We are Alive!
We are alive! I don’t even know where to begin since my last post in June. So much has happened. It seems like a lifetime ago when I wrote yet at the same time, 2020 just began and here we are in October.
Let’s go back to July. We obviously celebrated America’s birthday on the 4th. We spent some time with friends and lit some fireworks off in the street. Texas definitely goes all out for fireworks and I think everyone was setting them off.
We celebrated Rick’s birthday. We had a family dinner and spent some time together as a family. Rick did get out golfing with some guys. Golfing is something is getting back into. He has been taking Max some and he loves it. He got his first set of clubs.
Over the summer we devoured way too many snow cones at a local place. It is so awesome being close to so many things.
I spent one day with some friends exploring and shopping at Old Town Springs. It was a nice little break and just strolling around with no agenda. It was such a cute little town.
We welcomed a new family member. His name is Chewy. One day, Roman noticed a dog laying in the road by our house. It was scared and without tags. He carried it to our house and gave it water. We tried with all our power to find the owners but no one came forward. After a trip to the vet where we found out it was not chipped, we decided to keep him. He has been the best addition to our family. He is about one year old and the sweetest. He listens pretty well and was house trained. He received a clean bill of health at the vet. Mango however, is not that impressed. She is such a grumpy, old lady and did not like someone else coming into her space.
The one getaway we had this summer was a weekend to Schlittebahn New Braunfels. We spent the night and had a blast at the waterpark. We did all the slides and everything they had to offer including the sky coaster. I still love the adrenaline rush and it was worth every penny. It was a great two days spending this time with friends. Friends who are family.
School started in August. Well, online school that is. The first two weeks we were all online. I had zoom meetings teaching my first graders. I had to teach from the school building so Roman was home with Rick and Max was able to do his schooling with a neighbor. It was not how we wanted it to start but we made it through. I feel so blessed that we have friends who were able to help Max succeed. Roman did ok at home alone but every evening I was at the table with him finishing up. Online school is definitely not for him. The beginning of the school year for me was nothing short of stressful. For two weeks straight, I cried. Literally. I was not prepared for what I jumped into and it was a huge adjustment. Working 70+ hours a week was draining and I was barely functioning. I felt like there was no end to the dark tunnel, my mommy duties were being dismissed, my house was being left behind, and my sanity was on the brink of being lost. Somehow, I managed to make it through. Two weeks later, kids could choose to go back face to face. Roman was on an A/B schedule which was better. I became a hybrid teacher, teaching math on zoom in the morning and teaching math in the afternoon face to face. After a couple weeks, Roman is now in school full time face to face and I am still hybrid. I have adjusted. Things have gotten better and I am finding my groove. I love my class and the staff I am working with but I don’t wish this kind of school year to ever happen again. Crossing our fingers that this is one thing that 2020 will take with it. The hardest part right now is wearing a mask for 8 hours a day. Roman hates it too. I can’t wait for the day to burn these damn masks.
Roman started a lawn mowing business. He asked me one day to help him make a flyer and he passed out about 30 of them to the neighbors. From that, he received 4 jobs which he has been doing consistently for about 5 weeks now. He comes home from school and gets to work. I love his drive…even if it is the money driving him right now:) I have received so many compliments from the neighbors about how impressed they are with him working. This kid does have a hard working mentality when he wants. He gets up at 6 am and gets to school at 6:45 for football and school doesn’t end until 4. Talk about a long day.
Football season is in full swing. Roman is playing for the 7th grade teach at his school. They had their first game and they won 16-0. Go #6!!! The season did start of rocky for him as he fell off his bike one day and sprained his wrist. He was out of practice for a little over a week. He is feeling better now and ready to go out there and show them what he is made of. Max is playing for a local league and he is their number 1 quarterback. After the first practice, the coach emailed me and said that he excelled at practice and is showing that he is a leader and has more skill than the others at this point. He was so excited. I signed up for team mom and we are excited for the season. BUT…Max was tackled just right and sprained his arm. After getting an X-ray to confirm as he was complaining about playing (he never complains about playing football), he will be out for one week to recover. 2020 just won’t stop throwing punches.
Rick and I had our 16th anniversary. It happened to fall during the time where things were rough here with school and we really didn’t celebrate. I know he loves me and I love him so we will celebrate next year.
With all the stress, I ran out of gas one day coming home from work. All I could think of was my Dad telling me to never let my tank get below half. I was on overdrive and literally getting through one minute at a time. The little things, like getting gas were no longer thought of. It was eye opening and it was literally the first time in my life where I felt out of control. Thank God that it didn’t last long and with lots of prayers, I am making it and becoming stronger because of it. I had to remind myself of the photo I took just a couple days before. The sun was rising behind me in the car and I could see it in my side mirror. It was still dark ahead of me. I told myself that the sun always rises, you just need to find it. I am now finding it. This week we are on break and I am taking full advantage of it.
Because of Covid we have not adventured out much. Texas has so much to offer and I need to make a list of local things to do. Last weekend we went to a park and went on a hike with friends. It was so amazing to be out in the sun and just explore. It was just what we all needed and I intend to do way more of it.
As I reflect on the last few months, I am reminded that we are not in control. All we can do is face what is put in front of us and choose how to deal with it. The attitude we have will make all the difference. Life can knock us down but when we are down, there is nowhere to go but up. 2020 has sucked. But…it has also brought so much to light. Family, love, kindness, health-these are the things that are important. We have all been changed for ever. We will never be the same because of this year. How we choose to move forward is up to us.
I hope you are all doing well and whether anyone reads this or not, it was important for me to write. This is my life that I am writing and I want to hold on to all the memories. The good ones to try and make them happen again and the bad ones to try to avoid them again.
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