I just wanted to share this audio clip with you so we can always remember it. Every night I tuck you and Maximus in one at a time. We talk a little about the day, I pray for you and then we sing a song. I always sing "You Are My Sunshine" to you and then I sing "Never Grow Up" to Maximus. You recently started complaining that Maximus' song is longer and so I started singing "Joy Invincible" to you too. That song has always reminded me of you because whenever I am having a bad day or I am down about something, you are always able to make me feel joy. Thats been especially helpful these past several months as we have been dealing with the craziness of 2020. The other night when I was tucking you in I recorded us singing together so that I can listen to it for the rest of my life and remember these sweet moments we have together now.
Sunday, August 2, 2020
Sunday, June 14, 2020
Black Lives Matter
Hey buddy,
2020 has been unlike any other year I have been alive. First, the coronavirus struck and subsequently the world as we know it was shut down. This has devastated the economy and left most of us wondering when/if/how we will come out of this.
Then on May 25, 2020 a black man named George Floyd was killed by a white police officer while being arrested. The whole thing was caught on video and was horrifying to watch. I couldn't watch the whole thing. George was choked by the officer who was kneeling on his neck. The video got out and the whole country (and much of the world) was horrified. People began marching in the streets and protesting, holding signs and chanting about the injustices that they have experienced or witnessed in the world.
You and Maximus have grown up knowing and loving people of color, some of whom are your family. You have often noted their different skin tones, but its always been sort of a side note/observation and hasn't really warranted much conversation. Dad and I may have been remiss up to this point because we have never really talked to you directly about racism. But as the events following Floyd's death unfolded, I felt like the most tangible and necessary thing we could do was to have some discussion within our family about this very difficult issue. We ordered children's books on slavery, segregation and Martin Luther King. We spent the week reading through them together and you and Maximus were both very interested and asked a lot of questions. You seemed excited by what MLK did and said. Still, it felt like an abstract concept for a 6 year old.
Then last week I picked you up from grammy and paps'. As we were leaving, the maintenance man from their complex stopped by and started going on about how he was quitting his job there. During his rant he used language and talked about people of color in a way that made me cringe. It was some of the most overt racism I have personally experienced and he did it right there in front of my kids. I didn't know how to effectively confront the man so instead we just got up and left. Once we got in the car I talked to you guys about what we just experienced. I told you that it was an example of racism. You kind of cut me off and said, "why do we still have to talk about this!?" I thought you were annoyed by having to have a serious conversation and I said, "because it is important that we talk about it. What that man said was wrong." And you said, "No, I mean, why are we still talking about this?!? Martin Luther King fought for this a long time ago so why is it still happening?" You seemed genuinely perplexed and also so very wise.
On the drive home we just so happened to drive through a neighborhood protest where people were holding signs and waving at cars as we drove past. They were black and white people and they had signs saying things like, "The answer is LOVE." We honked and waved and cheered with them.
All of that happened within about a 20 minute period. It was intense but I think it was a really great way for you and Maximus to see the impact of racism first hand so that you are better prepared to be champions against it as you grow.
2020 has been unlike any other year I have been alive. First, the coronavirus struck and subsequently the world as we know it was shut down. This has devastated the economy and left most of us wondering when/if/how we will come out of this.
Then on May 25, 2020 a black man named George Floyd was killed by a white police officer while being arrested. The whole thing was caught on video and was horrifying to watch. I couldn't watch the whole thing. George was choked by the officer who was kneeling on his neck. The video got out and the whole country (and much of the world) was horrified. People began marching in the streets and protesting, holding signs and chanting about the injustices that they have experienced or witnessed in the world.
You and Maximus have grown up knowing and loving people of color, some of whom are your family. You have often noted their different skin tones, but its always been sort of a side note/observation and hasn't really warranted much conversation. Dad and I may have been remiss up to this point because we have never really talked to you directly about racism. But as the events following Floyd's death unfolded, I felt like the most tangible and necessary thing we could do was to have some discussion within our family about this very difficult issue. We ordered children's books on slavery, segregation and Martin Luther King. We spent the week reading through them together and you and Maximus were both very interested and asked a lot of questions. You seemed excited by what MLK did and said. Still, it felt like an abstract concept for a 6 year old.
