Shadow

There are a few things I don't like about working from home.  Honestly, it can be a little lonely.  That's why I decided to let Lucy shadow me during the workday like a Bring Your Kid to Work celebration.  As you can see from this picture, she was a welcome addition to the company and provided a massive increase to productivity...

Go Deep

For reasons beyond my knowledge, this handsome quarterback (who has never played football once in his life) showed up on his teacher's Instagram page.  With this level of intimidation factor, I assume the NFL will start calling any day now...

Wally World

You know the joy they have in National Lampoon's Vacation for the time they have in Wally World with no lines, no crowds, etc.?  Amelia came as close to experiencing that today as anyone I know.  Thanks to COVID cancelling her 7th grade overnight trip, her school made it up to her class by renting out an entire amusement park for them.  Looking back, I can count on one hand the number of days I've had that I wouldn't trade for the day she had of crushing funnel cakes, winning stuffed animals, and riding rollercoasters with zero lines.  Then again, if I was back in 7th grade with unlimited access to funnel cakes and roller coasters with no wait.... I'd have left that park known as Barfer instead of Barber. 

78

Given my last post, it is probably not surprising that today being my mom's birthday hit me a little harder than it probably should have.  She would have been 78 today.  If there is one blessing of her passing, I would say it is that she didn't have to endure through this pandemic.  She didn't have to wear masks, figure out a stance on the vaccine, or most importantly watch 3 bright leaves on our family tree pass away.  There aren't many days where I don't think of her at least once, usually cracking up over something she said or did.  That said, today was a day where she constantly occupied my mind.  Perhaps it's because I'm still processing Brian's passing.  Maybe it's because it's been 5 years since she left us.  It might even be because I'm missing all my family members so badly thanks to COVID.  Whatever the reason I was slightly more down today was more than offset when my wonderful wife came home with a surprise.  She brought home a box or purple cupcakes (my mom's favorite color) so we could celebrate her birthday with the kids and keep their "mawmaw"'s memory alive in their hearts.  It was the perfect touch to end an imperfect day.  So, while I'm terribly sad to be missing the woman who raised me, I'm so very thankful for the woman who puts up with me.

Gone

I've been gone from here for over a week.  The truth is, my mind and my heart have been elsewhere.  For the third time in a few months, a close relative of mine has been in the hospital battling COVID.  For the third time in a few months, COVID has won the battle.  At 6:30 yesterday, my cousin Brian, who has been like the 5th sibling in my family as long as I can remember, was freed from the suffering he's endured the last month.  As my concern shifts from from Brian to his mom (whom I've always considered my second mom) and to my sister (who was as close to Brian as she is to me), I take comfort in the quote by Thomas Campbell "To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die." Brian's body may have passed on, but he will live vibrantly in our hearts forever.