Wellll …. it certainly didn’t go the way we planned.

Recognizing that we ARE extremely fortunate and blessed … 2020 has been a challenging year for us and our loved ones. In some ways, it has redefined us and our way of thinking.

We began the year by looking forward to what was coming. Of course, much of what happens up here revolves around our oldest son Brian, his wife Vicki, and the grandkids.

Robin was planning to go to California to spend time with siblings and friends. We had a Spring trip to California planned with Brian and Vicki. We were looking forward to lots of visits from friends over the summer, and enjoying the glorious summers with all of its color and splendor. In September, Lynn had a military reunion scheduled in Portland, Oregon. Towards the end of October, we were leaving on a trip to France that would end with a short stay in London.

Robin was enjoying some watercolor and drawing classes she was taking at the local community college. We were both looking forward to improving our line dancing skills. Robin was back to her volunteer work with the local middle and high school. Monthly Book Club meetings provided great social interaction with local friends and neighbors. Lynn was honing his golf skills in preparation for the better weather.

Not Much Actually Happened. COVID Hit.

So far …. no one in our immediate family has contracted COVID! We are grateful!

I will start with the youngest and proceed to the oldest!

Ashlyn

After spring break, Ashlyn was enrolled in a homeschooling program that also included a teacher-tutor to work with her on an individual basis. Like millions of kids, she did most of her work online. She has matured so much … but it has been difficult not having the social interaction with kids. The summer was slow for her. No sleepovers with us, and very little family activities other than some lake time and picnics. But she is so sweet, and hardly ever complains! She knows that someday things will be better. She loves to cook, bake, play cards, and work on art projects. She enjoys games and fun videos on her “devices,” especially her Dad’s tablet. And her first love, after her family, is animals. She has bonded with her “fur-brother” Tucker and loves him to pieces!

Grason

In spite of COVID, Grason was able to work part of the summer at Enfield Farms, a berry grower. With the exception of a few weeks in November, his schooling has been all online. He hopes it will be “back to normal” by the beginning of his senior year … Fall 2021. But … he has done well academically with the online instruction. He is currently working part-time at Popeye’s and is hoping to get another part-time job next June when he turns 18. He is probably the most social of the “group” and likes to be busy … and loves his car! He remains kind, considerate, and looks forward to dropping by to see us (made easier during the summer months when we could distance in the patio).

Slater

Slater adapted easily to the all-online school, with little complaint. He, too, worked during the summer at Enfield Farms.

Robin accompanied Slater as his “hiking partner” during two beautiful hikes that were part of a class assignment. One of them, to Oyster Dome, ended up being 11 miles (lots of bonding occurred). He is in his senior year of high school, while at the same time taking classes through the local community college (Washington state’s Running Start Program). He is always so curious and is an avid reader, which means there are often great conversations. He also loves to bake and cook, especially with family members. Slater is starting to plan out his college career post-high school, which will probably be in a field within Agricultural Science.

McKenna

McKenna has a whirlwind life that never ceases to amaze! She’s living in an apartment in Bellingham, Washington and is enrolled at Western Washington University, where she works part-time in the cafeteria and attends classes online. She also tutors an elementary school-aged child and manages to spend time with Houston, her boyfriend, as well as family. Her goal is to be a teacher, and she is majoring in mathematics. Recently, she was accepted into the Woodring College of Education. She, too, loves to cook and bake! Hey, none of us will ever go hungry.

Landon

Landon is employed as a welder at Pederson Brothers. Unfortunately, some of his social plans (including attending a concert) were cancelled. He continues to live in his own apartment, but enjoys being with family. He has his own brand of humor and we were glad that we could see him more in the summer. The photo was of Landon presenting me with a bottle of wine that he selected (and was able to purchase) because he had turned 21. Landon is a responsible gun owner that loves shooting whenever he can. He is also the go-to-guy for any projects that require efficiency, strength, and speed. We can always count on him! We know he will be glad when things open up again!

