Dear Class of 2021

You started your senior year like every one of us, holding your breathe. You didn't know what would happen, what would come next. You didn't know what to expect. None of us did.

With anxious hearts and nervous minds, you started what was supposed to be that best year of your life so far at home. You didn't get to see all of your friends that you grew up with. 

Oh sure, you probably saw a few of your besties over the summer. And I'm sure you facetimed even more.

Then they said we were coming back to school, but on a split schedule. Well... ok... hopefully your very best friend would be there on the same day.

We got word that sports were going to resume, but with restrictions. Well... ok... at least you got to play the sport you loved, right. Even though it was a little weird.

Away sporting events became a struggle, but you were playing!

Wait, did they just say we were having a semi normal homecoming? Well... ok... it's slightly different, but hey, it's homecoming, right?!

A pep rally? Really? Oh, it's virtual? That's ok. We'll take anything we can get.

Travel restrictions have been lifted? Hallelujah! 

Everyone can come back in person? On the same day? That's great!

Clubs are available now too? Awesome!

They just announced a prom!!

And plans for graduation! A normal graduation...

Dear Class of 2021, we salute you! We honor you! We celebrate you! 

We have been to hell and back with you!

We are truly happy for you, but please don't hold it against some of us if we cheer you own through a few tears of our own. 

Yes, graduation celebrations are always filled with tears of happiness, uncertainty, fear, and a little sadness at your growing up, but some of us are shedding tears for other reasons as well.

So yes, class of 2021, even though this is your time to shine, some of us are struggling
a little more than others.

Sincerely,

A Mom of the Class of 2020

Class of Covid-19

Early summer 2020, the actual date unknown.

The idea, flashing neon lights in the back of my mind, growing larger & brighter every single year.

The first few days of Kindergarten in the fall of 2007, you stood beside a sign that read Class of 2020 & it seemed as though we had a lifetime to go.

Hours of struggling over homework, days spent on a field or in a gym, tears shed over a girl or an argument with a friend, voices raised in disagreements, rules broken, nights spent worrying, dollar after dollar after dollar spent on needs and wants, memories made, traditions passed on, clothes outgrown, toys forgotten, hearts broken, mistakes made, medals earned, patches collected, friends made, friends lost, trucks driven and wrecked, futures decided, futures changed, lessons learned.

I blinked.

The closer we got to that finish line, the realer it got.

I blinked.

How did we get here so fast?

I blinked.

I had it all pictured in my mind. Your senior year. Celebrating wins and learning from losses. Smiling through the tears on senior night. Taking pictures on prom. Crying my eyes out as you walk across the stage. One last vacation before the reality of life makes you grow up.

Sometimes things don't happen the way we think they should.

I'm thankful for your school years. I'm thankful for the happy moments, the moments we thought couldn't possibly get worse, the moments that were captured on film, the moments that will be forever etched in our minds, the smiles, the tears, the joy, the pain, & everything in between.

I'm thankful for almost 7 months of a semi normal senior year.

Now, today, July 23, 2020, 4 months after life as we knew it changed, and 2 months after your original graduation date, I'm thankful for an ending for this journey we started 13 years ago.

I'm thankful that even though this is NOTHING like what I pictured or what anyone wanted, we have tried to make the best of it.

Class of 2020, you are destined to be world changers. You go down in history as the Covid-19 class. And while, yes, it sucks on so many levels, keep your heads up & know that every experience you go through makes you who are will become in the future.

Don't blink, your future is waiting!


I blinked. Through the tears, I blinked.

 

Why's It Got to be Like That

Did anybody else's momma teach them that if they didn't have anything nice to say, not to say
anything at all?

Mine sure did. I didn't always listen, but she sure told me. I

And I know I have taught that to my kids. Again, they don't always listen, but I tried.

So, question, have people quit teaching this? Have we quit believing it? Or do we just not care anymore?

