Here's a little update on the Darringtons of Morrisville, Pennsylvania. Twenty things about 2020.
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| photo cred: Steve Ross |
1. We went on a family trip to West Virginia. To be away and to do some exploring. We saw waterfalls and beautiful mountain vistas, and we played games (Uncle Jordan came!) and looked (in vain) for restaurants and watched Chopped and Fresh Prince. Ann dropped her diamond wedding ring down the sink at our rental house but got it back thanks to some very kind West Virginian strangers.
2. John (13) worked as a ref for a youth flag football league. He liked earning his own money and developed the skill of not reacting while adults yelled at him.
3. Jeremy received the most compliments on his pandemic work-from-home zoom background: our sun-bright sunroom, often graced by his home grown sprout plants. He also grew us lots of tomatoes, squash, and greens in the garden he built.
4. Mina (7) performed in an outdoor dance recital and then decided to take a break from dance classes. She has not, however, taken any breaks from actually dancing.
5. Charles (15) was in the Pennsbury Jazz ensemble and the marching band (before everything got cancelled). They were going to perform in China in April (almost!), then pivoted to France, before all plans were scrapped. He worked at a mini-golf course in the summer and Fall.
6. Edmund (10, almost 11) played center (usually) on his flag football team and made a goal to pull lots of flags on defense. He improved throughout the season and did pull lots of flags at key moments.
7. Jeremy and Ann celebrated 20 years of marriage by sneaking away to hike and see waterfalls in Ithaca, NY and sample all the sparkling water flavors. Two decades in, they still love being together.
8. Ann taught Sunday school classes via zoom, and Jeremy helped her.
9. Jeremy and Ann started doing yoga again in the mornings. They are both very happy about that.
10. We bought standing desks, loft beds, office chairs, and ethernet cables. We bought ear buds and headphones. We bought sweatpants and stretchy pants and sweatshirts. And we bought lots and lots of chips and chocolate.
11. Jeremy sang with his choir while on mute. Then recorded himself singing alone for his virtual concert. Jeremy and Ann both practiced and played handbells at home and recorded to a director's track for a virtual performance that was featured in our Christmas worship service. How we miss making live music with others!
13. Charles practiced all the instruments in the house. Including trumpet, cornet, baritone, trombone, saxophone, piano, recorder, and ukulele. He's also developing drumming skills. Often he played these instruments during his virtual "gym" class. Often his siblings told him to be quiet.
14. John still plays trombone and he also plays video games. Not necessarily in that order (definitely not in that order). He's also now the caretaker for a tiny hamster.
15. Edmund loves to draw, and his parents love it when he gives his drawings to them as gifts. Mina also gives drawings as gifts and writes good letters.
16. Ann worked for the US Census this year as an enumerator (she knocked at peoples' doors and asked them census questions). It was tough, hot work but she learned a lot about the people in our community. She also worked as a writing coach helping people with various writing projects, from short stories to scholarly papers. She loves this work.
17. Homeownership is bringing out the handyman in Jeremy. This year he has fixed appliances and leaks and generally figured out how to solve a bunch of problems with his top-notch brain. And sometimes we just call in the pros.
18. We all love to read, but Mina might have us all beat with her heartfelt devotion to that pastime. "Some people think books are just words on a page," she told us recently. "But to me they are more than that. They are excitement and chaos and . . . so much more." She's been reading Harry Potter and Dogman in equal parts. And anything girly. Edmund has been reading Percy Jackson, John has been reading Artemis Fowl and Hunger Games and anything by Stuart Gibbs, and Charles has been reading whatever he can find on his parents' shelves that looks interesting, including some nonfiction. And of course they all just pass their books around to each other.
19. We read the entire Book of Mormon out loud together this year. We had church at home and on Zoom. We fasted and prayed for friends and loved ones who were sick and grieving.
20. We made lots of mistakes and forgot to be kind to each other. We got thoroughly sick of each other and wondered if the house would ever be quiet or empty again. We cried for what we've lost and said what we were grateful for. And we laughed and laughed and played guess what song Amazon Music will play next. We had Sunday game nights and Friday Mandalorian-watching nights (though on most nights nobody could agree on what to watch). And we got through it all with the help of God, who is very patient and gracious.
We love you, our friends and family, no matter what year it is, and look forward to hugging you one day soon. Happy New Year!
