Sunday - 289th

Two young families that I love so deeply! Each unique and perfect in my eyes. Loving and kind. Playful and smart. I'm sure you recognize these traits, or similar superlative qualities in your children. If they are older, I'm sure they know how hard it is for you to go through these months on these new pandemic terms. For most of us, it's a rare day where we can all see each other in real time rather than through a Zoom or Portal screen. And when we do, even if only outside, with social distancing, etc, it's magic!

I had a double dose of magic: an Illinois park meet up with the younger family in the morning and a Wisconsin farmhouse meet up with the older family. 

There isn't much time to think about it now, or to write about it, perhaps even digest it, but then, there will soon come those long winter months when I can see neither and I will be happy to come back to these images. These scattered family times aren't valuable just in the  day they take place. They stretch into the future and keep me afloat as we wait for the days when we can be well, more normal.

For now, not many words, but a heck of a lot of photos!

 

It's not too cold today -- just around freezing. I'm up early and Ed, in joining me for breakfast, comments -- too bad you don't have sunshine for your outing.

He helps me load the car with Christmas presents and I am off. 

Two hours later, I'm at Raven Glen Forest Preserve - a place for which I will always have total fondness, because it's where I have been able to spend time with Primrose and her parents, even at the height of the pandemic.

And here, two hours south of the farmette, the skies are a gentle blue gray! Lovely!

 

I load some of the gifts onto a sled. Primrose spots this right away when she arrives. There's no snow here, but a sled can be pulled without it!

A walk to the lake. Primrose is holding on to a book that was part of the gift pile...

We were here in the thick of fall and now we are so on to winter! The lake is frozen now.

(Studying a chunk of ice from the lake...)

First attempt at slip sliding (aka skating, of sorts!)...

And loving every minute of it.

Happy girl!

A mango and gingerbread snack...

A dance, a song, a distanced hug. See you in the awesome new year!!!

Two hours later, I am at the farmhouse, taking out the pots for tonight's dinner.

A quick but very sweet, remote Christmas gift check in with the Chicago family (we'd exchanged presents, but it wasn't practicable to open them in the park)...

And now the Madison family comes and it is as any Sunday -- noisy and lively and one could only wish that this was the norm, not the exceptional month when we can do this without worry.

(Snowdrop goes right for the Wobble -- beloved until the moment when she drops the heavy board on her foot!)

(Sparrow, on the other hand, goes for the tiny Legos, still not believing his luck in gaining access to them...)

(An after dinner exhale on the orange couch...)

It's snowing outside. I step out and watch them navigate the quickly accumulating white stuff. 

 

 

 

A gift. This Sunday was a gift.

Christmas 2020. It ends for us tonight.