I'm all for freedom of speech. Everyone has that right. Say what you want, but there isn't freedom from consequences When your freedom to speak your mind willfully & purposely hurts someone else, that freedom has crossed the line.

We all have different opinions on just about every single topic under the sun. Can we not discuss those topics without trying to make others feel ashamed because they believe differently? We should be able to because that's part of being an adult.

Most people try to avoid "hot topics" while in unsure audiences. But then some throw several word bombs right in the middle & just wait for the explosion. While that's all fine & good as long as every party is being respectful, someone usually starts slinging some mud when they realize they are losing whatever battle they tried to fight.

You love the president, you hate the president. You think he has the greatest ideas ever, you think he's dumb as a rock. Or, you're like most normal people & fall somewhere in between supporting him, but not liking some of his actions.

You go to church, you don't go to church. You tell everyone about your religion, you tell everyone that religion is a joke. You love everyone, you only like people that think & believe like you do.

You only breast feed your children, you have tried every formula invented.

You think public school is dangerous & satanic, you think that homeschoolers are weird & unsocialized.

You believe a woman's body is her own, you believe abortion is murder.

There are so many things that people have always argued about.

We get it, ok, everyone has an opinion & everyone is entitled to it!

Add now to that ever growing list, how you live during a global pandemic.

Seriously, we've heard everything from the Coronavirus is going to kill everyone, to it's just like the flu, to it's a made up conspiracy because it's an election year. We need to shut the country down & shelter in place, we need to open everything back up because the economy is crashing.

We need to stay 6 feet apart & have no more than 10 people in one place, who cares I'm going to have Covid parties so I can boost my immunity. We need to wear masks everywhere we go (including our car), the masks are more likely to harbor germs. We need to wear gloves & sanitize everything, these germs cannot live long on surfaces.

We need to continue to support our community, we don't need to leave our house unless its an emergency. Don't go to the hospital or doctor because it increases your risk of exposure, everyone needs to get tested so we can keep up with the numbers. Buy up all the toilet paper, don't panic buy.

You can't go to church because there are too many people in close quarters, have drive in services. Only have church online, if you're caught at church you will be arrested.

Continue making your children do their schooling online, don't worry about school anymore the grades won't count.

Y'all I feel like I am watching the biggest tennis match ever & my head is spinning. My heart hurts from the continual bickering. Why can't we all just get along?!

We don't have to agree, but can we not at least respect each other. Seriously! Stop being so judgmental & start accepting each other for who we are & what we believe, even when it doesn't line up exactly like you. Stop making others feel guilty for the choices they make regarding themselves & their families.

Nothing but love & positivity here folks! Make the world brighter by your presence, not gloomier!

What Day Is It

The days are starting to run together. Without an actual schedule to keep, its hard to remember if its Thursday or if its the 3rd Monday we've had this week.

Some weeks feel like that, Monday, after Monday, after Monday.

It feels like we are on  repeat, school, supper, family time, snacks, bonfires, snacks, naps, take the dog out, snacks, late bed times, binging Netflix & TikTok, snacks, over & over again.

I love spending time with my family, but I thrive on a schedule, on predictability, on organized chaos. I like being busy, having somewhere to go, having something to do. Being NEEDED!

Right now, I feel useless. And tired!

I know my children need me. I know my husband depends on me. But I miss my kids at school! I miss being a part of their lives! I miss supporting them at sporting events! I miss my the teachers, the office ladies, I miss the principals, I miss the custodians, I miss the lunch ladies! I miss adult interaction! I miss the easy camaraderie I have developed with my usual schools.

I'm trying to keep it together, but some days are so much harder than others!

Those weeks that have 3 Mondays, yeah, those are hard.

My emotions are all over the place! I'm sad, confused, concerned. I'm hopeful. I'm disappointed, angry, & frustrated.

I get aggravated at my kids, at the dog, at my husband.

I'm sleep deprived! I've not had a peaceful night's sleep since all this mess started.

I'm bored. I'm tired of reading, social media, & TV.

