The Lost Year
It’s as though I just woke up from the strangest dream of my life. This time last year I had no idea what was about to transpire. We were amid a national lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I *thought* my son was on a brief hiatus from in-person learning, that my husband and I were working from home for just a few weeks. We were temporarily taking a break from visiting friends and family, dining out, going to the movies, etc. Before I knew it, a few weeks turned into a few months, and then an entire year. Somehow it was simultaneously the shortest and longest year of my life.
Some parts were fun. We loaded up on groceries, including enough of the best ramen to last a lifetime. (It’s Indomie Fried Noodles, by the way. No, they’re not a sponsor. They’re just that good.) I hopped on the breadmaking bandwagon and baked a delightful rosemary no-knead Dutch oven Bread. (Unfortunately my attempt at cinnamon raisin didn’t pan out quite as well.) And I set forth on a mission to find the best chocolate chip cookie. (My husband and I have differing opinions on what constitutes the “best” cookie, so the verdict is still out. However, there were no losers in this endeavor — especially if you’re looking at our weight!
However, the novelty quickly wore off. From the time our now 6-year-old was born, my husband I benefited greatly from the support of his doting grandparents. Twice a week we could count on them to care from him or pick him up from school. When he was sick, they often stepped up and watched him so we wouldn’t miss work. And rarely did a month go by without at least one sleepover. The pandemic changed all that. Suddenly we were homebound and trying to work remotely while assisting in his kindergarten education and keep him occupied. THANK GOODNESS I PRE-ORDERED ANIMAL CROSSING FOR THE NINTENDO SWITCH! There were many days where interacting with those cartoon villagers was the only social engagement he had. And I still credit the game for his vast improvement in reading skills! (See, it’s educational!)
Each day blended into the next. My husband and I coordinated schedules to avoid conflicting Zoom calls in case the little guy had an emergency. Of course, as any parent knows, that didn’t really prevent the interruptions. There were meltdowns…lots of meltdowns. Our son felt every bit of the loss and fear of the pandemic. Like us, he had his world turned upside down with no warning.
Still, we found ways to make special memories. We chalked the sidewalk with positive messages and pretty pictures, hung hearts on our windows, dominated the local library’s summer reading challenge, and took the little guy to his first drive-in movie. Though a trip to Hawaii 10 years in the making was postponed, we still managed to get away for camping near Lake Michigan (which will now likely be an annual tradition). Somehow we, like so many others, adapted.
We’ve been lucky to remain healthy. One set of grandparents will be fully vaccinated tomorrow. My husband and I have our second doses scheduled for next week. The world is still a little scary, and we won’t be living our pre-pandemic lifestyle anytime soon. That’s ok, though. Right now I’m just looking forward to shipping the little guy off to the grandparents for the night and being able to gather with our small, vaccinated circle. 😊
