusted pretty well to the routine there.  We are so proud of her excitement to go each day and the progress that she’s making in a classroom setting.

  

She’s still super obsessed with her baby dolls, Baby John in particular and her caretaking skills are rather impressive. She’s very attentive to his (imaginary) needs and can change diapers like a boss, even on real babies!

Henry, who now prefers to be called Hank, is doing virtual school until at least mid-October. He has asthma and poor lung function so we’ve erred on the side of caution and kept his bubble relatively small. He’s been to the races with Mike and trips to Nana & Papa’s for swimming but is doing a bulk of life a little closer to home. While this certainly isn’t what we thought the 5th grade would look like for him, he is happy, thriving and working through challenges as best as he can. We are proud of his positive attitude and the growth we’ve seen in him.  

While I’ve cherished the time having Henry home, I know that being with his friends at school, learning the old-fashioned way and socializing is important to his development too.  Hoping the numbers in our city/county will stay low now that school is back and session so we can start getting him out more often, i.e. church, outings with friends, TKD classes, etc.  He’s still (virtually) working towards his black belt in taekwondo; hoping to earn it during the next testing cycle in December. 

Mike started working from home in March and it looks like he will continue on in to perpetuity (there’s an Old Gray Wolf reference for the P1s). He’s home unless he needs to do site visits or be in the main office outside of Austin. Thankfully those trips aren’t more than a few days out of the month so he’s home more than not.  Lucy and Lily have found a comfy place in his work spot so they are happy to have him home too.

I recently started working a part time job from home and I’m really enjoying it. The hours are pretty flexible and I enjoy the work and learning new skills. Dutch especially loves having me home too, sleeps in the office while I work.  I’m also still volunteering as a CASA Advocate so that keeps me busy.  

So our family is like most families during this pandemic, trying to figure out how to juggle kids, school, work, life and stress without burning out.  Some days fly right on by while others feel like we are stuck in a perpetual Groundhog Day. While I won’t miss wearing a mask or being afraid to sneeze in public, I sure hope the value of family and being home together stays in the forefront. Sure, we’ve put on a couple of extra comfort food pounds and maybe gotten on each other’s nerves more than normal, but I can’t say that I regret the time we’ve had or the memories we’ve made. Cleaning out closets, rearranging rooms, cooking new recipes, riding bikes as a family, finishing giant puzzles and even reading books, none of that would have happened had we not slowed down and made the best of it.  I’m not narrow minded however, and I know this health crisis is still unsolved, people are still suffering and some are even dying an untimely death. It’s heartbreaking, devastating and down right terrifying the more I read or watch the news. Sometimes it’s best to live in our little bubble, cherishing our kids and each other as we’ve learned more than anything this year that life isn’t guaranteed and we can’t take it for granted.

A letter to Henry on his 10th birthday

With each birthday, most parents boo hoo and get all sentimental, sad that their baby is another year older. I’m not most parents in this category. I’m thrilled that you’re officially 10 years old. I love the person that you’re continually growing in to and I’m excited to see what is ahead. 

Your teacher told me at a recent meeting that “I just love Henry. I could have 25 little Henry’s in my class.” Talk about being proud of you. Probably a little relieved because we live with you and know the other side of that, but the truth is, you are typically respectful and eager to learn at school, a good friend and a good example. 

Although you like to dish me grief, you’re quick to defend me. If Ruby gets out of line, you’re so great about trying to set a good example. Granted you’ve taught her some bad things but what are siblings good for if you can’t get them into some kind of trouble? You’re my defender and rescuer if Daddy even hints at picking on me. It’s endearing and maybe even a glimpse into your future relationships, trying to make sure that I’m treated like a lady should be.  Again though, I’m certainly not immune to a rash of grief when you’re ready to share. Mercy, son, you definitely know how to push my buttons. Thankfully you also know how to apologize so there’s hope for you yet. ;)

You’re still working hard with your taekwondo training and you continue to wow us. You’re coming up on your 3rd anniversary in June and will be testing for your black belt in August. We are so proud of your commitment and we look forward to seeing you take the next steps in your training.  

Your sense of humor borders on hilarious and more than crossing the line. Sometimes your jokes fall flat and you might have made me cry once (or twice), and you never miss the chance to make a joke. As your Daddy says, you’re fine tuning your craft and you get funnier each day. You definitely have a warped sense of humor that keeps us laughing and maybe a little shocked sometimes. You keep it interesting for sure.

You’re a sports nut, especially football. You’ve watched countless hours of games from the past and can tell us all kinds of (useless) trivia about teams all over the NFL. You wear your Demarcus Ware Cowboys jersey at least twice a week; makes me sad that you will outgrow it soon.  You also love going to the dirt track with Daddy, Granddad and Uncle Steve and you’re looking forward to the annual road trip to Nebraska this summer for a long weekend of racing. You’re always down for a trip to the drag strip an

d I don’t doubt that you’ll be Papa’s biggest fan when he gets behind the wheel again. You have a lifelong love of fast and loud cars and can often tell what kind of car it is just by hearing it running down the street. Nut didn’t fall far from the tree.

