Project Life

Friends and family think we are nuts, my husband and I.  Maybe we are, but we don’t think as much.  We just don’t have the word “no” in our vocabulary.  Sometimes it may feel detrimental, but not very often.  We just keep moving forward.  We get ideas in our heads and we just go with it. It’s a way of life that we built on our own.  I was talking with a good friend this summer when we were talking about life and how we got to where we all are.  With moves, kids, weddings, grandkids…we both had experienced all of the above and came to the realization that life is a project.  It starts as a project when you start making your own decisions and building your family and life.  You go about your days, months and years adding new things every day.  You wake up every morning not having any idea where the day might go.  Your plan can take a right turn, left turn or sometimes a U turn.  And sometimes it’s just best to go back and rethink things and take a different path.  That’s the beauty of it all, it’s your project, no one else’s.  

I feel like our project started the day we found out we were having a baby.  That absolutely was not in the immediate plan, we were planning to get married after Eric finished pilot training.  So, instead of moving forward and being separated for a year, we took a turn, got married, had Dani and off to Mississippi we went. 

But let me add this, we were 23 year old recent college graduates, and had a year to wait to go to pilot training.  My dad suggested we get into rental real estate while we waited.  “Buy a house Dad? Really…?”  We again didn’t say no, so we bought a rental property, followed by more.  This part of our life added an entire new level to our project.  Since then rental real estate has become just part of life.  

Next comes the family level.  How many kids do you want?  Just when you think you’ve made your decision…another turn, another baby.  Change in project life is the best.  Now add a pet, {dogs in our case}. 

This just keeps getting better…

Until it doesn't, unfortunately in every life you are going to have to experience fight and/or loss.  This project life might take a wrong turn (but in time will go back in the right direction). If someone you love gets sick all you can do is watch and support.  You know you will do whatever it takes to get them through to wherever their project goes or ends.  Unfortunately every project comes to an end.  When someone you love is taken from you, you need to learn to live without them.  It feels so helpless, but you can do it.  It’s just another level.  

Another tier to this project life is growing kids.  You take them to a certain point in life until they are ready to fly.  You never truly stop taking care of them but at a certain point you take a step back and are just there. {Always}.  They know that you are not going anywhere. (Physically you may have gone a little further than normal, like Vegas maybe…😉 but emotionally you are always there and only a flight away) This is when they get to start their project…it’s cyclical.  They might  graduate, get jobs, marry, have kids, and their choices in life start to build.

This is where we are.  Watching our kids build their project as we add onto our own.  We are now in the mode of adding travel, rekindling old friendships and making new friendships, retirement planning and enjoying every minute with all of our kids.  Project life is a constant.  It doesn’t matter where you are in life, just keep building on it.  

Promise yourself this…

Always Live life to the fullest.

Always Love Hard

Always possess positivity

Yes, I am an optimist…and I get it from my husband ❤️ Welcome to Project Life

Time Is A Thief

Preface: I logged into my blog today to write a blog called "Project Life".  I came across this entry that I never published. {dated June 9th, 2021} This entry gave me so much insight to my new idea of Project Life.  I decided to finish it, and publish it.  Knowing and remembering that I was going through a rough and emotional time in life, it just proved to me that life will change for the better. (Keep in mind that I had just lost my dog, put my house of 20 years up for sale and was supporting my sister through the loss of her husband to cancer) 

*Just give yourself space to achieve joyfulness again.

6/9/21

I was texting with a mom that I used to nanny for today when she replied to me with "Time Is A Thief"

Time IS a thief...it takes things and people and pets and homes...and so much more that we really don't realize.  You can look at time as being anywhere from a second to a lifetime.  You don't realize that time is taking things that you will not get back, The more I thought about it,  time is also growth...it brings things to you as well.  You put in time to earn the things that you deserve. (ie. my hard working husband).  As much as it can work both ways, I see more of time being a thief right now.  I saw time with Lucy being taken from me this past weekend.  Lucy and I spend a lot of time together when I am in Minnesota.  I barely saw her the entire weekend because she was with her friends. This is her time of growth.

