2020 Year in Review

Oh 2020 you sure were a year we wil never forget. I always like to recap our year and pull together all the moments that made it memorable, highs and lows, becuase this space is also a place for my family to look back on. Typically I round up our activities with either a weekly or monthly Queen’s Chronicles but apparently there were pieces I never got around to sharing in 2020. Whether it was my mood at the time or just the overally sense that I felt guilty having any fun when so many were hurting I’m not sure. So today I’m sharing our 2020 Year in Review!

January

I chose FREE as my 2020 Word of the Year!

A sweet gender reveal had us tickled pink to know a baby girl would join us in 2020!

We celebrated Dillon’s 18th birthday and this picture makes me so sad as it was the last time we were all together with our McJanac family crew.

Carly and I attended the annual National Charity League mother and daughter tea.

February

Dance competition season began and I remember the tears I had in my eyes seeing Carly perform the first time! She had improved so much and I couldn’t wait to see the rest of the season unfold.

I took the pictures of Dillon and his senior teamates to create the senior banners that would hang on the fence during their games and we were so excited to see him on the mound! He was off to a great start.

Riley left for spring training in Florida and Jordan & Taylor actually made a weekend trip to see him. I was debating a trip in March.

Celebrated Valentines day with a sweet group of girls at a Galentines party!

March

We showered Taylor & baby girl not once but twice!

My Mamaw was still in a skilled nursing facility rehabing from her fall and I will always be so thrilled I took this picture of her. This was the last time I saw her under normal circumstances and she was so fiesty and herself this day. I even have a video where she insisted that the therapist do the exercises with her because she thought the weights they gave her were too heavy.

I visited my mom and knew things were just not right. While I had suspected for a few years there were some signs of dementia, she is very stubborn and it always caused a fight. Now there were others who had contacted me out of concern as well. It was not a peaceful visit but I made the choice to find a primary care doctor and set up an appointment for May.

Spring break, oh how we might have lived a little more if we had known it would become so long and boring! Carly headed off to Wimberley with a friend for the week. Keith & I spent a few days in a fun little hotel in Austin while watching what would end up being Dillon’s last baseball outing of his senior year. I’m so thankful we went!

While away all the news about he pandemic began to hit, I also received word from the skilled nursing facility that my Mamaw’s approved time was up and she would need to be moved. With all the uncertainty I paid for the rest of March and began the process of finding a new home for her.

We were notified spring break would be extended an additional week, and then the full month of April. I headed back to the office for the rest of March but it was definitely a much quieter atmosphere as anyone with school aged children had moved to working from home.

Keith also was restricted from going into his office and was home much earlier every day which led to us logging lots of walks. It was a silver lining for sure and I miss all that extra time with him!

April

Looking back I feel a little naive about how long all this would last. I was making lasagnas to deliver and we were ordering cookie decorating kits from people and I guess just doing “all the things” to keep our minds off the pandemic.

We were thankful for the retreat of the country and also the coast and made several trips fishing. I shifted to a work from home situation and Riley was sent home from spring training with no clue what the baseball season would hold. So many mornings I sat at my kitchen table trying to work but ended up with Riley, Dillon & Carly all circled up looking for breakfast and wanting to visit.

I lost the first person I knew and loved to the Coronavirus on April 8th. Will, once a star on the Aggie track team, had just been in town at the end of February and visited my Mamaw. He had been married to my aunt who passed away years ago. It was the first tiem the reality of how serious Covid19 could be hit because he was a healthy 75 year old.

There were lots of games, sidewalks full of motivational messages and Easter spent in our own living room with a virtual service. It was the first Easter I had been together with all my kids since 2012. Definitely a silver lining.

May

My visits to my mom became much more frequent. She had lost about 20lbs since March, stopped driving and was not being able to handle simple tasks like making sure to eat. We had our first doctors appointment which initiated more appointments and testing.

It was finally announced that the kids would officially not go back to school and while we knew that was a probability, knowing Dillons senior year and senior baseball season was over was crushing. The school did all they could to recognize these seniors as did the community.

