Personal Commentary - Beginning A New Year

We all know that 2020 was shit. We also know that I suffer from acute anxiety, triggered primarily by scarcity and hypocrisy. So, last year was ROUGH from just about every angle. I do have a shining light though:

They keep me grounded, and on my toes. I've also been locked away in quarantine for almost 300 days now with them. And the Commander in Chief of Hypocrisy is also the Commander in Chief. But I find myself somewhat optimistic. I don't suspect it is because things are going to magically get better. Well, January 20th will come and it will get a lot less bad, and the vaccine is coming. Where my optimism comes from is the resilience I see in my kiddos.

1. is virtual academy - hard because he's the social athletic butterfly - but he still smiles and is in great shape.
2. prefers homeschool cause he likes the quietness (which sounds scary if you consider our house is anything but) and the absence of dumb people, but does miss friends...but also has the BEST imagination.
3. will delight in just about anything as long as he can use his imagination and do things his own way - so homeschooling is working for him too
4. is missing social interactions and homeschooling her kindergarten year, but still manages to see bright spots each day and play with her dolls, her new fairy princess that lives with us (imaginary).
5. is only 3, but sure loves his big sis and they slumber party each night. Getting some good education with our one in home non family member visitor - the school teacher we hired just for us (and we're her only client and she's quarantined too). He's a mess, but still delights us.
6. turned 18 months old yesterday. She is getting the full "growing up with the brothers and sisters" thing in spades. It's helping her find her place - and she too gets a teeny bit of teaching from the teacher, but mostly playing and being cute (when she's not screaming).

And mom and dad? We're still here. It's been insanely difficult - the hardest thing we've ever done. My optimism is seeing our kids thrive even under such terrible conditions. With all the sadness, anger, suffering, and hate in the world - we see six beautiful, kind, caring children growing up. And mom and dad are still able to find a bit of time to be a nerd, or read a book, or just be.