I cry at random things & for absolutely no reason.

I want to scream. I want to throw things.

I want to return to normal. I want to go back to a time when Covid 19 didn't exist & didn't change the whole world. I want to be needed again! I want to make a difference!

I know that God has a plan & I'm trying really hard to hold to that! I'm trying to just be still, to find peace in this storm, & to let Him carry us through to the next step in His plan!

But some days are hard!  When the days run on together, it seems harder.

Is it Monday ... Again?

Class of 2020 - COVID 19 Roller Coaster Edition

Senior Year... it's a time of joy, anticipation, worry, stress, excitement, sadness, & gratitude. You cannot pin just one emotion on one of the biggest years of a young person's life.

It's a roller coaster of ups & downs, highs & lows, dizzying spins, & breathe taking drops. And just like a roller coaster, before you get on it, you have to wait. You wait through crowds of long lines watching the people in front of you, listening to their own excitement & concerns. You watch the people waiting behind you, they sometimes wish they were closer to the front of the line like you are. You watch the people who finally board the ride. Their faces, their squeals, their tears. Then its finally your turn, you climb aboard, get buckled in as best you can, & try to calm your nerves as you realize, it's here, it's finally my turn, there's no backing out now. You take off... then in the blink of an eye, the ride is pulling back into the station. It's over. It's hard to believe, but its over. All that waiting, watching, & anticipating, & now it's over. You did it. You exit the ride,  look back, & see the next passengers that are climbing aboard. They are taking the very seat that you just occupied. They are getting buckled in & getting ready for their long awaited ride. You are now a part of an elite group who can say I did it! I rode that ride! You can share your experience, your emotions, your concerns with fellow riders & with those who haven't gotten to ride yet.

This year started out just as every other senior year before. Ballgames, Homecoming, pep rallys, concerts, favorite teachers, classes you dread, spirit week, preparation for your graduation project, working a job, hanging out with friends, deciding what you want to do after graduation, applying for college, filling out scholarships, making plans for senior week, buying the perfect prom dress, barely holding back the tears during senior night, doing "your thing" for the very last time,

then ... BAM ... brick wall!

What. Just. Happened.

You get two weeks off & it's not Spring Break yet. It's not even holiday related. Well, hey, that's cool... I guess.

Then everyone starts talking about the possibility of school as we know it actually being canceled.

How is that even possible?

Those 2 weeks turn into 4 more, you try to keep up online with your assignments, you Zoom with your teachers, you try to find a job to help support your family, you reconsider your college plans, you miss your friends,  & you start to worry. What is going on?

Then, the inevitable happens. SCHOOL. IS. CANCELED.

We all knew it was coming, but it still hurts the heart! Life as we know it is completely upside down.

This was your year! This was your time!

The roller coaster has broken down & you are still strapped in. You can see the end up ahead. You know its there, but your stuck. That last steep hill, that last loop de loop is just out of your reach. You missed it! Everyone else got to enjoy the full ride, but here comes the proper authorities & they're helping you unbuckle & climb out. They are ushering you back down to the ground as safely as they can. You are thankful for their help, but you can't help to look back up at the ride & wonder what might have been.

Seniors, I'm sorry! I'm so very sorry! This year hasn't been exactly what you thought it would be. You are missing out on so many milestones & my heart breaks for you!

Spring sports, prom, graduation, senior skip day, & countless other final memories, all gone in the blink of an eye.

Class of 2020 - you were born during a huge time of uncertainty in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, you have lived through an ongoing war on terror, you have faced many challenges & upsetting events, & now you are finishing high school during a global pandemic unlike anything we've ever experienced before. If you've made it this far, you are amazing. I applaud you. I pray for you. And I believe in you. You can do anything you set your minds to.

Class of 2020 - It's been one heck of a ride! A ride you will never forget. And more than likely, a ride that will not be duplicated.

Happy 18th Birthday Austin

I can't believe that this day is actually here!

My oldest son, the one who made me a momma, is 18!

