I have heard so many people talking about how horrible 2020 has been. While I agree there have been some definite downtimes, 2020 was full of positives. I want to take a minute to look back on life in Cotterville and share the positives of our year.

January through March were fairly routine. I was working at a job I loved as a preschool teacher. Eli was growing like crazy and learning new things every day. As Spring break approached, our family looked forward to ending the school year on a high note.

We all know what happened in mid-March. The country slowed down and came to a near halt, but life in our house was never dull. How can it be with three kids and two dogs? We believed the quarantine would be quick-lived, but as the weeks rolled into months we began to settle into a “new normal”.

May brought many changes. Chris began working from home full-time. Today I asked everyone what was one positive that came out of 2020 and Chris quickly said, I got to work from home. We have all enjoyed him being home with us. He is still working from home full-time and we love it.

May also brought about change for Jordan. He turned 18. It wasn’t the 18th birthday we had planned for him, but it turned out wonderful. I coordinated a parade and friends and family drove by honking and wishing him a happy birthday. Jordan then went on to graduate high school. Again, it was different, but I thought the backup plan for graduation turned out better than the original. Jordan was able to graduate crossing the start/finish line at Texas Motor Speedway! We sat in our car watching on a HUGE screen from the infield; an experience the family will remember. Senior year of high school is crazy. Most seniors are barely home. They are busy with work or activities. Our family was blessed with getting to spend the last few months of Jordan at home together and that is something I will forever cherish!

In August, Jordan was able to move off to college and has thrived. He finished his first semester with a 4.0 and we are so very proud of him. We cannot wait to see what 2021 brings for Jordan!

One of the main positives to come out of 2020 has been the time together as a family. We were forced to slow down. We were forced to spend time together at home. Everyone was home to witness Eli learning to crawl, take his first steps, speak his first words, and learn all about the world around him. Chris had missed some firsts with the other two boys while being at work.

We sat down every night as a family and had dinner. This is something we have always tried to do, but life is busy when you have kids in band and playing sports. Quarantine allowed us to eat at home every single night. We learned more about each other. We told stories and shared memories. Dinnertime is now one of our favorite things to do as a family.

This last year has made me stop and focus on the small things. We don’t have to have something to do every night. Reading books, playing games, doing puzzles, and just spending time together is enough.

I do not know what 2021 brings. This world is scary and uncertain, but I know that our God will be there every step of the way. God is bigger than anything we can face, whether it be COVID, cancer, or some other struggle. I encourage you to take a moment and reflect on the positives of 2020. Find the Joy that God provided. I wish you all a Happy New Year!