Revisiting

A new month in an old year... I've let this space go, but this week in one of my university classes, we are talking about blogging. For the sake of academics, I've stretched my stiff and neglected blogging muscles, and here I am. 

 To catch you up on the last two years, my epic, planned road trip in 2018 ended wonderfully and dramatically with cold-weather camping, Carlsbad Caverns NP, and driving all the way across Texas in I-10. I saw family in Mississippi for Thanksgiving, met up with Eric, and got to stop at Smoky Mountains NP before arriving home at the very end of November. Since then, I did other road trips in 2019 and welcomed three new grandchildren into the family--two boys born a week apart in early spring 2019 and a girl born in October. She just celebrated her first birthday. In the middle of that, Evan got married in June 2019. 

Here's the family, except for Vivi, the youngest babe. She's just a bump in this pic. 

Since then, life had been moving along in a fairly routine and calm way. Until March 12, 2020. On that day, the world started shutting down and people started staying home to try and control the spread of a new contagious disease--2019 novel coronavirus, or COVID 19 for short. 

And now it's near the end of 2020--we are 7 months into what is now officially a pandemic, are 2 days from an important election, and it's been a wild ride. We had another young person live with us for a while and we locked down with her as COVID 19 changed all of our lives. We also combined our household with our dear next-door neighbors. So, while other families were feeling quiet isolation, we grew our adoptive tribe and have kept very busy during this whole, strange time. 

Our COVID crew on Mother's Day

In August, our lovely houseguest moved out, and Sam and Madison came to stay while they move from Mississippi to Baltimore. They've bought a house and will settle soon, but we've had a peaceful, lovely time living here together. Having the energy of granddaughters in the house has been absolutely delightful. 

Madison, Vivi, and Lydia with me (Grammy)

So, all is well. I'm grateful to be busy. And I haven't even mentioned work or the fact that I'm back in school. And how Corinne has moved back. And so many other stories. Who knows, maybe I'll take up writing here again and try to catch up.