  Time can also hurt...Loved ones taken too soon...sick pets...unexpected changes...

But time will also heal.

I've been struggling a little bit recently because of life's changes. Some sudden and some that we have been leading up to.  You can prepare for change to only a certain extent.  Either way you look at it there is going to be a way to get through all of it.  You need to make a conscious effort to decide to move forward being motivated through positivity ...Looking back at this entry 4 months later, I see that strength comes from within, but also from others surrounding you...let the surrounding strength get you through "Time Being A Thief"

"Project Life" Coming Soon 

Sunny Days~Sweeping The Clouds Away

On my way to where the air is sweet...A week ago I saw a commercial for 50 years of Sunny Days. A special on ABC celebrating Sesame Street.   I couldn't believe how excited I got, so excited that I put it on my reminders, followed by recording it just in case I wasn't home.  I am pretty sure that not many my age would get so excited about something as such.  If you ask my family what they remember most about things I loved as a little girl it would be Sesame Street.  I would watch it with my own kids when they were little, and now with my granddaughters.  I sing along, laugh, and know every name of every muppet.  

When I was little I had no idea the messages that they were trying to get across and the lessons that were being taught.  All I knew was that Bert and Ernie were funny, that they were roommates, best friends.  Ernie drove Bert crazy with his antics and his laughing, singing and his need for Bert's help all of the time.  But it didn't matter to Bert because they were best friends and that what friends do. 

 

I didn't realize that Snuffleupagus came from a family of divorce.  His dad told he and his sister Alice that he wasn't going to live with them but explained how he would still be in their lives. 

 Sesame had to unfortunately touch the subject of death when Mr Hooper passed away in 1983.  Instead of recasting, or writing him off the show by telling Big Bird, that Mr.Looper, (Hooper...Hooper) retired or moved,  Maria, Luis, Gordon, and Bob tenderly and emotionally explained to Big Bird that he had died..  This brought tears and raw feelings to the set of Seeame that day. 

 These are all subjects that were a part of everyday living.  Not only were we learning our ABC's, numbers.(1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12 ladybugs came to the ladybug picnic) and colors, but ultimately we were learning about life, emotions, and feelings we hadn't otherwise figured out yet. 

In 2005 Sesame Street brought in Griotte, who was a little girl in a wheelchair and in 2017 Julia joined.  Julia has autism.  These little girls showed our kids that having a disability is something that is nothing to fear, and everyone can be friends regardless of any differences.

Most recently, Covid, social distancing, home schooling, and masks have been introduced.  Sesame has creatively engaged the muppets in zoom song sessions, and mask rules. Realizing that pre~schooler"s have been extremely affected by the past year has given them the opportunity to help.  Let these kids know that they are not the only ones not being able to see their friends, teachers and family, the muppet friends also cannot.  

One last very sensitive subject that has been on the front page is racism. Sesame Street and CNN partnered for a town hall meeting lead by who else...Big Bird.  Discussed during this town hall meeting racism, protesting, empathy, and diversity.  After this meeting Wes and Elijah were introduced.  An African American father and son, whose mom and grandma will soon be introduced.  

The amount of awareness that has been brought before us, without even realizing it is brilliant.  Brilliant beyond what I ever imagined Sesame street to be.  All I knew when I was 4 was that I was learning , laughing and singing.  Empathy, emotion, and understanding was something that was taught without us even knowing.  All we were thinking about were the Sunny Days ahead.  

Come and Play, everything's A-OK

Friendly Neighbors there

That's where you meet

Can you tell me how to get 

how to get to Sesame Street

From James Taylor to Little Richard...Jelly Man Kelly to Ittsy Bitssy Spider...(And all of the other musicians that sang to us)   Sesame Street will forever be a part of us 

A House Is A Building...A Home Is A Feeling

Well, it’s happening...The utmost favorite house of my last 30 years is going into the hands of our realtor.  We asked her to walk through and let us know what we needed to do to sell it quickly. I can’t let this drag out, if I do I have a feeling I won’t do it. She walked through and and made some suggestions. It didn’t bother me that the carpets need to be replaced, the floors need to be pulled up, the fixtures need updating, scratches in the doors need to be stained, the basement needs painting, the window coverings need to be removed, or even that the swing set could stay or go...and I had to ask myself the question “Why am I ok?”  I thought that changing everything about my favorite house would tear me apart.  Here’s the thing, the reason that this all needs to be done is because we lived hard...with all our heart and soul in that house.  The day we moved in my kids were 1, 8, and 11. They are now 20, 28, and 30.  In the past 20 years we went from a family of 5 at our dinner table to a family of 9.

