Wow. Over 300 days. That. Is. Bananas.
Day 292 - NYE!
We were kind of like, oh cool! Let’s spend an evening playing games and eating, like we’ve done every other day lately. 😂 We tried to make it different and special with fun appetizers and drinks. Everyone got to pick a game to play, and then that was a lot of games so we took a movie break. We rang in the new year with open doors and open hearts and banged those pots and pans like our lives depended on it. Goodbye, 2020!
About 5 minutes before midnight I realized I hadn’t taken a single picture. Addie had a headache and was so ready to go to sleep, but didn’t want to miss seeing midnight.
What a year. I’d like to write something really eloquent about it, but I’m in the middle of writing a talk and using brain power for other things. And I have oh so many feelings about 2020.
A traditional Martinelli’s toast and the girls were stoked to finally be able to blow the noise makers.
Another year with this guy. 💕
And I got to ring it in with my sissy too, how fun is that?
This is so real. Somebody posted “If I have to spend one more minute with the people I love more than anything in the world...” and yes. And also, we’re fine. The weird paradoxes of pandemic living. Also, week 1 of quarantine ✔️
Day 293 - January 1st
We ate the traditional black eyed peas, collard greens, and cornbread for all the best of luck this year. Alli and I visited with my dad on his porch and dropped off dinner. Also, since January is quite blah and we loved our Christmas movie a day routine, so we started the Marvel movie challenge. Is a movie a day excessive? Probably. But we don’t really have the tv on any other time and also I don’t care. We’re doing our best, man.
Day 294 - January 2nd
I ran 10 miles and then felt poopy the rest of the day. That was weird and had never happened to me before. I felt achey and super tired. So I rested most of the day.
Day 295 - January 3rd
It was our Sunday to go to in person church but we stayed home to be safe. That was a tough day. We’ve got a lot of people living here and I still wasn’t feeling great, so it was a difficult fast and a difficult day. I made something delicious for dinner (can’t remember) and then Addie made cookie dough and we managed to pull it together to have a nice night.
Day 296 - January 4th
Back to school. Frankie was anxious all day Sunday. She said she doesn’t like online school because she doesn’t have a teacher there to help her. I was like, hellllo? She still struggles with learning and breaks are so nice. After all the anxiety and dreading it, it wasn’t that bad. Marvel marathon continues.
Day 297 - January 5th
I don’t know? I didn’t take any pictures and obvi didn’t go anywhere. Back to tutoring and all the things. Oh! Before the new year Matt and I talked about scripture study with the family for this year, and how we still want to read the Book of Mormon every day, but also I love the doctrine and covenants. It was my fav year in seminary with brother Silva who was one of my favorite teachers ever. I found some new (to me) CFM podcasts, and ordered a really cool book called Don’t Miss This. They pick one verse out of every chapter in the Book of Mormon and really delve into it. So everyday we read our one verse and talk about it, and then do our CFM reading. It’s so fun now that the girls are older and have some of their own spiritual experiences to draw from.
Day - 298 - January 6th
Alli and I picked up lunch and ate at our dads house and I played 2 of my best games of dominoes in a long time. It. Was. Awesome.
Also this was the day a mob of armed protesters took over the Capitol for 4 hours. It was one of those 9/11 days where we had the news on and just all sat watching in horror. It’s all so surreal. Someone tweeted “Good heavens, we just had a coup in the middle of a global pandemic and I just made broccoli cheese soup for dinner.” It’s just so absurd watching these things play out and knowing we will all be forever different and yet, life goes on. I’m sad it happened. I’m sad for the 5 people that died. I’m sad for the sad people that did this. I’m sad for our country and the continued distrust and division this highlights and continues. I’m too tired to try to parse out any more feelings than that. I’m just sad about all of it.
We had to scrounge up 4 computers for ward activities that night. Matt with his primary boys, f&d with primary girls, Addie for a combined youth meeting, and me for a youth parent meeting. We talked about supporting our kids with their goals, which I have talked to each of them about and they each have great ideas for new goals, but we need to sit down and have them write them on their boards. Thank heavens the Lord loves effort, because completion is hard. It was nice to talk about ideas and feel the spirit as we counseled together.
Day 299 - January 7th
End of quarantine!!! 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
I went grocery shopping, so that was fun and different.
That night we had our first relief society presidency meet and greet. We want to get to know each of the presidencies and since we can’t go visit them, we’ll be meeting virtually with one or two each Thursday evening. We started with Pax, which was perfect because I was nervous to start, but not nervous with my beautiful ward sisters. We started by introducing ourselves and sharing our love languages. #lovelanguagesforever
Then for our spiritual thought we had decided to talk about our relationships with the scriptures. In the hb it says that as daughters of heavenly parents, relief society sisters expound scripture, and to be able to do that we need to have a relationship with them. We each briefly shared our personal relationship with scripture and it was very sweet and the spirit was strong.
