2020/2021--everyone has stories from this historical time. Ours started with a water main break that cancelled school a couple of days before Spring Break. Greg & RayLynn headed to Lawrence to close on the house we were getting for her. I left that Friday to go spend my time there. Then we got the announcement that school was off for the rest of the year and that we were in lockdown. Such a weird feeling to be limited on the places you could go. I left Lawrence the middle of March and didn't go back until the first of May. 6 weeks without seeing my girl, and I hated it. School was just weird. I had kids who were logging in everyday to do their work, and I had kids who never even joined a thing.
Summer came. I lost a friend/colleague to COVID. Then it was time to start school again, which was a little delayed so that we could plan remote learning, in case it was needed. The school year didn't start out awful. Kids were pretty good about masks, and we were muddling through.
On a Saturday evening in Septmenber, I got a phone call from my aunt, which is not normal. I remember saying to Greg, "This can't be good." We were at a wedding and cell phone service was sketchy, so I jumped in my Jeep and headed to better service. My aunt told me my dad had passed away; then we were cut off. Then my sister called; she had gotten a message from her cousin. When I was finally able to talk and put all the pieces together, he had been taken to the hospital and refused treatment. He then went back to the care home and died alone, which is awful to me. Because of COVID, his wife didn't have a service, so my aunt had one in October.
Then, in November, a friend and former colleague came down with COVID, and I was getting daily texts about his condition. Two days before we were going to Christmas break, and I was going to go spend time with Greg and RayLynn, I got a text that he had passed away. This text came as my kids were walking in the door. I sat in the office and ugly cried, but the amazing thing about that day was my kids. I had hugs and got handwritten cards from several. They saw me in full meltdown mode and rallied around me.
Fast forward to February and a close friend lost her husband suddenly. Again, my kids saw there was something wrong and rallied.
COVID restrictions started lifting, and we were feeling like things were going to be normal. Then the worst thing that can happen to a teacher happened. I heard the sirens that night and my gut told me something was very wrong. I told my husband we needed to go for a drive, which we did but didn't find anything. Then the texts started....a student of mine had been shot. I went to the hospital and found a large group of kids; they were airlifting the student to Wichita. School that next day was surreal. We just went through the day, crying, hugging, praying. I had faith that Chris was going to make it, but I knew his life would be completely different. On May 2, I got the text that he had died. Again, another surreal day at school. Kids who I had struggled with all year sobbed in my arms. Our hearts were broken.
We ended school, and for me there was a huge sense of relief, more than normal. I needed to be away from school. We did a trip to Gulf Shores, Alabama---it was beautiful and just what I needed after the stress of May. We enjoyed the summer, weekends at the lake, trips to Lawrence, hanging out around our pool. Fall came and back to school and some sort of normal life. So, here we are....December 31, 2021.
The last 21 months have been extraordinary for everyone. I have experienced heartache like never before, but I've also experienced some truly happy times. I have learned a lot in these months.
Never take anyone for granted.
Find some joy in every day.
Tell those you love what they mean to you.
Live life and have fun.
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