Hello Friends and Family,
I send you warm holiday greetings and a hug from afar. Well, 2020 is coming to a close. We’ve faced hard things and learned to seek out hope in the darkest of times.
This was the year of staying home, all the cancelled plans and social distancing. It led us to appreciating the little things like a trip to the library for new books or picking up popcorn for movie night. We became masters of wearing masks and washing our hands, even little Austin.
The highlights of our year have been family bike rides, tent camping in the backyard and hanging out with the families in our bubble. We planted flowers, decorated for all the holidays and tried to stay sane. It has not been the year we expected but we made it through. I was more grateful for our home and tree filled yard than ever before. We have worked hard these past six years to make it a comfortable space and it has been a refuge. Heber and I celebrated our 15th anniversary.
Gentri became a virtual learning supporter. Really, what else did I have time for? I did my best to make our home a safe and comfortable place. I cooked the meals, put together the crafts and tried to keep everyone entertained. I got contacts for the first time so I didn’t have to have foggy glasses. In July, I taught two online marketing webinars. My glass jewelry Etsy shop, GentriCreates, had its best year yet. Working on the torch helped me to manage all the hard things.
Heber continues to work for a small engineering startup. He got a fancy letter from the Navy allowing him to go to work every day throughout the pandemic. He volunteered as a poll worker to give himself something to look forward to for the election. He fixed all sorts of things on the house and created a “Pringles tree” to make sure we would survive in the wild. On the weekends, he plays Minecraft with the kids and has taken up playing Dungeons and Dragons with his friends. I got him a special dragon t-shirt to wear.
Leo turned 9 in November. He is a self motivated third grader who has managed his own virtual learning. He reads too much and likes to play the piano. He received a Gravitrax set for his birthday and has built the coolest marble mazes. He continued to participate in Cub Scouts and learned how to carve using a pocket knife.
Amy at 6 decided that she was going to learn how to ride her bike and she did it. She pedals like the wind and loves fiercely. Virtual first grade was a happy development for Amy who likes to stay home. She developed an interest in gems and rocks. She is very creative, loves to paint and constantly creates art to give to those she loves. The highlight of her life is going to the dollar store or hanging out with her best friend, Doug.
Austin turned 3 in November. He is still the most loving joyful little person who gives the tightest hugs to those he knows, otherwise it’s a growl. Most often he can be found building blocks, playing with monster trucks or digging in the sandbox. He often asks to go back to the beach. His language has exploded this year but my favorite is that he calls all bugs “spidermans and ladybugs.”
We made a trip out to Utah and Idaho in July due to the unexpected passing of our brother in law, Steve. It was a completely devastating time for all of us. I was able to sing at the funeral which was a very special gift for me. We broke up the monotony of staying home with a couple of fun social distanced trips. We rented a cabin in Massanutten, a mountain ski town in the summer. We also spent a week down at our beloved Outer Banks in October. The calm of the ocean cheered us all up.
It was quite the year, 2020. We hope for a brighter, happier new year. Merry Christmas to you all.
Love, Gentri, Heber, Leo, Amy and Austin Green