It is such a bittersweet day. My emotions have literally been all over the place.

I am so proud of who you are becoming. I love the memories we have made. I'm excited for the paths that are laid out before you. I worry about the decisions you now have to make on your own. I'm sad that your childhood has come to an end.

Today was supposed to be a big day. It's technically Spring Break & we had plans! For years now, you have talked about wanting a tattoo. My response has always been "when you are 18 & pay for it yourself". You've had the perfect one picked out for months, you've been saving your money, & you even convinced me to go with you!

You were going to hang out with friends over the weekend. We were going to throw a big party & celebrate this milestone!

But life throws curveballs & sometimes things don't go how we want them to.

Instead, we ate supper as a family, cried together because you couldn't go see your friends & you blew out candles off of a homemade cake.

Life is certainly different than what we could have ever imagined it would be right now, but you have the whole world ahead of you & I can't wait to see the mountains you are going to conquer next!

The Twilight Zone - Covid 19 Edition

It's April Fool's Day.

We are in the middle of a global pandemic. All major sporting events have been cancelled. Schools have been put on hold. The majority of people that can, are now working from home. Grocery stores are out of toilet paper, hand sanitizer, Lysol, & canned goods. Churches have shut their doors & are now online.

Families are separated. Kids cannot go see their friends. Public parks are closed to the public.

Unemployment is high & morale is low.

The government has told us to shelter at home, self quarantine, & not go anywhere unless its absolutely necessary.

We are watching China, Italy, New York, & numerous other cities. We are watching & waiting. We are worrying & praying. We are scared, anxious, & even angry.

We have had basic freedoms taken away.

Doctors don't have the answers. The government is grasping for straws. The president is being roasted alive every single time he holds a briefing with the latest information.

Essential employees are working longer hours. They are required to wear masks & gloves, being asked to completely disrobe before they ever enter their homes so they don't possibly infect anyone else.

Today is April Fool's Day.

Does anyone else feel like this is one of the cruelest jokes the universe has ever played?

Does anyone else wish that someone, anyone, would jump out from behind the bushes & scream "Gotcha"?

I feel like we are in the strangest episode of The Twilight Zone ever created.

The New Super Hero

Who doesn't love a good super hero tale?

We grew up idolizing Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman. We watched The Incredible Hulk & Captain America. We played with action figures & colored pictures of our heroes. We all pretended we could fly & good would always prevail over evil.

All too soon, we gave up our days of fantasy. We learned the difference between real & make believe. We still thought good would prevail over evil. And we started looking up to athletes, movie stars, & musicians.

As we grew even more, we made real life decisions. We chased the dollar more than happiness. We respected businessmen, professionals, & our parents once again. We questioned if there was anyway that good could always win.

Our heroes have certainly changed over the years. From the ones pulled from the depths of our imagination to the more realistic ones resembling the people we know. Heroes come in all shapes and forms.

Recently, our views of heroes have shifted once again.

As we all take shelter safe at home, we look up to those essential workers. Those front liners that risk possible exposure every single time they show up for work. We hope & we pray that once again good can prevail over evil.

Doctors, nurses, CNAs, paramedics, all medical field personnel that try to heal the sick.

Teachers, principals, lunch ladies, office staff that work tirelessly so our children don't fall behind.

Grocery workers, truck drivers, garbage men, plumbers, mail carriers that continue with their day to day jobs so that our world doesn't completely shut down.

Moms & dads who are temporarily unemployed, stuck at home with crying babies, hungry teenagers, rambunctious elementary kids, trying to entertain, teach, feed, & reassure their families that everything is ok.


Everyone else out there, trying to continue with what appears to be our new normal. Trying to hold their emotions in check & be there for the people who need them most. We salute you. We thank you. We are indebted to you.



The regular everyday Joe has quickly become the face of our new super hero. Even if that face is hidden behind a different type of mask.

I've always known that not all super heroes wore capes. Its just been made a lot more real lately.