My Love Echo,
I could have done so much better keeping up with your blog. My last entry was on November 22, 2019. About a week later, my grandmother died. we were camping at the alpaca farm. It was 19 degrees Fahrenheit. We were so cold, we couldn't fall asleep. In the morning, I got a message from home that my grandmother died. My lovely tiny grandmother. We went to Hanky Pies at Granit Falls, not too far from the farm, to use the wifi and make travel arrangements. I flew home for the funeral. I came back as fast as could, not to be apart from you girls. A week later, a bad joke, my dad died. This time all four of us went to the funeral. He was getting ready to come visit us, as he did the year before, to celebrate his birthday with you and Zoe. You made him so happy when you started singing Happy Birthday to you Dede, all on your own, when the cake came. You still remember the candle that would rekindle, no matter how many times Dede blew it. We were his second chance in life. A short second chance.
Christmas came, and we went to Big White for skiing. Lots and lots of it. I had to pack lunch for you every day, because you wouldn't eat the food they served at ski school. I'm still hopeful that the day will come and you'll have what everyone else is having. But for now, I can think of worse things, so packing lunches is something that I can handle.
I was travelling for work quite a bit at the time. Which meant packing lots of lunches and planning for dinners even when I wasn't there. We came back home in January, and life went back to normal. No one died, I had a couple more work trips, and in mid February, we drove to Big White again for mid-winter break. The news were mentioning cases of Corona virus in China, and a small outbreak in a nursing home in King County, WA, where we live. There was nothing alarming, or clear. Two weeks after the break, we were all told that we have to work from home. All work travel cancelled. A week later, the schools closed down. We were all homeschooling. After a month and a half of homeschooling and working full time, I and many other parents at work took some time off work to focus on education.
That spring and summer you mastered biking, scootering and roller skating. Wheels were not allowed around Greenlake, to keep the number of people out low. We practiced at the parking lot of the neighborhood Middle School.
We celebrated birthdays online, on Zoom with friends, and at home with just the family.
Playgrounds were closed, activities such as gymnastics, soccer, all got cancelled. You ended up watching quite a lot of Youtube videos, while papa and I worked. Your love of art surfaced. You painted and colored along Moriah Elizabeth as you watched her, and started cutting squishies apart, so you can fix them like she does. I got you girls lots of art supplies. Of course, you wanted to do it all with me.
That summer, we discovered Winthrop. A fun little town in Eastern Washington, with bike trails, rivers, lakes. We got a special price at an inn by the river, with a pool, and we went there multiple times. Papa and I worked in the small room, our voices getting louder and louder in the meetings. You loved the pool there, and you learned how to swim without floaties. One week we went there with the Salander family which made things more manageable as we could take turns among four adults to watch you girls in the pool, or take you to ice cream in town. At winter, we went there for skiing, ice skating, and ice fishing, and of course, swimming in the pool, your favorite activity of them all. Each family at the inn got to reserve the pool for an our a day, and o matter what time of day, you still wanted to go and play.
in the Fall the school season started. Only that it didn't really. It was all remote. We formed a four-family pod, with 6 kids. Four 5th graders and two 1st graders, you and Jehan, and Mr. Nick, to watch over you all. Jehan is polite and sensitive. You are spicy. We have been rotating homes every two weeks. It's not easy to fit six kids, tables and chairs in our little house. We keep the bedroom upstairs all tidy and zen, and put extra comfy chairs for you all to have a quiet corner when you need quiet. The pod has been an adventure like no other during times like no other. We have been having holiday parties - Christmass, Passover, Easter egg hunts, pod ski days, birthdays, and Wednesday happy hours. Nick is a music teacher, so on Wednesdays, he had been giving you voice and ukulele lessons. You enjoy playing the little instrument, and writing your own music.
It's been tough for you, not having girlfriends to play with. The 5th graders aren't always inclusive, naturally, they are older, and you've ben feeling left out. A few weeks ago they opened the schools for 2.5 hours a day. You seem to like going and seeing friends. You are all masked, and 6' apart. "I want to be really really close to my friends and touch them," you said. You are so loving, my Echo. You still come to snuggle with me at night. Walk up the steps, get under the covers. I still love your cuddles. I know they aren't forever.
Last week you watched a video of Moria Elizabeth where she was experimenting with wool painting by felting it with needles. Knowing I love working with wool, you told me about it, and made me watch it too. You were right, I loved it. I ordered the supplies, and all three of us have been felting raw wool into 3D shapes, and also experimenting with 2D painting on felt. You expanded my horizon. You are happiness. Here is you, on the way to Leavenworth.
I love you so so very much.
Mommy
