Capturing 2021

I sit here in bed on the last night of 2021 - struck with COVID, the coronavirus that has taunted and annoyed us for nearly 2 years now. My legs are achy, my temperature is slightly elevated to about 100.3, and I don't want to do much of anything. Yet, I'm still fortunate that this is the extent of my symptoms because I am fully vaccinated and boosted. This omicron variant seems to be everywhere. I'm annoyed that we got it after avoiding it so well, while at the same time, I'm proud of us that we made it 22-months without any kind of sickness in our immediate family. 

So, while I sit here just reflecting on this crazy year, I wanted to jot down some notes about what this year brought us. It certainly sucked a whole lot - the politics, the division among people in our country, the entitlement so many people have been feeling and exhibiting nation-wide,  the constant weighing of pros and cons about so many decisions we've made for our family and our kids (school, camp, play dates, screen time, vaccines, sports...). The world has been an ugly place a lot of the year, and I've been really down and angry about how disgusting humanity can be. The burn out from work and from my family life has been real and unending. Feeling like I want to throw the towel in nearly daily but having to push through it and give whatever I have left to give - it's been exhausting. I'm truly hopeful we can see brighter, easier days ahead.

But it hasn't been all horrible. Our family is lucky to be as blessed as we are, that we are in much better shape financially, physically, and emotionally than so many others. Here are some things I want to remember from this year:

• January - Inauguration Day - a day of hope and return of love of our country and its flag. 
• February - our snowy trip to Broken Bow where we celebrated Valentine's Day and Knox's 5th birthday during a snow storm that left so many at home without power; we came home and were able to house and help our family who were without heat or electricity for days; the fun in the snow on the Hightower hills, snowboarding for the first time with the help of Aunt Mischelle; Sam and I getting our first vaccine
• March - while it was sad to say goodbye to Emma, Graham, and George, we were more than ready to end virtual school and return to face-to-face school. Sam and I were fully vaccinated. We had a virtual family seder for Passover that was overall a success.
• April - we had our first Yes Day... and although I don't want another one for a very long time, the kids loved it. Banner also got his June 2024 Bar Mitzvah date!
• May - Knox graduated from preK. Saying goodbye to Anshai was not easy, but saying goodbye to preschool payments was very much a highlight! 
• June - Knox returned to Emler to finish out swim lessons. We celebrated Banner's 10th birthday and had a party with his friends at Urban Air and then a swim gathering with family. I got to spend some quality time with Banner & Quinn - Six Flags and Perot Museum - while Knox finished his one week at Anshai camp. Then, the boys adored Heritage Farmstead camp for two weeks. 
• July - Quinn and Banner went to GFC, and we got some extra special time with Knox. I had toe surgery so I won't get blisters on my baby toes anymore. Quinn got his top expander put in.
• August - Knox started Kindergarten, and Banner started his last year in elementary school. Quinn got his bottom expander put in. We went to see Wicked. Knox joined the boys at Sunday School which was finally back to face-to-face! The boys started piano lessons. And I got the courage to speak at a PISD school board meeting to voice my anger at even thinking about lifting a mask mandate.
• September - the boys returned to sports (Q - basketball, B - tennis and volleyball, K - soccer); we celebrated Sukkot in our usual themed fashion. Banner ran for Student Council president at school and did an amazing job! We celebrated our 12th anniversary and then Quinn's 8th birthday with a fun party at Crayola. 
• October - The boys and I spent a fun-filled couple of days at Great Wolf Lodge. We welcomed Tova to our family! We celebrated Keaton's bar mitzvah at what Banner called "the best party ever!" 
• November - we had a great Thanksgiving break, and we got to see Hamilton at Music Hall. 
• December - it was a pretty good month overall; we celebrated Hanukkah and spent time with family. 

There are some other things this year brought that weren't as great - like the constant treatment of plantar warts on four feet and one finger around here, a very long power outage, a superintendent resignation that I don't believe was really what she wanted, Banner spraining his wrist, Quinn getting a bee sting on his ear, and Knox having a black eye for months after a fall at Quinn's birthday party, trying out new medications from Ms. Sonia with little success, holes in pants and socks and ties from a nipping puppy, the horrible decisions of our governor and the Texas legislature (prohibiting mask mandates and the heartbeat bill), Mom struggling to recover from hip surgery, two friends losing their moms, and our own sadness in losing Mamaw. 

The things that brought us joy through it all: Ted Lasso, Sukkot, being able to be with family for holidays and birthday celebrations, The Great British Baking Show, rewatching the entire Friends series, Squid Game, Yesterland Farm, Handmaid's Tale, new shutters in our living room, going to Temple for Hanukkah and Sukkot celebrations, Million Little Things, the circle swing, Epic Waters, KidZania, Cheeky Monkey's, taking silly selfies with the Colgate toothbrushing app, time with Ms. Kim, bunny-sitting for Tucker, Fontina letters when all three boys lost teeth this year, "candle lit" showers, time in Grandma & Papa's pool, Minecraft, KreekCraft, Flamingo, Piggy, Friday Night Funkin', Roblox, Fortnite, and all the other screen things I can't remember that the boys were obsessed with this year, jumping on the trampoline, sliding down the slide at Big Boss's pool, Nerdvana, Schitt's Creek, hoverboards, scooters, bikes, a new storage shed in the back and finally being able to park two cars in the garage, the Hamilton soundtrack, true crime podcasts, Knox learned to read and to say his "s" and "th" sounds correctly, Medieval Times, telling stories late at night in a new bunk bed, Nerfies, drawing and coloring, Walking Dead, Crumbl cookies from NaNa, Workin' Moms, Candlelight, Tova losing two of her razor sharp teeth, when Emma or Lizzie babysit, the Van Gogh exhibit, Caden getting college acceptance letters, color baths and LED showers, playing in BeeBee & Zaide's backyard, finally being at face-to-face school with Levi, walking home with next door neighbors Anya and Caden, a Friends Night reunion, trick-or-treating, Dad volunteering at Cultural Diversity Day, and lots of puppy cuddles. In addition, Sam took some huge risks this year and joined a new program to help him grow his law firm, and his partnership with Max has been a really great transition. He's working more and more, which is both good and bad, but man, the firm is taking off! I'm really proud of all the work he has put in and the patience he's had all along. 

Overall, it was a good year for us. My frustrations have been with politics, school boards, selfish parents, and other people who just don't seem to care for others or have patience during a global pandemic that is still raging and changing. I'm hopeful the coming year will help get us back to civility, but that's a big ask. 

My goals for myself in 2022: to take better care of myself - physically and emotionally. That means lots of different things, but I'm going to keep it vague on purpose. 

Wishing everyone a very happy 2022!