I am a little relieved that we need to make these changes to the house because maybe it won’t feel like mine anymore.  I won’t walk by every scratch, carpet stain, homemade shade, out of date curtain, gold faucet, array of floor coverings, and think that someone is going to erase all of those memories that we made.  I know how every scratch, stain, and tear was made  and why the floor was so worn out.  They happened from dogs and kids running, playing, spilling, throwing...living. The amount of memories that I see every time I turn a corner is insurmountable.  I look out my front door and I see my kids getting on the bus every morning as Cody sits on the front step, I look at the screen door and I see Gracie pushing it open with her nose, I look out my backyard and I see the kids swinging, Eric and Jake playing baseball, Dani and her friends hanging out around the firepit, and best of all I see a hockey rink full of skaters.  I look at the fireplace and I see many nights of Eric and I listening to music contemplating life's ups and downs.  

The bar in the basement...Completely unexpected feelings set in.  This was meticulously planned and built by Eric during a very rough time. The year following 9/11. I see 20 years full of ticket stubs, college visits, license plates, vacation memorabilia, Air Force remembrances, hats, flags, towels...every few years we would decide to start a different collection!  I am pretty sure that all 3 of my kids sat behind that bar, probably had their first or second drinks as well!  I know that a lot happened down there from Bar and Bat Mitzvah weekends, wedding weekends, birthday parties, parent hockey parties...and so many movie nights and sleepovers.  Each of us will have our own memories to take with us.  Some things will physically join us while many will emotionally be with us. Regardless, we will embrace this change together.  And together we will realize that "A House is a building and a home is a feeling"

 You can leave the house behind but bring your home to wherever you are.

Change Is Good...Or Is It?

I’m not exactly sure who came up with the phrase “change is good”, but whoever it was had not experienced 9/11 or COVID 19.  As I was waking up the other morning I started thinking about all the traveling I’d done lately going back and forth from MN to Las Vegas.  My mind started to wander and it went back to when I was about 5 years old, when my mom and dad would travel.  We would not only pick them up from the airport but we would go in and wait for them at the end of the jetway. (pictured above) We would run into their arms like they'd been gone for months.  We would talk to them all the way home,their vacation came to an abrupt end. Now everyone gets to wait while their Uber or someone gets them home and they walk in the house...the extent of the excitement is so different from walking off a plane into your loved ones arms versus walking in the house and have excited dogs run to you However either way, eventually the hugs and kisses are there ❤️

     Then I started to think about the technology of travel.  The days when you would have to actually make use of a travel agent to book your travel and then go pick up your booklet of tickets.  And god forbid you lost your paper tickets you were pretty much screwed!  I can’t remember exactly when the paper tickets went away... (you’d think I would remember that because I was always the “keeper of the tickets”).
Eventually they were replaced with boarding passes that you could get online, then print out...Now...just grab your phone.  BUT...always be sure that you have service going into the airport.  That’s where the internet has changed our lives. We depend on this wireless capability to run our lives. The last time I was with Lucy and Ellie, I couldn’t get their show going. I so badly wanted to just throw a VHS into a VCR.

But Lucy told me... “Nana, just wait a few minutes and it will play”. I guess this is where they learn patience.   

I am sure that in some point in their lives they will see big changes, but right now, going to the airport, being dropped off, going through security, shoes off, jackets off, IPads in the bin, etc...is all just a way of life.  Unless you have TSA pre Check! That's always just a bonus.

