tw1717

1-11-21-web

1-11-21-web
tw1717, Jan 11, 2021
Description:
1-11-21 - TELL ME A STORY
I had 1031 words to sum up 2020 for me

I used parts of Lynn Grieveson Sharp-eyed and Nesting kit.
Photo taken by Shelby 1-2020
Journaling Reads:

#2020
2020 was supposed to be all about me...however that didn't quite happen. Lots of changes some good and some not good and a particular sad event happened. So, as I started 2020 with the resolution of taking care of me. I wanted to focus on me - get a good hair color and style and keep it, eat better, work out more, get things organized in our house (decluttering etc.), do more in my scrapping and crafting (try my silhouette out!), spend more time with hubby.... you know those things. WELL life has a way of happening while you are making plans. Of course, things went awry with the pandemic... So, after Shelby and hubby moved back to KC from Chicago (July 2019) where she had gone back to school and graduated in May 2019, she announces she got a fashion photography job in SOUTH DAKOTA! Well, that was sudden and once the shock wore off, they were moving AGAIN, it was all good....SD is only 5 hours away from KC so not too bad, they weren't going to move until mid-March so 2 months to prepare. THEN my father announces in mid-February hey, I am having issue with my vision. So off to the dr we go and sigh....no more driving - he has wet macular degeneration in both eyes and his left eye has no vision left at all. So now he is going to an eye specialist for shots monthly in his right eye to preserve the vision he has (which is not much) ...so he went from self-sufficient (driving etc.) to now needing to be driven around for errands and stuff. No biggie.

Then at the very early stages of the pandemic, Shelby's mother-in-law - a funny, hysterical, LOUD, loving person - suddenly passed away at the age of 50 due to a massive stroke. She didn't pass away for a week as she was on life support waiting for her sister to get to KC from Guam...unfortunately this all happened RIGHT at the same time when they started locking down hospitals. Unfortunately, they wouldn't let her sister in to see her due to lockdown...sigh. So, Shelby's move to SD was postponed for 2 weeks for time to grieve/family time and her hubby and his brothers are devastated...as are the rest of the family. Then there was what happens to the youngest brother, 15 and the grandma who lived with the mother-in-law...finally got that all straightened out, but no funeral or memorial services could happen. It was very surreal and unbelieving. But we go ahead and move the kids to SD 2 weeks later and got their little rental house all set up and decorated and she started her job, but I ended up cutting my trip short as KC was going on mandatory lockdown city wide and I wanted to get back home before it went into effect...so got home 1 day before, stocked up my dad on food and us on food and we hunkered down.

Fast forward to beginning of June 2020 and I get the FaceTime call that Shelby is pregnant (surprise!)! First grandchild! WOOHOO...oh wait...they have no family in SD! Well we will just have to come often....45 days later she calls me and says nope, they are moving back to KC....they discussed it and don't want to have a baby and be all alone in SD and her hubby found out his work had a location in KC as well and he could transfer and with both of them really family oriented and especially after the loss of her hubby's mom he really wanted to be close to the rest of his family as well as she wanted to be near family. So, they planned a mid-September move back...

We are now in August of 2020 when my oldest son announces, oh hey mom, we got picked by a birth mother for adoption...and she's having TWINS. So, I am now going to be a 3x grandma all at once! 9/1/20 the twins were born 6 weeks premature (boy/girl) and spent 4 weeks in NICU...it was so hard cause nobody could see them except my son and his wife due to Covid. But they finally got home after 4 weeks and I got to see them and spent literally an entire day (about 10 hours) just holding and cuddling and feeding etc....but due to pandemic visits are limited and nobody really gets to see them much, but we get lots of photos and videos...and they only live 15 min from me. Both my oldest son and his wife are teachers and went back to work the week before Thanksgiving...that is a very different teaching experience for them....my son teaches vocal music...no singing, no humming. Its basically sight reading and book work...super boring.

So still dealing with my dad and his eye issues and he started developing some memory issues and it has been determined he has early dementia...so that has been hard dealing with that. Stated causing me stress but I am managing. I am the primary person who cares for him (driving him to DR and getting his food and stuff). Shelby and hubby were living with my dad temporarily as her hubby was able to transfer his job from SD to KC and they wanted to buy a house...2 months from moving to KC they bought a house and moved in 2 weeks before Thanksgiving 2020! WOOHOO... Things are looking up for them!

We are now in December 2020...my youngest son and his hubby came from Chicago - first trip to KC since pandemic and I got the best Christmas gift ever - they were chosen by a birth mother and will be parents in April 2021!

I started off 2020 with '0' grandchildren and will have 4 by April 2021! To say I am overwhelmed with love and emotion is an understatement. So, while 2020 All about me didn't quite turn out as expected and we had sadness that still doesn't seem real at all, it had lots of goodness. Even though we can't visit a lot in person with each other, I am blessed beyond measure.
#2020
ajm likes this.
    • cfile
      Congratulations on your growing family! How wonderful for you and your husband, and so glad that your daughter and husband were able to move back home to be closer to you all. So sorry to hear about your Dad. Macular Degeneration runs in my family too, both sides, and it is so hard to lose sight. For him to be at the early stages of dementia is so hard too. I am glad there will be babies to make him smile going forward, and so glad that with everything 2020 had wrong with it, it had everything right with all those Grandbabies here and those to come! Love your page and love the photo of you! Thanks for sharing your story. It is scrapped beautifully!
      Jan 11, 2021
      tw1717 likes this.
    • tw1717
      @cfile Thank you so much for your kind words...it was surely a whirlwind of a year along with everything else going on...WMD is very hard to deal with and he got hit hard in March - that, loss of driving/independence and then the pandemic....but we are managing....yes grand babies will be fun! they will in turn be within 7 months apart so hopefully they will be close growing up.
      Jan 11, 2021
      cfile likes this.
    • cfile
      @tw1717 I agree I understand completely with the WMD.. my Aunt had that (on my Mom's side) and my paternal Grandfather and paternal Aunt had DMD so I have both in my family. Currently I get checked yearly as I have a scar on my right macular and they are concerned. So far so good for me that it is not in my vision area and has not changed in the last 10 years but they keep checking me. So glad to hear of the silver lining for you with all your grandbabies. Continued prayers :)
      Jan 11, 2021
      tw1717 likes this.
    • StefanieS
      Congrats Grandma - I am just a little jealous x4. Amazing. Something good to come out of these hard tough times. All the best for your Dad and your loving care of him.
      Jan 11, 2021
      tw1717 likes this.
    • garrynkim
      I love the foreshadowing right a the beginning of your story. I am so happy for you and the good things that came out of 2020, especially the grandchildren, they are/will be a blessing for this new year!
      Jan 11, 2021
    • bestcee
      Oh wow! What a year you've had! I love the story of moving Shelby back and forth. And how exciting to have 4 grandkids! And fun that they will all be around the same age. I see Grandma sleepovers in your future. Thank you for playing in my challenge!
      Jan 14, 2021
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    Journaling Challenge
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    Date:
    Jan 11, 2021
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