So let’s face it, 2020 hasn’t been the best year. I know some older generations have been through something similar or even worse, but in our reality this just sucks!

For my family and I this year started off as any other, full of hope and goals. I knew this was a chance for a virus to reach us here in the United States but it was so unknown and I kept reminding myself we are in a privileged country. It started with 3 months of quarantine, online learning, working from home and fear. It slowly got better as summer came creeping up (at least that’s what we told ourselves). We were able to take our vacations as planned and tried to be as careful as we could. Even after all of that we were still okay and everyone around us was as well. 

Then fast forward to August, my husband lost his day job. Work was chaotic while we learned how to navigate what was “normal” for childcare and education. Luckily my husband’s photography business was doing well and he was staying busy. I was healing from some emotional and physical issues I was having but things were getting, what seemed to be, better. Next thing I know, my dad was in the hospital from covid. We haven’t seen him for at least a month or so before he got sick. He spent almost two weeks in the hospital, we were not able to see him. We did call and talk with him when he felt able. Then he declined quickly, went on a vent then eventually passed away. It was awful and scary. The sadness I felt was unfamiliar and awful. I lost my mom 13 years ago about the same time. My parents died just 13 years, 9 months and 6 days apart. 

With little time to grieve, we had to come up with money for funeral expenses, decide on how to do a service during covid and get this all done within a few days. We thought we were being as careful as possible but shortly after most of my family, except the kids (aunt, cousin, sister, uncle, husband) started feeling ill. We then tested positive for Covid. Now here I am waiting for symptoms to pass, ready to go back to work, ready to hug our kids again, ready to sit in the same room with them, and just feel “normal” again. 

So the best way I knew how to reflect what 2020 meant to us was through a funny holiday card. I got the idea before my father was in the hospital and received the card in the mail just a few days before he passed. I know he would have laughed and thought it was fitting for the year we had. 

So with the help of my talented photographer (aka my husband) we made something that showed the real us! My husband threw himself into his business, I picked up on the wine drinking (haha okay it isn’t that bad) and crafting, my kids became more and more reliant on technology to free them from boredom. Is it perfect no, but is it who we are, yes. We are doing what we can to stay happy, healthy and just staying sane. Congrats, if you were in no way affected by this pandemic. I am truly so happy for you, but please for the sake of others that are affected wear your mask and stay safe!