COVID also has brought another new way of thinking since 9/11, that again, at their age, is just the norm.  Not being able to go to school, play with friends, see grandparents, travel, play sports…all things that we always took for granted.  It was about one year ago right now that the world began to change, “Because coronavirus”. (From the mouth of babes) Here are a few things that if you told me 365 days ago would be “a thing” I would have strongly disagreed.  Things that come out of our mouths amaze me…

1. Do you have a mask?

2. Oh, that’s a cute mask

3. Zoom Happy Hour?

4. Zoom Meeting?

5. Social distance

6. Stay Safe vs Have a great day

7. Fist pump vs handshake or hug

8. Waiting in line to go into stores

9. Not being able to go into stores!

10. Open middle seat

11. Elevator Etiquette
    

12. Parks full of yoga and cardio (which I take as a positive)

13. Toilet Paper and Paper Towel shortages & limits

14. Text from cars to check into appointments

15. Partial capacity seating in restaurants 

16. Have you been tested?

17. There’s a vaccine 💉 

18. Tier 1,2,and 3…all I know is that I am last!

So Change Is Good, Right?❤

Life Begins At The End Of Your Comfort Zone

If you would have told me when I was younger that I would have the courage to do the things I am doing today I would have completely laughed in disagreement.  I was not a very athletic girl growing up.  As a matter of fact I was pretty uncoordinated, struggled through gym class, and was not a dancer (as much as I wanted to be), a runner, or did anything out of my comfort zone.  I was happy just being the spectator.  Then, at 18 years old,  I met my husband...an athlete, an "I can do better",  competitive kind of soul.  It took him many years to slowly get me to agree to get out of my zone.  I started to run after I had kids, I never biked until a few years ago, and hiking... Who knew that would become my favorite pastime.

Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone also comes with overcoming fears from accidents, pushing through high heart rates without stopping , and knowing you can do things beyond your limits.  This coming from me really is surprising even to myself.  I have suffered from a concussion that took me 3 months to feel even remotely "normal", a wrist injury, and just pure stress of being scared while trying new things.  My balance is ridiculously off which does not make for fun hiking on rocks or biking on rocky, narrow, single track trails...but I do it...why you might ask?  Because my husband makes me.  He enjoys all of these things and I started doing it for him. ( Now I do it for US) Every time I injured myself, he rushed me to the hospital, and always ended the day with "next time".  I got to the point where I never doubted there would be a next time.  My family laughs at me, worries about me, and we always come back with some story!  

Not Pretty...Or something I ever thought I would share..
But I recovered and got back on my bike

In these days of quarantine, now is the time to get out and conquer some fears.  No better time than now when there are not a lot of other things to do.  Don't find yourself sitting inside thinking about what you could be doing, think about what there is to do that takes you out of your comfort zone.  It doesn't have to be a physical challenge either.  Just try something new. 

 Push yourself to try.do.conquer.

The feeling of reaching a goal is exhilarating

The feeling of reaching a goal is addicting

The feeling of reaching a goal makes you want to revisit and push the goal out further

Not to quote NIKE...but I will...

Just 

Do 

It

P.S.  Next week we are going skiing in Colorado!  I haven't skied in 30 years!  Guess who's idea this was!  Hopefully we wont end the day with "Next Time!" 

 Stay Tuned

Born with a bow on her head and a heart of gold~The Best Surprise Of Our Lives

        

   
December 1989- “we’re having a baby”

I always refer to my first born as “the best surprise of our lives”. Because of this beautiful surprise, we  happily got married a year earlier than planned, and started our crazy life. Because plans are meant to be changed...

We were young, completely clueless, and in this together for the rest of our lives.  The one and only day it ever scared me was after our first Lamaze class.  We got in the car, I was very quiet and Eric asked what I was thinking about.  I answered him with “Holy shit...eventually shes' going to have to come out of me!”  I was not the type looking forward to childbirth at 23 years old.  Marriage, parenthood, family...I was so ready for all of that, but childbirth...

Fast forward 2 months~August 10th 1990

We walked into the hospital at 9am and 10 1/2 hours later came Danielle Hailey Bresnahan, she was a peanut from day one and 30 years later still a peanut .  The tiniest little perfect body with the attitude of wildfire.  The spunk of Grandma Sandi, daddies eyes and my hair.  

