Evidently today is the one year anniversary of the day the World Health Organization declared *this whole situation* a global pandemic.
It’s funny how nothing really changed for me on that day. The kids were already on spring break, so schools closing didn’t affect us for a little while. I was way ahead of everyone who started panic-stocking up on food and paper goods, because I was hardcore nesting as the end of my pregnancy got closer. We knew it was only a matter of time before the novel coronavirus made it here. March 11 was hardly a surprise.
But every day after that day? Some new information or restriction came out and rocked our little world.
On March 12 I went to bunco at my friend Sarah’s house. On March 13 I took the girls to get haircuts and cancelled our Pi(e) Day party. By March 14, we knew we wouldn’t be going back to school or church for a while. After that, all the days and milestones start to run together.
The day we learned the kids wouldn’t be going back to school after spring break. Instead, they would be finishing the school year online.
The day David set up shop in the garage because he would be working from home indefinitely. That only lasted a couple months, and we were grateful it was possible, but it was…an adjustment.
The day I told my midwife not to come to the hospital for my birth because I didn’t want to be the reason she endangered her high risk husband. She was on sabbatical and was going to make an exception for me. Luke is my only baby she didn’t catch. It still breaks my heart. For the record, though, I would make the same choice now.
The day I had a panic attack because how was I supposed to bring another baby into this world??? I felt so overwhelmed and incapable. Those last few weeks of pregnancy felt
But sure enough, finally there came the day Luke was finally born. And then the day I FaceTimed with my mom and grandparents so they could meet Luke. Followed too closely by the day I watched my grandpa’s funeral on Facebook.
Of course, there were plenty of joyful moments in there too. But my memory of it is still so mixed up in anxiety and uncertainty and mourning that frankly I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to untangle it all.
So yeah. Happy coronaversary. Here’s to better years ahead.
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