The star of 2020 arrived May 14th as our sweet Haisley Grace arrived at a whopping 9lbs 5oz. She has been the most welcome blessing!

Restaurants also opened back up to outdoor dining and Keith and I celebrated with a day date and a burger. Oh the little things we took for granted.

June

Here in Texas outdoor gatherings were somewhat limited but once again allowed. Carly was able to head back to dance lessons and attended a dance banquet where she was awarded the Heart & Soul award. So proud!

We took a weekend trip to the coast with the kids and a few of their friends to celebrate graduation.

My sweet Mamaw had enough of the craziness and said peace out. It was much harder than I anticipated saying goodbye to her.

We celebrated Dillon’s graduation the best we could. He was able to have an outdoor celebration with friends, a senior night baseball recognition, an actual graduation ceremony outdoors and a small family gathering at our home. It all gave some closure to what was a less than ideal senior year.

July

Another silver lining, due to no baseball we took our first summer vacation as a family since 2009. It was so good to have this crew together for a trip to Port Aransas.

My gym reopened and I promised myself I would never take it for granted again. Classes were limited and there was a sign up process but it was all worth it!

Dillon was excited to work summer camp at TBarM and we were holding our breath hoping that Carly’s summer camp session would not be cancelled. Carly, Keith & I headed for a weekend in ATX and enjoyed great food and some kayaking at the lake before dropping her off for a week of fun.

August

We dropped Dillon of at Rice University, like literally dropped him off because parents were not allowed inside the dorms. It was bittersweet. I was excited for him to start this next step but also sad for what would be a virtual semester.

Our public school start date was delayed a week but Carly headed back to in person school to start her first year of high school. She was thrilled as we realized quickly in the spring home school is not for us.

We celebrated her 15th birthday with a few friends and day trip to Brenham. These girls have kind of been the quarantine squad and they have all gotten closer and worked through some frienship issues which has been fun to watch.

Fall seemed to be the time for weddings and we were lucky to attend two of them! It was beautiful to see the pandemic had not stoppped love!

We had finally begun to turn a corner with my mom. After hitting a 40lb weightloss by July, with the help of medication the depression had lifted and her ability to take care of herself better had returned. Stopping the weightloss was a win we were willing to celebrate.

October

My oldest baby turned the BIG 30 and threw herself a 90s themed party! Riley, Taylor, Keith & I also celebrated turning another trip around the sun!

Carly and her bible study group were able to host a trunk or treat and they did such a great job with their props!

We received a confirmed diagnosis for my mom which was as expected but still hard to read on paper. Praise for meds that have given some aid and a roadmap for the future.

November

Homecoming was different but it happened! While there wasn’t any dancing, there was food and music, dressing up and of course big mums!

We celebrated another sweet wedding and I got to watch one of my dearest friends be the mother of the groom.

Rice opened up their practices and we were able to see Dillon on the mound for the first time in a college jersey.

We also started a tradition of Sunday suppers to gather all our kids together once a week. I love to feed my family.

Then we spent Thanksgiving in quarantine. Dillon and I tested positive for covid but Keith and Carly managed to avoid it.

December

I can’t think of a better way to close out 2020 than by celebrating the marriage of Taylor and Riley. It was a beautiful, magical day filled with so much love!

Christmas was a little different but we were all together and that’s all that really mattered. When there is a baby around that’s pretty much the only entertainment needed.

We closed out New Years with some loud teens, baysitting Haisley and game night into the wee hours with Taylor and Riley.

2020 was full of some of the highest highs and lowest lows. I am certain I will never forget this year and the lessons I learned from it. All moments are to be treasured. The lazy Saturday mornings, the dinners at home (even when that’s your only option), weekends away, watching my kids do what they love, and hugging someones neck for the last time even when you don’t realize it. Always, always choose to look for the silver lining, the joy, the love. It’s what I know I will treasure most when I look back on 2020.