The 3 of us hung out in Milwaukee for 3 short months, loaded all of our belongings into 1/2 a semi truck, packed up the car and to Mississippi we moved.  Dani and I flew through pilot training together as Eric studied, learned to fly, and helped me start raising our family.

  

This was just the beginning of Dani’s travels.  We moved when she was 3 months, 18 months, 4 years old, 10 years old and one more time when she was 11 years old.  Every time we moved she was a rockstar. She was strong and so confident.  She amazed me every first day at a new school.  She was fearless.

Fast forward again~30 years

This best surprise of our lives , which Jake and Sadie refer to as “my favorite”  has lived up to every childhood dream she had, except being an astronaut.

  She met the love of her life in college, Graduated, packed up a month after getting married, moved half way across the world to Bahrain to teach for a year, traveled to places I’ve only dreamed of, moved home, bought their first house, started earning her masters degree while pregnant and teaching, finished her degree with a newborn, started a photography business, made a job change, added another beautiful baby to their family, always made time and continues to make time to make sure everyone else is happy and taken care of...family, friends and co-workers.

 She knows what’s important in life...Family.Friends.Traditions.Love

Dani, your passion for life is something that everyone should take a lesson from.  

I know that right now my kids are reading this thinking, yep, Dani’s the favorite, but they know better. 

(And on their 30th birthdays I will go on and on about their successes). 

But for today, I celebrate Our first born, Our Best Surprise Ever ❤️

Happy 30th Birthday Dani~I Love You 

                 

Disclaimer~I have never NOT written a blog about my other favorite kids

Why Fit In When You Were Born To Stand Out~ Sadie 2015

If You Want To Change The World...Start Off By Making Your Bed~Jake 

10,000 feet...A little closer to heaven

Over the past few days I have been at 10,000 feet twice. Once by climbing and once by flying. It was crazy to me that at 10,000 feet on an airplane you need to have oxygen if the plane depressurizes, but when Eric and I were climbing that was the last thing that crossed my mind. (until of course Eric pointed it out to me...”this is when the oxygen is a must."

Yes, the breathing was a little harder but the peacefulness was undeniable. As I am writing this, I am currently at 30,000 feet looking out my airplane window. The view is one that I love. The peaks and valleys, the white clouds and blue sky, the green land, and the curves at the rivers. It is all connected in a sort of unrealistic way. To think of all the things that are going on 30,000 feet below me makes me wonder if those that have passed away before us are watching in somewhat the same way. And if they are, is it a helpless feeling?

 I am not sure that I’ve ever admitted this to anyone, but in my heart and in my soul, every time I fly I feel a little closer to my mom, and to heaven in general. I have this hopeful feeling that those I am thinking about are feeling a little ounce of love, and I wonder... maybe they’re just a little more in reach. Not once have I ever flown without looking out the window and feeling closer to her, and others that have passed before me.  When my mom died, I had been flying from Charleston to Milwaukee every week for the last eight weeks of her life. Every time I flew I would stare out the window and ask God for it all to go away and let her be all right. Then after she was gone and I flew, I started talking to her.  (Don’t worry, not out loud!) I know this all sounds a little nuts, but then again that’s just me. A little crazy a little over emotional. But who’s to say this isn’t a thing? I am up here right now coming home a day earlier than planned to to go to my neighbors funeral. May Her Memory Be A blessing  

I can’t say that I’m not looking out thinking about her today. A beautiful soul gone too early. It doesn’t matter that I only had known her from a far, she is the one I’m thinking about today. And my mom, because that’s a given. ❤

There are times that I am flying in tears just start rolling. Once about a year ago, the flight attendant caught this and came back to me with a Kleenex. I felt a little funny about that, but it didn’t matter that she didn’t know why I was crying, she just knew I was. Thankfully she didn’t ask if I was OK, or what was wrong. Because if she did, what would I say?  “I am just talking to my mom out there in the clouds, and I miss her."...I can’t say that anyone will get this feeling that I’m talking about, but I must say, it is a feeling of closeness that I never thought could be a thing.  It is a feeling so strong in my heart that I feel it in my stomach when I get up in the air. You can take all of this with a grain of salt, you can take it as a hopeful part of my soul, you can take it anyway you want. All I know is that 10,000 feet is a little closer to heaven.

