New Life- Week 10 (Start of Something New)

This week brought our first glimpses of someday returning to normal life.  Early this week I started talking with my family about how I was ready to start having family interactions again.  I have started feeling like this for many reasons, but particularly because with my dad's health challenges, I am unwilling to miss any more of his strong and healthy years than absolutely necessary.  We didn't come up with an official plan, but I was grateful to begin the conversation.

Just a few days later the Brown cousins showed up on our doorstep after taking their dog for a walk.  The kids and I hung out in the front yard, but it was clear that social distancing wasn't really happening.  I decided I better go call Becca and make sure she felt alright about what was going down.   Ultimately she ended up coming over too and we were all able to hang out together for the first time in months.

The next day Emily called and asked if she and Kalani could come for a visit.  We all stayed outside, but Elsie asked if she could sit on "Auntie Minty's" lap.  I told Emily I was fine with it if she was comfortable.  Elsie and Emily had their first physical contact in months and Emily cried, she was so happy.

Yesterday, The Browns and our family went to my parents' house to help with some yard projects.  We all stayed outside but were less strict about social distancing and my mom held and hugged Elsie for the first time in months.

It was a big week.  Yesterday our county entered into "Phase 1" of ending the lockdown and for the most part I am not in a big hurry to go to stores, restaurants, or be around people.  I am ready to stop distancing myself from my family though.  I am ready to be a family again and this week we took some big steps towards that.

Unrelated, but also in the vein of starting something new, this week Carrigan had her annual eye doctor appointment.  We picked out some super cute new glasses for her only to come to find out she doesn't need glasses anymore!  Her right eye has always been good but her left eye needed correcting.  Over the last two years her left eye has corrected itself and now her eyes are more uniform, so no glasses needed.

One more thing,  Carrigan is also about to lose her front tooth.  She has been wiggling it a lot and so it has become displaced.  She is sporting a bit of a snaggle tooth and her brother has taken to lovingly calling her a hillbilly.