Sara

Around the time COVID hit, Sara moved in with Evan and Megyn. She had been laid off from both of her jobs, and needed to spend more time on building her graphic (animation) design portfolio. She is presently interning at a production studio and hopes to become employed in her field when the job situation improves. Meanwhile, she is doing very well and because she loves animals, gaming, and hanging out with Evan and Megyn, it’s been a win win!

Evan and Megyn

Megyn was also laid off from her part-time jobs. Evan began working from home, and continued this until businesses started opening back up (and his production studio followed all of the COVID safety guidelines). Other than that, they all mostly stayed at home. They rescued a baby kitten to add to their fur-family (it now numbers two cats and two dogs). They were grateful that they could all stay and work from home and not have some of the stresses that others were experiencing.

Brian and Vicki

Because their “footprint” was the same as ours, we felt safe spending time with them. This has definitely helped us deal with any “COVID Fatigue.” They spent as much time as they could with their kids. They took care of several home remodeling projects this year. They, along with us, are looking forward to better times spent away from home!

Robin

My planned activities were mostly discontinued … but because I am an introvert, the adjustment wasn’t too difficult. Eventually I was able to mentor my high schooler via Zoom. I painted, walked for miles, and read a LOT of books. My Book Club ceased meeting in person and began meeting via Zoom. I’ve always enjoyed reading and researching topics that deeply interest or concern me. I began a journal that focuses on the COVID situation, consisting of monthly posts that began in March. This activity helped me to think and to understand what was going on with this pandemic. It also helped me to see how things were progressing and often changing. It will be fun to reflect back once the pandemic is over and science reveals what we need to know for certain regarding this virus. Start here if you want to check it out. Gardening has always been a big hobby of mine, and when the spring weather arrived, I was able to indulge. Going outdoors in the Spring is anticipated by all of us here, as the winters tend to be rainy and gloomy.

In October I was able to go back down to California for a brief visit to see friends and extended family, and get a much-needed COVID Hair Repair!

Lynn

Lynn was able to continue his work as Secretary of our Homeowners Association Board. One of our neighbors serves as the treasurer. She and her husband also have a home in Canada, and because of COVID and the Canadian border being closed, they’ve been unable to come to their home here since March. Lynn volunteered to handle these tasks until they were able to cross the border. In mid March, our church congregation stopped meeting in person so his volunteer activities ceased for the time being. However, he is now serving on his military reunion committee. He hopes that they will be able to meet in mid-September at a reunion planned in Oklahoma City.

But golf didn’t cease! He golfed several times a week with Brian and with friends, and he will always love watching old episodes of Perry Mason, Adam 12, and numerous westerns. Then there is always sports and the Hallmark Channel! He, too, is grateful for our retirement life and we look for opportunities to share our blessings with others.

We always enjoy seeing our friends Dale and Carolyn Kole, who stay every summer in their second home located in Birch Bay, just 12 miles away from us. Carolyn and I worked on projects at home and the men golfed 2-3 times a week. Enjoying dinner and cards together each week rounded out our “busy” social life. This was one of only a few dining-out experiences that we had!

We both enjoyed keeping up with our friends and family via social media, and were grateful to have it. We learned how to avoid the irrelevant and nonsensical, dodging and weaving around the chaos and rubbish when necessary! We so appreciate all of our friends and family that we keep in touch with online.

And So … We Look Forward to 2021

We live in a time of much uncertainty. But what IS certain is that the Lord is always beside us. We’ve been blessed through some great sermons and daily text devotions. God is good … He will guide us through the upcoming year.

Many blessings to everyone, particularly those that are front line workers and those that have either had COVID and are doing poorly, have experienced the loss of a loved one this year, or are struggling in other ways. Our prayer is that this time next year, this pandemic thing is under control.

To see additional photos, go to our 2020 Memories Album on Flickr.

Happy New Year, Everyone!