Goodbye 2020. We found the silver linings where we could - all being together healthy at home (especially grateful for Oma and Opa's health), Nate very much enjoying the no commute work from home setup, all of us in lounge wear all day every day, plenty of family meals, elite-level handwashing skills, COVID vaccine, each of my kids having a close neighbor friend to see fairly regularly outside, and embracing technology to stay connected virtually with loved ones.
The whole truth of our 2020 was unfortunately more about feeling the sadness, disbelief, and frustration at the state of the world - so much mindboggling selfish behavior, divisiveness, lies, and death. For my kids, it was missing their friends, activities, and learning like they are used to. For Nate and me, it was more about the mental drain of adulting and parenting in a world with COVID, distance learning, political chaos, BLM, a dangerous week-long forest fire which kept us in true lockdown since the air was off-the-charts unhealthy, and an alarming increase in Portland crime. It's hard to feel grateful when over 340K Americans have died from COVID in the last 9 months and that corner we need to turn for the better still feels a little far off.
Yet we will keep going toggling back and forth between treasuring the simple moments of joy and working through the tough moments while we keep our fingers crossed that we'll get back to the people and activities we miss as we figure out what normal means on the other side of pandemic pandemonium.
German tradition. Lighting actual candles on Oma and Opa's tree on 4th Advent this year.
MAC tennis closed down again. Coach Paul got creative and started masked conditioning workouts in the parking garage.
Traditional Christmas cookie decorating with Oma.
Family tradition of filling up each of the kid's advent calendars with little daily surprises. Hits this year included personalized ornaments and Paul getting a much needed stick of deodorant.
Christmas Eve Family Zoom
Opa with his 2 greatest loves: Oma and steak
Right after this picture, Paul and Elise set up camp to try and catch Santa in the act. Santa prevailed.
Christmas morning. Obligatory window seat picture.
Paul's Christmas gift to me. Short and sweet and packed a punch.
Christmas day chill time
Letting lily practice the important life skills
We call our garage the bike cafe - equipped with patio heater. Enjoying an evening drink with friends.
This view from Pittock Mansion was my most often hiked to 2020 destination. Fitting it was my last hike of 2020 too.
A common sight this year was Elise and her friend and neighbor playing on each other's front porches regardless of weather.
Toasting with friends to the end of 2020 and the arrival of our dear friends moving next door.
This patio heater is to me like a body pillow is to pregnant women. Comfortable, cozy, and must be next to it.
