Well, I guess it
speaks to the world that was in 2020 that I had yet to write to you three about
anything. That speaks to my distraction, but also I guess failure to stay on
top of all the tasks and use my time diligently. This year has also proved
something that most would want to forget.
It will go down
in the history books, 2020, the year of COVID. Not since the 1918 Spanish Flu
has something gripped so completely the entire world. This virus originated in
China, and due to their lack of communication and secrecy that so defines
authoritarian governments the virus spread around the globe in earnest
beginning in March. I actually traveled to Asia in February, the virus was well
known by then but it is not very deadly unless you have what are called co-morbidities,
in this case age, weight, and heart issues seemed to be 3 big ones, the vast
majority of deaths in those 70 years and older. It was strange to visit places
normally packed with crowds and find them mostly empty. Hong Kong airport was a
ghost town, I had the Cathay Pacific lounge virtually to myself. I had a drink
with an employee at the top of the Marina Bay Sands (kind of famous building)
it was great to have such a small crowd.
In any case
shortly after my return the world began locking down, including you two
finishing your school year from home. It was great at first, the weather was
nice, the days were short, though we missed the quality of instruction and
learning you received from in person learning. As I was employed in Aerospace,
I was very worried about losing my job. My company did two massive layoffs,
very secretly for that matter. In the first I found out on a Friday that my
boss, an extremely gifted VP had been let go, I always saw her as a future
President at the company. I also learned that I would have to fire all of my
direct reports.
Saying goodbye to
my team was the worst professional day of my career. I dreaded it all weekend,
I felt awful knowing what was to come, and that they did not. They were all
great employees, diligent and skilled at their work, none of them was in any
was deserving of what was coming. Costs have to be cut, but I would have
preferred a kinder way, and better benefits than 1 week paid for every year of
service. I cried after my first call, the knowledge I could not protect them,
and now they had to worry about providing for their families, weighed really
heavily on me. I keep in touch with all of them, and immediately offered to
help in any way I could.
Seeing how my
company was treating their employees, and having already seen the trend of
cutting cost and not investing in products or people solidified my decision to
find alternative employment- Ill write about that another time, but thankfully
God blessed us with a great opportunity.
Summer vacations-
well that was complicated this year. Quinn we wanted to take you to LEGOLAND
but California shut down everything they could- as of November its still not
open… Thank God for Las Vegas…. Never thought id say that! We did a quick 2
night trip to Circus Circus and had a blast. The first day we hit the pool-
main reason for staying there, and rode all the water slides and had a ton of
fun. That night we explored some of the hotels and had some great pizza. You
guys all loved the fountains at Bellagio, we watched them twice. The next day
was the Adventuredome! Its this giant pink dome that has a ton of
rollercoasters, rides and attractions inside. You guys were all really brave,
Deacon I think you were particularly brave on the rollercoasters- you did
canyon blaster like 4 times. Cora you loved one that almost made us sick at
first, called the inverter. We thought it was just going to spin around, then
the whole seats we were strapped into started spinning, you and Deacon were
scared at first but then liked it. Actually, I don’t think Deacon rode it again
but you did it about 6 times. Quinn you loved the bumper cars, airplane ride,
and carousel. Deacon you also really liked laser tag, it brought back memories
for me because my mom had taken me there when I was a kid. I remember how
excited I was, you were the same way!
Next up was Lake
Tahoe. We made the journey again, to a different better house this time. It was
great as always, beautiful weather, bike rides, hot tub at night and in the
morning, and some fun hikes. We rented a boat and hung out with the Barretts
while we were there, in fact they bought a house this year so that was pretty
amazing. The hike to Emerald Bay that you all struggled with last year you did
awesome on this year, those legs are getting stronger, as is your belief in
your abilities. Quinn I didn’t have to carry you up very much of it at all this
time. This year we also rented a little condo in a place called Kirkwood. It is
a ski resort in the winter, those slopes looked steep! But in the summer it’s a
great place for hiking and to use as basecamp. Cora I don’t know if you will
remember but you and I swam out to this cool rock in the middle of a lake and
got to the top- it was tricky, we stood up there and celebrated and then jumped
off, into some freezing but beautiful clear water. One evening we all went for
a walk on the ski slopes, it was magical. The ski runs become meadows in the
summer, filled with flowers with little streams flowing everywhere from the
melting snow on the mountain. All kinds of beautiful trees line the meadows and
it was like we were in heaven. We took a bunch of pictures and Cora you kept
remarking on how beautiful it was and how you didn’t want to go home, I was so
happy you could enjoy it like mom and I did.
All in all the
summer went by quickly…. So quickly I am writing this in January of 2021…. So I
have another entry to make, there were birthdays and a ski trip to still write
about, next time- but before 2022!
Cora- this summer
it was so nice seeing how grown up and confident you have become. You take on
new challenges and situations so well, and love to travel. It is such a change
from the shy reserved little girl you were. You have also been enjoying
volleyball and really improved your serves and play on the court. You are as
fine a student in lockdown as you were when school was in person, always
organized, on time, and getting good grades, you even helped me out with
Deacons schedule. You make life easy on us parents, and do a good job all the
time of reminding me that I am “and old man”.
Quinn, you give the best hugs! You are always telling me what a good daddy I am and laughing and playing with your sister and brother, but especially your brother. You guys make up all kinds of games, and though you don’t quite get it- you try and play Pokemon with him. You always say your favorite card is one that sounds like Suck A Lego, but its some other name. You just started dance classes and Mimi has been taking you to ride horses a lot, you always tell me how you ride them alone, “like a big girl”. You are so kind and smart and generous with your affections, you also can naturally manipulate people into getting what you want- less effective on mom and I, but it doesn’t mean you don’t try. You turned 4 on our trip to Tahoe, which you were very excited about. Our baby of the family is growing quickly, its fun- but makes us all feel older at the same time.