May Her Memory Be Blessing ♥♥ In Jewish tradition, each time you think of someone who has passed on or say their name, they are blessed and so are you. The memory you have of them turns into a blessing for you and for their soul

 

~Kali and Kevin~ 

5 years ago this August, I wrote a blog about our 16 year old next door neighbor, Kevin, who passed away in a car accident (May His Memory Be A Blessing).  Tragedy has struck our little neighborhood again this past week.  Our neighborhood has not turned over a lot in the past years since all of our kids were growing up. Many of the same families have watched each others kids from preschool to graduating high school. Many of these kids were a tight knit group and have now endured the loss of 2 friends in 5 years.

The Reinhardt family has endured a devastation that has affected so many.  This family of 6, Ray, Heather, Jake, Jack, Josh, and Kali has changed forever.

Last Saturday night their daughter and sister Kali (24) was out with friends and collapsed.  She was taken to Northwestern hospital in Chicago. She was treated for a headache and an ankle sprain.  During the night Kali stopped breathing and was intibated.  It was determined that she had an unknown condition that didn't allow her brain to swell properly when it needed to.  There was no way of knowing this...

Kalis mom, Heather, immediately started writing a Caring Bridge...https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kalireinhardt

The strength of this woman, this mom, is unlike any mom I have ever known.  I always knew her to be very strong . (I have known Heather for years because our older sons are friends and our youngest, Sadie and Josh are best friends...) Her fight proves not only her strength but her love for her family. She has more eloquence in her writing on the Caring Bridge than most would in this situation.  She posted pictures of Kalis hands being held by her brothers, boyfriend, godparents, and she and her husband Ray.  She opened herself up and let everyone who was following Kalis "journey" feel every emotion.  I had only met Kali a handful of times, but every time a new journal was written my stomach ached...I read...I cried...  Any mom would find tears falling, any mom who has kids young or old will feel the pain in her words.  But every word is written with so much love.  Kali was a very lucky girl to have the support, love and prayers from so many.  She touched so many lives in her short 24 years, from high school, college and living in Chicago. She now will touch lives in a way that she never imagined that she would.  She has donated her organs through The Gift Of Hope to families that were so patiently waiting.  Like I said, I had only had the privilege of meeting her a few times, but I can say with confidence that heaven has gained an angel.  She will be watching over her mom and dad, Jake, Jack, Josh, Mitch, all of her friends and family.  The world lost a beautiful girl, but heaven gained a beautiful soul.

Please send this family prayers and strength during this unfathomable time.
May Her Memory Be A Blessing ❤

This Too Shall Pass...maybe not today...maybe not tomorrow...but it will pass. and we will all have found a stronger part of ourselves that we never knew existed

"Hi, How are you?"

"JUST LIVING THE DREAM!"

When else in your life can you:

Talk to your brothers, sisters, parent's, kids and friends every.single.day

Stay in your pj's (or workout clothes) all day

Drink coffee until its time to open the wine

Not really spend money (except on coffee and wine)

have time to exercise every day

run

walk 

run

get caught up on absolutely everything 

walk your dog until he/she can't take another step

EAT.EAT.EAT

                            zoom.zoom.zoom.

It's all good. It's all fun right?

NO...It Is

 (as Ruth from Ozark and Carole Baskin from Tiger King would put it)

                          BATSHIT CRAZY!

This is where I'm at:

I can walk in circles around the small park by my house but I can't take a 5 mile long hike in Red Rock Canyon

I can go to Target or Costco or Home Depot, wait in line to get in but I can't go to a small business who can also monitor the number of people who go inside

I can see kids playing on a play structure at one park and have the play structure at the next park roped off

I can go to a state park to go on a hike (except for the one that I came to on the left) but once I hit the national park 5 miles in... I get a stop sign

Our development builder, who also controls our HOA, can still show new homes to clients by driving them through our complex on a golf cart, but the residents can't sit at the firepit, the pool or BBQ area where there is  more room to sit 6 ft apart then on a golf cart.

