Saturday, January 2, 2021

2020 Review




 2020 has many many ups and downs for us!

Here is a brief summary of our year.


January 

We had some new additions to our world from my baby Yoda thanks to Jeff’s talented cousin to the birth of our dear friends baby boy Joey!

We had some amazing views from snowy days to Jeff’s spotting of custom painted locomotives while at work.

And sadly we said goodbye to our baby girl Winnie. The emotions of this loss still over comes me.



February 

We had a few firsts and sadly lasts.

Jeff attended his first ever Episcopal Diocese of Newark Convention. To have him come and understand the magnitude of this made my heart happy.

Our sweet friends reminded us how loved we are with flowers during the shock of losing Winnie.

We welcomed our sweet Qi’ra to the family. Getting a cat was another first for Jeff. He is now wrapped around her paw.

Valentines Dinner at the Walpack Inn is an annual tradition but this was the first year my parents joined us.  Just so romantic. 

We had our annual Pancake Dinner. Sadly this was the last church dinner before the pandemic hit and the last dinner for some VIPs we said goodbye to this year.

The nursery started to look more like a room and less like a disaster area.


March

Painting happened making the original pine floors look new again. Plus I learned how to do molding making the nursery one step closer to finished. 

Church went virtual and I had to figure out how to continue with Sunday School.

My sweet husband did a Blue Ridge wine run with me!

Qi’ra has taken over and the cuteness doesn’t stop.

The adoption world is slowly coming to a stop because of Covid.

I am temporarily let go from my job. 


April

A little Anniversary celebration quarantine style and husband working two jobs.
Church Easter Service and Egg Hunt took on a new look.
We looked into the cost for new siding, windows, and insulation.
Hello new couch for the family room. 


May
Finally finished the nursery. Sadly all hopes of adoption are frozen in Covid time.
Time to focus on the yard. 
From cleaning gardens, to creating a garbage area, tandem finally getting our first 
real tree for the property May was a busy month. 
Of course I learned that poison ivy can really suck when it enters your system threw open skin.
We ended the month with the delivery of my childhood piano finally coming home.


June

The house looks so grown up with all our garden work.
Finally some girl time with my dear friend Carol at the Vineyard.
My exercise drive came to a scary halt with a bad fall. 
Honestly I never got over it and I let all my hard work go.  
Qi’ra had her first experience being home alone and met our pet sitter!
Jeff and I escaped to the Jersey shore for a few nights in Spring Lakes.
It’s all about blueberry picking for my birthday.
Of course we can’t forget my Birthday Pie!


July

We had a review of our plumbing system done and it wasn’t good.
Our stove died so time for an upgrade.
Family time for 4th of July and dinner at Walpack Out that Sunday.
Time to make Blueberry Jam. Yum!
My dad and I put in a new front door.
Hello I’m officially a Mary Kay Independent Consultant!
My cousin Denny helped us clean the property.
Taco Date day with Carol and her boys.
Not pictured is Jeff’s quiet birthday.


August 

The long awaited staining and painting of the stairs.
Carol and I took her boys for their first Jersey Shore trip.
Of course more girl time at the Vineyard with Carol and Di!
The biscuit obsession is becoming a problem.
I attended my first Mary Kay Convention.
We got a pea gravel patio put in.
Major wind and rains took down a tree and power lines.
The amazing linemen installed new lines since they were there anyway.
Jeff and I hit the beach one last time with Carol and the boys.


September 

Bathroom refresh with some paint and a new shower curtain.
Happy 80th to Jeff’s mom! 
Jeff and I did a lot of work to make sure we could celebrate her big day.
Qi’ra and Jeff have become best friends.
I’m rocking my Mary Kay business!
I started installing new molding in the living and dinning room.
Beautiful fall weather bring a thriving garden and a ripe lemon.


October 

I learned that rotting wood and my body cause disaster.
Living room got new paint, finished molding, and decorated.
Pumpkins and mums make us happy people.
My baby cousin got married.
I have my desk set up ready to be a boss lady!


November 

In an attempt to have a safe Christmas we put our tress up early to see how Qi’ra would handle them.
She would rather have belly ribs.
We got our first Tropical Popcorn monthly shipment. Yum!
We went exploring and I introduced Jeff to Waterloo Village.
A Covid Thanksgiving didn’t stop dad from over cooking.
The moment I realized I can’t go to the Vineyard since PA is restricting visitors.


December 

Time to decorate like a mad woman!
Even Qi’ra got into the Holiday Spirit.
We had a special Christmas dinner and light show with Carol and the boys.
The best photo ever is the proof they were comfy watching Christmas movies with Jeff.
We finally put up Jeff’s Christmas train making my tree look tiny.
Blue Ridge ships and it’s better when you order with friends!
We got snow right before Christmas!
My cousin came to town and he had to make a snowman.
Sadly the snowman didn’t survive the Christmas Eve rain.
Not pictured - my cousin ended sick with pneumonia and we are working on getting him better.
My brother in law ended up in the hospital also with pneumonia and is currently home.
My sister had a major car accident and is still in the hospital. 

2020 has many good things and many bad.
We’ve lost some very special people in our lives.
 We have prayed for the healing of family and friends with Covid.
The adoption process was on hold for many months.
We now have a new adoption specialist and she likes to be called.
We pray every day that our adoption placement will happen soon.
We look forward to 2021 being whatever God has a plan to be.
And we hope that everybody can at least find one good thing every day.