My name is Jessica, and the year 2020 has been quite an interesting year. Many joys happened this year, and many sorrows as well. The lives lost from natural disasters, sickness and the coronavirus are unimaginable. I’m sorry to anyone grieving this year.
The year started out pretty good for me. I finally became a substitute teacher after trying to have a teacher position for years. My children were thriving in school, and my husband enjoyed his job. Then, March 13 halted everything with this unknown sickness called the coronavirus.
Year of the coronavirus
My attendant first told me about the coronavirus in late December 2019. I thought no way would we be affected. Wow, I was wrong on that one. When everything closed in March, we all thought it would be temporary. School sadly closed indefinitely for the rest of the school year, businesses closed, everything just about changed. It was a time when we all scattered to find masks because it became a requirement.
Luckily, our school district sprung into action with online school. They were somehow up and running within a week. My daughter took to it easily although very much disappointed that her school musical could only perform one night. Jason wasn’t a fan of online school. He missed the routine of walking to school and home with his friends. Jason missed his teachers and friends. I absolutely dreaded telling him school closed indefinitely.
To add to everything, my husband was taking care of many who were sick in a nursing home. The doctor there kept telling him that the sickness wasn’t coronavirus. Alas, they were incorrect-my husband had the coronavirus and gave it to me. I gave it to my attendant. Luckily, none of us had it to the point of hospitalization, but it was very much real. We were sick! Don’t be fooled – the coronavirus isn’t something to mess with.
Our immediate family went through a trying time after the coronavirus with lack of communication and issues that we hadn’t dealt with prior. It almost tore us apart. However, with serious determination, communication, effort, forgiveness and God – we came back stronger than ever.
Year – Summer during a Pandemic
The summer wasn’t as eventful as usual because just about everything that we had planned had a cancellation. I did work half day at a summer camp. We also went camping for a few days in a cabin in July. Early in June, my best friend’s mom suddenly passed away. That was and still is tragic. She went too soon. In August, we feared that I needed a hip replacement. Luckily, I needed a steroid shot instead and it’s still keeping pain away. I did become physically in shape because I worked out constantly.
My husband and I decided to enroll Jason in an online school with the uncertainty of the coronavirus. Laura stayed in online school. Towards the end of August, I had an offer to be a building substitute teacher. My husband decided to downgrade his work so he could work with Jason online school so I could do my career. We basically switched roles. A little growing pains in the beginning, but it works pretty well. We are hoping that things will go back to normal and Jason can return to school in the fall.
Towards the end of October, I had an opportunity that I only dreamed of forever. The school hired me to be a life skills teacher in high school for someone out on maternity leave. But they want me to stay on at the school as a teacher until the end of the year. It’s been the most challenging rewarding job ever. I’m so grateful. Laura finally became confirmed into the Catholic Church (it was postponed since April.) And she played Cinderella in a school zoom play.
December
So, now we are at the end of the year. My children are both honor and distinguished honor students. Jason won the Reading Bee award. Laura’s involved in the honor society, Destinations for career and plays. They are kind and keep my life active. My relationship with my husband has deepened. My relationship with God has definitely deepened with much prayer. I felt sad when churches closed and I went when they opened, but recently stopped with the surge of the coronavirus again.
I wonder what the next year has planned.
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