Year in Review: 2020
Phew. How to reflect on a year that seems like a lifetime?
I should have known it was going to be a wild year when six days into 2020 I was at the doctor with a case of pink eye. The year continued to be full of uncertainty, injustice, and a lot of worry. But, for me it wasn’t all bad. We had our biggest joy and lots of small ones, too.
Understanding the difficulties the year brought, I had many positive things to personally reflect on 2020. So here we go.
Clayton and I spent a lot of time together. We traveled to Colorado for the first Good People Summit. I saw Laura play college tennis at Woo. My Mom and Aunt Rosie visited and the love of electric bikes was born. Working from home became normal, walks became essential, and I polished my skills in the kitchen with meal plans and lots of baking. We participated in a small group. We did house projects, went on road trips, had lake days, camped, and virtually connected with family and friends. We played in online euchre tournaments with Chicago friends (thanks Mash), did weekly family Zoom calls, and felt the exhaustion from spending so much time on a screen. We read books and watched Tiger King (I almost forgot). We celebrated birthdays in unique ways. We enjoyed a family Pedal Pub for Laura’s 21st and collected videos from loved ones for Clayton’s 30th.
I made it to Ohio twice this summer. Had pool days and fun with my quarantined family. And cherished time with the Taul’s in between.
I worked a lot. Sent over 15,000 slack messages (eek, maybe that’s a problem). Celebrated HDco's 10 year anniversary with pancakes and party hats. I gained endless appreciation for the team and every single individual at HDco, as we spent time honing in on our new vision, and being brave enough to commit to big, scary goals. I was reminded of the importance of support in my job both personally and professionally. I’m thankful to actually look forward to returning to work after maternity leave.
We started The Postcard Club. Had front porch visits and deliveries. Learned how amazing people are, and how important it is to stay connected.
We planted a garden, I learned how to sew. Mash came to organize my life and our Nursery (thank God). I had several new and returning photography clients. We refined our Chess game. Laura stayed with us and we painted Caroline’s nursery. Then Clayton painted it again. Kyle moved in for a bit and we had mocktails and played Catan. The Dorges fed us and helped us knock down walls. I hosted a Great British Bake Off with my nieces. I drank a lot of tea. I wondered how I ever lived without slippers.
And of course, throughout it all, I navigated my first pregnancy. I had 65/365 days not knowing about or actually having our baby, which means I was consumed with preparation and excitement of this life changing event.
I watched my body transform into a round ball and have the bathroom selfies to prove it.
I had a healthy pregnancy and delivery (thankful every minute for that). After convincing myself the baby was a boy, I experienced shock that my baby was A G-I-R-L. I felt invincible through delivery and have never been more proud. My mom was able to spend the first 2 weeks helping us survive, and I will forever cherish that. I fell more in love with Clayton watching him as a father. I had no idea what to expect, but the natural and raw love I have for Caroline is unlike anything I’ve felt before and I’m finding ways to remember it.
I’ve learned the laundry can wait, because the time she stays little won’t last.
The last weeks of 2020 have been spent with our hearts full and our eyes tired. We’ve lost track of time and have been snuggling and staring into our greatest adventure. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Happy New Year,
Emma
Here are the highlights in bullet form:
Painted the Master Bedroom
Biggest Photoshoot for Tiesta Tea
House projects (kitchen island, wall down, garden, new chair, bookshelves)… still no art on the wall
Dinners at Blue Bell Farm
Good People Summit
Mash and Gaseor coming to visit
Mom and Aunt Rosie’s visit
Electric Bikes
Finding out I was pregnant
Telling Clayton I was pregnant
Sunday mornings and the New York Times
Family Zoom Calls
Virtual coffee with my College girlfriends
Small Group
My plant baby.
HDco’s 10th B-day & Vision Summit
Euchre games
Meal Planning
Baking
Playing Chess
Hiking
Road trip to a new state (Arkansas) 4 more states left!
Easter front porch photoshoot
Played tennis
Lake Days
My dad’s haircut, still laughing.
Bought my first car (parted with the Altima, but held on to the mems)
Mash’s 2nd visit and organizing my entire life
Road trips to Ohio
Pit stops in Indy
Baby Showers
Painting the Nursery with Laura
Laura’s 21st and the Pedal Pub
Clayton’s 30th
Joining the Leadership Team at work
Golfing
Walks. Lots of walks.
Front porch visits.
The Postcard Club
Outdoor Patios
CAROLINE. (x100)