Then I shared a message from our presidency. I encouraged them to listen to President Nelson’s amazing talk A Plea to my Sisters, which is one of my all-time favorite talks and really gives us such great direction as leaders. I also shared our stake relief society presidency’s plan to minister to their presidencies. I thought a lot about how I’ve been ministered to by stake leaders, and I can not ever remember being contacted by any counselor. my counselors are so amazing and I want them to be completely utilized, so I knew I wanted to do something different. I prayed and fasted and went over all the different ways I could think of. And then, through the spirit, I figured it out. Each of us will personally minister to our ward counterpart. It’s so simple. I told my counselors I had a goal to make contact with each president each month, with an in-person meeting (when it’s safe) at least quarterly, but that I want them to pray about how to manage their stewardship. Relief society presidencies have huge responsibilities with ministering interviews and helping preside over missionary and temple and family history work, and it just makes sense that each presidency member would receive personal ministering from the stake as often as necessary/possible.
After that we went to break out rooms with our counterparts. Tracie and I talk frequently, so it was so easy and nice just to catch up with her. She is amazing and I’m so grateful for the 4 years we served together already. I left our first meet and greet with my spiritual cup filled to the top.
Then I had my first one-on-one with president Boyd. That morning I had told the family my schedule for the day and when I told them I had a meeting with him they were like, “oh cool! What time are we going? Are we going to the church or over zoom?” They think they’re besties and they are invited to all our meetings. It was so funny.
I was also nervous for this meeting, but I didn’t need to be. President Boyd is so easy to talk to and down to earth. He’s a true servant leader, which is also my leadership style, so I think we will work really well together. He asked lots of questions and shared some info with me, and then I had several questions for him. It was another wonderful meeting where the spirit was strong and I ended the evening so grateful for this amazing new calling. I really loved being relief society president and now I get to minister to and teach other women how to love it too, how lucky and blessed am I? Rebecca texted on our presidency thread and said “I love this calling!” and that made me so happy too. I know it won’t always be easy and sometimes i feel stupid overwhelmed and seriously question what in the world I’m doing here, but I’ve been able to talk myself down from that ledge pretty quickly and easily. So far, two thumbs up.
Day 300 - January 8th
Matt was in an online navy class all week. It was very interactive and all about interpersonal skills and leadership - he really enjoyed it and got a lot out of it.
That night he and the girls went to get the mail. It was already dark, and the girls wanted to take their bikes. He had just fixed Delaney’s tire and started jogging to keep up with her when he fell on an uneven sidewalk (which I’ve done before in the daylight, especially when you’re running, that can be rough). It was cold and his hands were in his pockets and holding on to the bike pump, so he couldn’t break his fall. He hit his head and scraped his face pretty good.
The girls came running in and said daddy had fallen, and when I got to him, he was like in those cartoons with stars swirling above his head. I was able to help him up and after resting for a few minutes, helped him into the shower to clean his face up. He had blood streaming down and I tried to dab it clean, but there was a lot and I was pretty sure some of it was just road rash, and I didn’t want to hurt him by cleaning it too rough. While I tended to him, Alli finished making dinner and she and the girls ate. I got him cleaned up, Tylenol'd up, neosporin’d up, and all tucked in. While he showered I looked up what to do for a concussion. He scraped his tooth and said it feels jagged, he’s got a fat lip, and a big knot on his forehead. He looks a mess. I checked on him every 30 minutes just to make sure all was well with his head injury. Neither of us slept great, I don’t think it’s becuase I was worried about him, but maybe? I’ve been having trouble sleeping again and haven’t even been able to sleep for a nap which is very much not like me.
Day 301 - January 9th
I made our patient a smoothie this morning. He still looks and feels rough. Old people injuries, man. After I got him settled and the girls anxiously engaged in piano, I went for my 11 mile run. I was nervous because last week I felt so gross after my long run. I bring my sport water bottle and a small baggie of gummy bears, they are supposed to be good energy for long runs. I ran all the way up Hollywood/leonardtown rd to three notch, and by the time I was halfway, my phone battery was down to 10%! I would hate to run in silence, so I closed everything but my podcast app, thank goodness I had brought my Apple Watch, which I haven’t been bringing. I kept track of my mileage with that and am pretty sure I could listen to podcasts from there too. Then my phone stayed at 1% for the whole hour home, and another hour after I got home and finally plugged it in. 🙄 Better safe than sorry, I guess. I definitely am more sore/tired than I remember being for my long runs, but nothing like last week, so that was good.
Alli took Frankie and Delaney to the store, but wanted to go early since she’s an early riser. They were at target by 8am and very happy little shoppers. They miss going places. Also, the other day while tidying up, we found a game card and Delaney went to put it away (into Frankie’s dog memory game) and she found $22, so that was a huge mystery about whose money it could be. They both thought it was theirs, so they came to a compromise and bought something to share. Perfect.
We supported a local business for dinner and enjoyed a delicious salsa’s meal here at home. The girls went to papas and watched a movie. And Matt is feeling much better, even though he still looks a mess.
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