Wow! What a year...
Not even sure what to write about 2020 but definitely know I want to document it. It started on a high note. The Chiefs winning the Super Bowl was a time of huge celebration...unfortunately we did not attend any parties because we were home with the stomach bug!
On March 13th we celebrated Ava's 9th birthday, not knowing the world was literally shutting down. My spring break at Axtell was just starting, never in my wildest dreams did I think I wouldn't get to say good-bye to my students in person. Remote learning began and it's a time I never want to return! I am not sure if it was worse as a parent or a teacher, but it was not ideal.
This summer we managed to get in pool time and both kids played ball. Jeremy and I helped coach Will's team. GOD BLESS all primary teachers...trying to wrangle 12 six year olds with bats and balls while pregnant was interesting! Ava and Will both did swim team, this was Ava's second year and Will's first year. They both improved every meet and enjoyed it. They both participated in Junior Golf this year and had a lot of fun with it. We were so grateful the kids had these normal activities to do during a time filled with so much uncertainty and anxiety.
In July we braved the pandemic and took the kids to South Dakota. My parents went along with us. We stayed in a VRBO that we felt was "away" from others enough to be safe. We had a great time! We did Wall Drug, Bear Country, Reptile Gardens, Deadwood, and of course Mount Rushmore. The kids really seemed to enjoy the trip. It was very important to me that we get this trip in as a family of four and I am so glad it happened!
Jeremy continues to work as a manager for Fairview Mills in Seneca at the Seneca Corn Mill. It was a challenging year for everyone that manages people dealing with positive cases, quarantines, and anxious employees. However he continues to enjoy the job and does so great maintaining the respect of his co-workers. He coached JH Football and basketball again this year. I believe this is his 7th season doing basketball! He also went back to helping coach Legion Baseball this season. He is still on the Seneca Volunteer Fire Department so his free time is usually taken up by these obligations but he continues to enjoy them all. They did the 9/11 Memorial Stair-climb remotely this year so he did not travel to KC. It wasn't the same experience but still a good experience.
I, again, had a job change this year. This was not the ideal year to change positions but when I made the decision to go into teaching a few years ago, the goal was to eventually be at Sts. Peter and Paul with my kids, and that is where I landed. I loved Axtell, so it was hard to leave, especially as I never got "closure" in the building, I would not have left Axtell for anywhere but SPPS. It took a lot of deliberating and praying on God's timing of everything. A job change, new baby, and pandemic was a lot to consider! However a few things played out in my favor and I accepted a 5th-8th grade science teaching position. I was nervous about middle school but so far it has been an enjoyable experience and I feel I am where I belong! I feel so blessed!
Ava is in 4th grade now. She participated in her first 4-H Fair this past summer. Not a regular Fair and it literally rained on the parade! She also tried something new and tried out for a virtual play. She very much enjoyed the process and hopes to do it
again soon! She participated in softball this summer and decided to try soccer again this fall. She hoped to do volleyball and got to do some practices but due to COVID never had any games. She's looking forward to basketball again in January (fingers crossed).
Will or William (some days he thinks he likes that better) continues to keep us on our toes. He is full of energy and if he's stuck at home...which was a lot of 2020...he is usually driving me crazy. He does better in the open air where there is less to break. He finished up his first wrestling season last January with a 1st place finish. He played baseball this summer and soccer this fall. I think maybe we managed to stay out of the ER again this year with him (hope I didn't just jinx that).
Liv Irene arrived November 28th, six days before her due date. Through most of my pregnancy I doctored in Seneca but had to switch to a Marysville doctor and delivery location during the final month. I am SO GRATEFUL for all our healthcare workers. I can't imagine the stress and pressure they are feeling during these crazy COVID times. We are blessed in our small rural areas to have the doctors and nurses we do. We are grateful for all of them that helped safely bring our beautiful bundle of joy into our lives!
Jeremy and I both contracted COVID in late October. We had mild symptoms, but it landed us in isolation for 10 days and put our kids in quarantine from Oct. 23- Nov. 16. They missed 3 weeks of in-person school and participated in remote learning. I taught 4th grade math two years ago at Holton and it was a challenge then, however trying to help Ava with it every night proved to be even worse!
2020 has definitely brought a few punches, but God continues to bless us beyond measure and we are so grateful for our family and friends. We are ready to feel free to gather with our loved ones again and branch out and see some people we have not connected with for a while.
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| Will's first wrestling meet in Marysville. |
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| Holton meet! Cousins - Gavin and Ethan also competed and Will won his weight class! |
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| Mahomes hair - 2020 style of the year! |
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| K-State Men's Game in February - Ava and Reese |
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| Will and his best buddy Cooper at the KSU Men's game. |
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| March 13th - Out to dinner with friends. We were all supposed to be in Hutchinson watching the NC girls try to capture the KSHSAA 3A Title. It got cut short due to COVID hitting the USA. |
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| Mass online in our jammies - Church was closed (along with in-person school) |
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| Celebrated Ava's birthday with friends in the summer. They all tye-dyed their own t-shirt. |
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| Father's Day 2020 - Dad had a Legion game. |
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| Swim Team @ Seneca - Ava's 2nd year Will's 1st year. |
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| Family Vacation to Mount Rushmore! |
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| Mom's first day at SPPS - everyone had to wear a mask. |
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| 2020 9/11 Memorial Stairclimb - Seneca Style |
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| Will's 7th birthday party - his whole class and then some. Chiefs theme! |
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| Halloween costumes - no trick or treating due to being quarantined. They had lots of people who collected candy for them. They did well despite not being able to go door-to-door. |
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| Meeting Liv for the first time. No one was allowed to come to the hospital but dad. The kids had to wait until we came home on the 29th! |
