2020 Was Not The Year I Planned for, but it was the Year I Needed

2020 was an absolute dumpster fire. My last post talked about COVID-19. Shortly after I posted it, we went into quarantine on March 13, 2020. 

We haven’t been in a store or eaten out since March 13, 2020. We cook everything and get items delivered or curbside. 

In early April it became apparent that we would be in this for the long haul. We had to find a way to survive this year.  

Life From Home

Grant and I had our last day in the office on March 13, 2020. This was three days after the first case was reported in Mississippi. We are a high-risk household, and we are still working from home. This forced us to get smart about spaces in our house. We finally organized our third bedroom to be a home office for me. Grant took over the kitchen table. We recently purchased a new kitchen table that Logan helped Grant assemble. 

The schools closed for the rest of the Spring semester and Logan began virtual learning on March 16, 2020. He is still virtual learning, and will continue to do so into 2021. Logan has his desk in the living room. So far he is doing well with virtual learning, but we all long for the day when he can go back to in person. 

We haven’t visited normally with family since Logan’s birthday party in February. We visit with family from our side deck that we have named the ”COVID deck.” We started having a weekly Zoom call with my parents, brothers, and Aunt Teresa on Wednesday nights. It's a great way for us all to stay connected with each other. 

Backyard Oasis 

 For Logan, I knew we needed to find something for him to do during the summer months. There would be no Disney World vacation, trips to the playground or the pool. We turned our backyard into an oasis of fun in the sun. I found a fairly priced inflatable water slide and we used it all Summer long. We played corn hole, badminton, and lacrosse. We grilled every weekend and ate on the back porch. A few evenings we even roasted marshmallows in the chiminea. We even went camping on our side deck and spent evenings stargazing. 

The Banks Salon

By the end of April my hair was extremely long. I wasn’t sure what to do with it. My Mom found a tool called a CreaClip that lets you cut your own hair. I purchased it and started cutting my own hair. I even gave myself pandemic bangs! I actually love the look and might do it again. I plan on cutting my own hair from now on. I love the way my hair looks and it is so easy and quick. 

Long Walks

Work became incredibly stressful for me in early April. There were so many people relying on us and I knew everything we were doing at that time was very important for so many people. It was a very scary time. I realized I needed to get a handle on my anxiety and stress. I knew I needed to find a way to safely get outside and get some fresh air. I started walking a little bit every day to relax. 

The short walks turned into long walks. I was feeling good! I'm now walking 3-5 miles a day in the evenings. I signed up for some virtual 5k’s this year and Logan joined me for parts of them. Logan and I even won a gift card for our Turkey Trot outfits at Thanksgiving. It's now become part of my routine and I feel great! 

Roller Skating Through the Pandemic

Near the end of April, I was inspired to buy some roller skates. I was a speed skater back in my teens and I loved it! It's something I've wanted to get back into for a while. I ordered myself some Riedell Darts and began by skating in the garage. Recently I have been skating in a church parking lot in our neighborhood. It's been a nice change of scenery.

You can follow my roller skating journey on TikTok and Instagram. I have some new Moonlight Flash Dance skates arriving soon. I can't wait to try them out. 

Weight Loss

In late May my best friend Anna shared with me that she had started Weight Watchers (WW). She had lost a ton of weight. I was close to my heaviest weight at the time. I had lost a bit from the walking but wasn't seeing results. In early June I started my journey with WW for the third time. In the past, I never had much success with WW. I would lose five pounds and plateau, then quit. This time I pushed through. 

It's been almost seven months since I started WW and I'm down 42 pounds!! I still have another 40 to go to get to my goal weight, but I am well on my way. 

Back on the Water

In June, I decided that one of my weight loss rewards would be to buy a kayak once I got under 200 pounds. I love the water and I enjoy paddling. My weight gain limited me to what I could do on the water. All summer I researched kayaks and found Crescent Kayaks. I decided my first kayak would be a Crescent UltraLite. In October I finally made it to Onederland or under 200 pounds. I ordered my kayak and it arrived in November just in time for my birthday. I've only been able to take it out three times. I'm looking forward to warm sunny days. 

Tooth Fairy Visits

Logan had his first visit from the Tooth Fairy this year! He has lost several teeth since. He currently has a loose tooth that he is determined to wiggle out before the end of the year.

Mississippi Moving Forward

In November, Mississipi finally voted on a new flag! I'm so proud of my state for moving forward this year. As soon as it became available I purchased the new flag. I'm proud to fly it on my front porch. 

2021

Everyone has had their challenges this year. We are no different from so many other families, especially families in high-risk households. 

It's been 10 months since we started this ”new normal.” We found a way to live through all of this. It hasn't been easy. There are tears and moments of sadness and frustration. We have our anxieties, but we are finding ways to cope. 

 We look forward to getting the vaccine soon. We are hoping to be able to begin replanning our Disney World vacation. I can't wait to hug my family and friends again. I'm looking forward to going back to the office once our family is vaccinated. I'm also looking forward to eating something I didn't cook. 

I am hopeful that 2021 will be a great year. I don't wish to go back to the way things were. I do wish that we can return to a new and improved normal. 

2020 wasn't the year I planned for, but it was the year I needed. 

Stay safe, and stay well!