As for everyone, this has been a strange year thanks to COVID. As a result, we don't have as much to share as previous years. I'll recount the highlights, such as they were, but it's been a challenging time for many.
The original plan for Andrea's 11th birthday was a trip to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. That did NOT happen (thanks Covid!) but Grammy (Beautiful Andrea the First) and Pa stepped in and she had a painting party with her friends at Color Me Mine, before everything shut down. Of course, the entire theme was Harry Potter. At the time of the party, COVID wasn't even a thing in the US yet, so we assumed we'd still be able to take our trip. Given how the year turned out, we're so grateful that she had the chance to celebrate.
Andrea participated in an enrichment class called TREP$ last spring. It is an entrepreneurship program where students learn about product design, manufacturing and marketing. She worked with a friend to create stress balls and slime (big seller among the elementary population), which were then sold at the school's TREP$ marketplace. They made a profit, so everyone went home happy, except the parents that now had slime in the house, thanks to my kid.
Last year was Andrea's final year in elementary school. Usually, there are all kinds of fun things for the students, which of course didn't happen. The staff and PTO did the best they could, but it was so sad and bittersweet to say good bye without being able to say good bye. The PTO purchased some memorabilia for the students and her teachers made home deliveries. It gave us a chance to say a socially distanced THANK YOU, and for Andrea to pass along notes that she'd written. We've been connected to that school since 2007, so it was hard!
For the first time ever, we took no summer vacation, and Andrea didn't go to camp. We didn't even join the town pool. We had a low-key few months at home, making use of the back yard for visits with the family.
In September, Andrea started MIDDLE SCHOOL. Like many places, her school is not full time in person. She currently goes in for two half day sessions per week, and the rest of her classes are remote. Luckily, Ken is able to work from home, so she's not alone in the house. She's been able to have some new experiences though, even with the challenges of remote learning. In the fall, she had a Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) class, where she learned some basic cooking and sewing skills. Her culminating project was to cook a full meal for the family. Of course, we had to go over the top, making a full-blown Italian meal: Lasagna, meatballs, sausage, sauce, broccoli, and garlic bread. Dessert was apple crisp. Not Italian I know, but we all like it.
She's also been able to take a computer business applications class, and general music. Shortly, she'll get to have technology (which is STEM based, as opposed to computers) and Art. These are cycle classes that change after about 35 days. She's also learning French, which she's been excited to do for a long time. If I had to guess, FCS was probably her favorite class, but French is a close second! She abandoned clarinet after last year, but continues to sing in the chorus. They're able to meet weekly on Zoom, and managed to perform one song live for the parents in January, also on Zoom.
She belongs to a town club called Livingston Peer Leaders. They normally meet monthly, but they've transitioned to twice a month, but only when the kids can be outside. The focus in the group is on community service projects and charitable giving. They've gone to senior homes to play BINGO with the residents (pre-Covid) and made cards for service members. It's been one of her few social outlets.
She recently started a pottery class and is learning to use a pottery wheel. She continues to be very interested in art and frequently spends her time drawing or painting. She also loves to write, and is working on a novel. Yes, a novel. At last check, she had written over a hundred pages, typed. I am not allowed to read it, but Ken gets to see every chapter.
In no way was this year what anyone wanted for their families. Ken and I are proud of how well Andrea has dealt with the stressors of being home so much. She misses her friends, who she really can't see. She does like not having to get up and dressed so early every day, and LOVES getting to be home with Charlie, the dog, and Jeremy, the cat. I think having them for company has made things a little less awful.
"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."~ Robert Brault
