March is the one year mark of life as we know it changing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The kids got off the bus on March 13, 2020 and have not returned to in-person school since that day. Luke likes to joke that it's because that day was Friday the 13th, and that we just need another Friday the 13th for the universe to right itself. Mark has been working from home since then, too, so we've all been together in our house for the past year. We have not been to a restaurant, movie theater, indoor venue, or the gym since then. I do grocery pick-up most of the time, have placed numerous online delivery orders for clothes, gifts, and household necessities, and neither child has been in a store since last March, pre-pandemic. We've been so fortunate to be able to visit with grandparents by quarantining ahead of time, and have seen other friends/family in socially distanced outdoor settings. There have been so many unknowns this year in trying to make the very best decisions for our family, to keep everyone that we love safe, and to be responsible citizens who are following rules and doing what is best for the community. We realize that our situation is unique in that we are not required to leave our house for jobs/remote learning, and we understand that this is a blessing. We have been given the gift of time this year to slow down, be together, and show our children how to navigate unprecedented events. We have walked, run, biked, hiked, and spent more time outdoors than ever before. We've fished and swum, picnicked and skied, and have consistently learned that the very best therapy for our mental, spiritual, and physical health is to get daily movement and fresh air whenever possible. One year after the onset of the pandemic, there is hope on the horizon as vaccines are being distributed, and Mark and I are so thankful to have recently received our dose. We just need to hang on a little longer until the kids are vaccinated, and feel like that layer of protection is a wonderful light at the end of this tunnel.
Meanwhile, time marches on, and the kids have had some special firsts this month that are causes for fanfare. Leah was invited to a field hockey clinic and absolutely loved this new sport. She came home with a big goose egg above her eye after accidentally getting whacked by another player's stick, but she was unfazed by her injury, and amazes me with her tough, resilient spirit. Here are some pre-injury action shots of our little athlete:
Leah was also selected to be on her school's Battle of the Books team, and this group of 8 kiddos met weekly over Microsoft Teams for the past few months. Each student read 15 pre-selected books and as a team, competed in a trivia contest based on the books' content. Last week was the district competition where they competed virtually against other schools. Our team just missed first place by 2 points, and this extracurricular activity was such a highlight for Leah. We are grateful for her teachers' willingness to provide these special opportunities during a year where school has been so challenging.
Similarly, Luke was chosen for his middle school's MathCounts Team after participating in virtual Math Club every Thursday morning and receiving a qualifying high score on the practice competitions. He woke up early and logged in to his laptop an hour before school started each week to voluntarily solve math problems and weekly challenges. I'm so proud of that kid for continuing to be motivated and for loving math a year into remote learning, as the novelty of online school has long worn off. In pre-COVID times, Luke loved all of the academic competitions: geography bee, spelling bee, trivia. math club, etc. and MathCounts has been his one way to participate this year in something similar. I proctored him as he competed online in the MathCounts Chapter competition for several hours on a Saturday, and all I could think was, "God Bless the educators who have taken the extra time to creatively present these virtual competitions!" One other funny note: I was also on my middle school MathCounts team, and recently found my certificate and plaque to show Luke. He was not at ALL impressed, and I think was slightly horrified that he shared an interest with his very uncool mom.
Another awesome accomplishment for Luke is that he made All-District Band! Luke's band director encouraged him to try out for this special accolade, and Luke independently created a video submission of the scales and song required for his audition. We were overjoyed when we heard that he made second chair tuba (meaning he had the second best scores out of all the tuba players who auditioned!), and Luke now can try out for all-state band.
Luke also had a very special day this month when he got his very own tuba! After 1.5 years of borrowing an instrument from the school, we realized that our special boy is going to stick with tuba playing, and it was time for him to own his own. This photo says it all:
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| Luke + tuba = JOY! |
We were directed to purchase Luke's tuba from the Tuba Exchange in Durham, NC (who knew that we lived only 1.5 hours away from the mecca of all tuba distributors?!), and hopped in the car for a special day trip. The Tuba Exchange opened the private showroom just for us, and Luke's eyes widened at the selection of instruments:
He was allowed to play any tuba that he wanted to try (some were the price of a new car!), which was very cool. We learned so much during this unique experience, and after trying several within our budget, Luke found a perfect tuba to call his own. We foresee many years of music ahead in this kid's future, and can't wait to see what he will do with his love of tubas!
The end of March also meant: SPRING BREAK!
We were all so excited for a break and we drove to Grandpa's house in SC to spend a few days at the beach:
While at Grandpa's we took a day trip to Bald Head Island. Cars are prohibited on the island, and we rode the passenger ferry from Southport:
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| Millie's first ferry ride! |
Of course L&L chose this spot at the very front of the ferry once they saw the sign:
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| Ferry selfie. |
Once on the island, we rented a golf cart (which is the primary mode of transportation on BHI), and spent the day exploring. Bald Head Island was quaint and adorable, with Spanish moss-lined cart paths, nature trails, and forest preserves:
We parked our cart at the beach, and fearless Leah braved the 57 degree water to wade out to the sand bar:
The beaches on Bald Head were gorgeous:
Our favorite location was Frying Pan Shoals, where the Atlantic on the East meets the southern tip of the island, resulting in waves meeting from two directions:
Old Baldy is BHI's famous historic lighthouse, and was constructed in 1817:
There was a beautiful old church and grounds surrounding the lighthouse, and we learned about the significance that the island had as the home of Fort George during Revolutionary War. During the Civil War, the fort was renamed and served as an important Confederate base due to its location at the mouth of the Cape Fear River:
Now, Bald Head Island marina houses luxury yachts and the island is lined with huge, beachfront homes. We had a picnic lunch outside and ate ice cream overlooking the harbor. It was such a fun day and we were fortunate to have such lovely weather for our day of BHI adventures:
We returned home to NC after our spring break trip and dyed eggs in preparation for Easter:
That's a wrap on March 2021. Next stop: Easter Weekend!