I could keep going, but whats the point...

I have spent this time listening to my husband  (who by the way is still out flying, with closed restaurants at airports and hotels, no coffee, empty flights and empty airports. Airplanes are flying the Drs., nurses, and supplies to where they need to be, so I am proud that he is still out there) but back to my original thought...I have spent this time listening to him pick everything about this apart.  He talks about the percentages, the numbers (because he is most definitely a numbers guy), the curve and especially the market.  Everything about this does not add up. From which states are mandating what laws, to the actual number of cases vs deaths adding up to the projections.  He makes me see this and understand this every day, and trust me when I say, he is one of the smartest people I know.

Here's is what would make our country survive: (sanely)

Lets protect the all 80+ years olds, the older adults with underlying health issues, the younger adults going through chemo, or with diabetes, autoimmune diseases, heart issues.  Lets make sure that these individuals are staying safe, away from the ones who can really keep the country open, economically as well as socially.  Our kids can be in school, and on play grounds, and at camps, and in sports, as long as like I said, the individuals who are at higher risk are staying safe...

If nothing else, this is what I have gotten out of the last 6 weeks...

Life goes on...Sad things and happy things...

Women are having babies, people are passing away, kids are graduating and people are getting sick. (with diagnosis's other than Covid-19)
We still have birthdays, anniversaries, celebrations and accomplishments

Below you will find the different things (good and sad) that I personally have seen and done, And I am just one person.  Think about the entire country...the entire world...

We have happy hours with our kids, and their cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents

and I light the shabbat candles with Lucy on FaceTime, 

and I read bedtime stories, 

and when they are bored we just talk...

I attended a funeral that I would have flown to Chicago for.  Never in my life did I think I would attend a funeral via zoom.  My brother in laws mom passed away.  Someone who deserved so much more for a life celebration...but that time will come, and we will all hug and cry and laugh...and remember

I also virtually attended  the United States Air Force Academy graduation this morning.  My best friends daughter graduated.  Her parents, brother, loved ones, everyone that planned to go to Colorado next month, watched via live streaming.  Talk about spending 4 of the hardest years of your life and not even getting to hug your family or even the cadet sitting next to you...  Just throw up your caps and well, just celebrate socially distanced...  Still though, a pretty amazing accomplishment celebrated the best way possible

My brother in law is battling cancer, he and my sister are navigating this pretty much on their own.  They received this news day 1 of the quarantine being issued. They cannot rely on family or friends to be there for comfort or support.  Although many friends and family are supporting them from afar through caring bridge, meal trains, etc...it is just not the same.  Again, I (and many others) would be there (physically) in a heartbeat to help.  Dr.s appointments have been held via FaceTime to not only my niece, nephew, Dave's brother and myself...but even my sister.  She has to be in the car when he goes to his appointments.

Once again...extremely difficult times in someones life during these unprecedented times is heartbreaking.

Granddaughters (my niece) and great grandchildren driving an hour to bring a birthday cake to their Papa (my dad) and not being able to come in the door

Pre-School teachers driving 170 miles in 6 hours see every one of their students.

online college classes....  Sadi is in Vegas with us until tomorrow.  She will finish her freshman year up in Plymouth.

AND ME... literally losing my mind...to just keep smiling
(I will admit FB, Instgram & Pinterest help with the laughter!)

one more thought I'd like to share...I am extremely proud of how our kids are handling this.  Just as I am sure you all feel the same about your own.  My kids are each in completely different stages of life, and this is a stage that they will never forget...

Raising babies while working from home

Working full time/finishing and graduating from college,,,all from home

Finishing up freshman year of college after just getting settled

They are each doing an amazing job adapting and I am so thankful for that.

Stay Happy, Stay healthy, Stay Safe

❤❤

Brynn

please know that I understand everyone will always have their own opinions...this is just mine