Your Zeke jersey was a heavy hitter for a while too

You’re an old soul who loves learning, who regularly watches Inside Edition and documentaries. You care about people and want everyone to always feel included. You’re a huge help to me at church and enjoy serving in the preschool classes whenever you get the chance. You love being the “big kid” in the room that the littles look up to and I always enjoy seeing how you interact with others. 

You’re a hearty eater with a wide range of preferences. You can eat junk food like a frat boy, everything from chips to candy and blue raspberry slushes from Sonic. You love your nightly bowl of Blue Bell Dutch Chocolate ice cream (reminds me of your Papa). You also enjoy healthy foods, lots of fruit and plenty of green vegetables, your favorite being green bell peppers. You even like onions and salad, something lots of kids your age won’t touch. You’re a little weird though, not liking peanut butter but loves Reese’s Pieces. I don’t get it but you are persistent that it’s not real PB in that candy coated awesomeness. You can put down half a rack of ribs like nobody’s business, same with breakfast for dinner and of course wiping out the last of the pan every Cinnamon Roll Saturday.

Cheers to a big milestone birthday for you with many more on the horizon. We are so excited to see what this year holds for you. You’re the best son, brother and friend.  You’re loyal, thoughtful, caring and fun to be around. We love you to Heaven and back. 

A letter to Ruby on her 4th birthday

FOUR and I can say with certainty that this will be my favorite year with you so far. Your personality is bigger than your body. You wake up each day with spunk and ready to take on the day. You’re observant, noticing when things are different than you left them or not how you would prefer. We aren’t sure if that’s the little girl in you or a bossy lady in the making. Maybe a little of both. You’re very opinionated and not shy about voicing your way of seeing things. When the sweet ladies at church try to love on you, you’re either all about it or will straight up tell them no. Even though it embarrasses me, they laugh and have always told me that it’s best that you stick up for yourself, no sense in being shy about it.

You have been working on your letters with Ms. Kim and it’s rather impressive to see how well you trace your name. You’re very meticulous with a pen or crayon, but only if it’s your idea and you’re up for putting in the effort. If you’re over it, you’re quick to scribble and move on, not caring about the end result. The pride on your face when you show off your hard work is always rewarding. It will be interesting to see how you continue to learn, what gets you excited and what you feel like can be moved on from.

You’re also a natural athlete in the making. Daddy and Henry always marvel at your ability to tackle, catch a football and throw a baseball. You have laser focus, even if super brief, but you’re always up for a competitive game with the boys. You’re a lefty so watching you play is entertaining, too.

You’re independent, wanting very little help with all kinds of tasks from getting dressed and undressed to getting things ready to leave the house. You’re very responsible with helping clean up, never complaining about having to pick up your toys, you take great pride in being “a good helper.” Hearing words of affirmation is a BIG thing for you and thankfully it’s something easy for Mama and Daddy to say to encourage you.

Another thing I pray never changes, you have a love for babies and little kids. You are a little mommy to “Baby John,” the doll that Lolli gave you for Christmas. You take great care of him and carry him everywhere. You accidentally left him at Ms. Kim’s earlier this week and you began sobbing when you realized he hadn’t made it home. I hugged you in an attempt to comfort you that we could get him tomorrow and that Ms. Kim would keep him safe, but you insisted that he was going to be hungry since you couldn’t feed him. Made me chuckle, which just further pissed you off, but it was so sweet to see your concern for him.

You are also the poster child for the phrase “curiosity killed the cat.” Girlfriend, you cannot and will not just leave stuff alone. You’re willing to risk hell and high water to test the boundaries, consequences or whatever is standing in your way. When asked why you colored on your door, “because I did!” Wrong answer, we tried redirecting that decision, not a good choice but you’re still proud of your artwork. When anyone is eating anything that you don’t have, you’re quick to bat your baby blues and say “I wanna try that!” You’re precocious and never shy about making your requests and desires known. The world is your oyster. And this is your world, we’re just living in it. You exhaust me but you’ve taught me so much. Daddy might even have learned to think a couple more steps ahead of you as to not be defeated. Ha ha!

You love dressing up for church, having your hair curled and you’re recently really digging makeup. You especially love lip gloss and if you’re with me while I’m getting ready, sometimes I’ll add just a bit of blush to your cheeks. You always grin from ear to ear when you sport “make up.” Painting fingernails and your toes is one of the only ways I can get you to sit still for more than 2 minutes at a time. You love your hair bows and when Ms. Kim braids your hair. You have a full head of gorgeous hair that is really fun to curl and style.

Funny things you say -

Keek-a-boo instead of peak-a-boo

You call foods with lots of flavor “spicy,” even if it’s sour, bitter or tangy.

You're obsessed with being "older" and "bigger." If you are met with a "no" when asking to do something, you will quickly ask "Can I when I'm five?" "When I'm bigger?"  We always say yes just to redirect, but I really hope you aren't keeping track of all these things. 

Your first day as a 4 year old was full of blessings and awesomeness, just like you. We love you to Heaven and back!