The light at the end of the 2020 tunnel is in sight!

If there was any indication of what 2020 had in store for our family, the fact that my 8-year-old had chickenpox on New Year’s Eve should’ve been a warning that the upcoming year would be anything but normal.

In February, we went to Disneyland. We ate all the things and had all the fun. We didn’t understand at the time that this would be our last family trip until much later in the year and in a very different world.

In March, quarantine hit, and school shut down, so we distracted ourselves by starting a garden, hiking, baking treats, and then stress-eating said treats in between reading, writing, and some arithmetic-ing. I took my new role of teacher seriously, busting out my clipboard and threatening detention left and right. Totally kidding! I only threatened to put myself in detention when I needed a break (which was quite often). Eventually, we figured out a schedule that worked for us, but boy was I happy and counting down the days till summer break. Something I never thought I’d say in my life! The meme below perfectly sums up my homeschooling experience:

In between “teaching” my kids, disinfecting groceries, and trying not to have daily panic attacks, I wrote a book!

What It Means To Be a Mom comes out in April of 2021 (just in time for my birthday and then for Mother’s Day) and to say I’m excited would be a major understatement!

What It Means To Be a Mom is a humorous and heartfelt book of quotes to help us laugh and to keep us inspired when things don’t go as planned, which hellllooo, was all of 2020! It was so helpful for me to work on this project especially during such a trying time in my own motherhood journey of pandemic parenting. Focusing on the bond that I have with my girls and celebrating being their mom has reminded me what matters most. I can’t wait for the arrival of this book and to share it with the world!

Summer was a blur of one hot sweaty day after another but we survived with popsicles and trips to the beach. We were able to go on our annual camping trip to Big Sur which we look forward to the most of any trip. We were happy to wear our masks if it meant we could tube down the river and hike to waterfalls. School remained on zoom until November when we got approval for shortened days which made all of us ecstatic! We welcomed two kittens to the family (yet another thing I never thought I’d agree to, but this year has done crazy things to all of us!) and they’re keeping us all thoroughly entertained.

We’ve all made the most of an uncertain year. My girls have handled canceled plans, paused traditions, and missing their friends and family members with grace and understanding. We’re hanging in there, navigating this new world, and doing our part to ensure that one day we’ll be back to doing what we love and visiting all the places that make our spirits happy. While we wait, we snuggle close and learn the true meaning of gratitude and resilience. As I worry that my kids are falling behind academically, I realize that these lessons are just as important as memorizing their times tables or state capitals, and maybe even more so. That’s how I know that this isn’t a wasted year after all. It’s actually taught us more than any other, and for that, I’m truly grateful.

Here’s looking ahead to 2021!

xo

OFM