Then last week I picked you up from grammy and paps'. As we were leaving, the maintenance man from their complex stopped by and started going on about how he was quitting his job there. During his rant he used language and talked about people of color in a way that made me cringe. It was some of the most overt racism I have personally experienced and he did it right there in front of my kids. I didn't know how to effectively confront the man so instead we just got up and left. Once we got in the car I talked to you guys about what we just experienced. I told you that it was an example of racism. You kind of cut me off and said, "why do we still have to talk about this!?" I thought you were annoyed by having to have a serious conversation and I said, "because it is important that we talk about it. What that man said was wrong." And you said, "No, I mean, why are we still talking about this?!? Martin Luther King fought for this a long time ago so why is it still happening?" You seemed genuinely perplexed and also so very wise.
On the drive home we just so happened to drive through a neighborhood protest where people were holding signs and waving at cars as we drove past. They were black and white people and they had signs saying things like, "The answer is LOVE." We honked and waved and cheered with them.
All of that happened within about a 20 minute period. It was intense but I think it was a really great way for you and Maximus to see the impact of racism first hand so that you are better prepared to be champions against it as you grow.
Sunday, April 12, 2020
2020 Quarantine
Dear Titus,
paps and we went over to their house with donuts. We had to leave the treats on their doorstep then stay 6 feet away when we visited with them. That's because we are in the middle of the Coronavirus Pandemic. A virus that started in China has spread throughout the world and is highly contagious. People catch it quickly and many people have to be hospitalized or even die from it. In order to reduce transmission, the local, state and federal government has put orders into effect limiting contact that people can have outside of their home. It's been really weird. Your school shut down for the rest of the year in March. Dad and I have both been working from home and trying to homeschool you and Maximus. Restaurants and businesses are shut down. There is a lot of hysteria in the news. They recommend that you wear face masks when in public and you are supposed to stay at least 6 feet away from people at all times. So, needless to say, you, Maximus, dad and I have spent a lot of time together lately. We get a little stir crazy sometimes and we miss our friends and family. You spend 30 minutes every school morning on a zoom meeting with your classmates. Yesterday we met grandma, granny Ann, and the Boggs at Dairy Queen drive through and sat across the parking lot from each other in our cars. Luckily the weather in AZ is still really nice and we get to be outside a lot. You and Maximus play basketball on our driveway every day and we go on a lot of walks.
We still see the Grudeckis a lot. We haven't really quarantined from them. We did an Easter Egg hunt with them today at the park. It was really sweet. I loved watching you run carefree and be so excited when you would find an egg. I would give you hints on where to find them, because I wanted you to get a lot <3. I loved watching you open your eggs and fill your mouth full of jelly Beans.
Today was Easter 2020. It was great. It was one of the most low key holidays we have ever had. You boys woke up and checked out your Easter baskets, we made "resurrection rolls" and watched church online. Then you and Maximus made some pictures and filled a basket of candy for grammy and
paps and we went over to their house with donuts. We had to leave the treats on their doorstep then stay 6 feet away when we visited with them. That's because we are in the middle of the Coronavirus Pandemic. A virus that started in China has spread throughout the world and is highly contagious. People catch it quickly and many people have to be hospitalized or even die from it. In order to reduce transmission, the local, state and federal government has put orders into effect limiting contact that people can have outside of their home. It's been really weird. Your school shut down for the rest of the year in March. Dad and I have both been working from home and trying to homeschool you and Maximus. Restaurants and businesses are shut down. There is a lot of hysteria in the news. They recommend that you wear face masks when in public and you are supposed to stay at least 6 feet away from people at all times. So, needless to say, you, Maximus, dad and I have spent a lot of time together lately. We get a little stir crazy sometimes and we miss our friends and family. You spend 30 minutes every school morning on a zoom meeting with your classmates. Yesterday we met grandma, granny Ann, and the Boggs at Dairy Queen drive through and sat across the parking lot from each other in our cars. Luckily the weather in AZ is still really nice and we get to be outside a lot. You and Maximus play basketball on our driveway every day and we go on a lot of walks.
You and I were supposed to go on a mommy-son trip to Universal Studios and Santa Monica over spring break. The day we left though, we drove halfway there and decided to turn around because everything was being shut down because of COVID19. I was really sad and cried. You weren’t too sad. You were actually more sad about leaving Maximus and dad so I think you were relieved to head home. You are always kind of a homebody. Still, I hope we will get to do a 1:1 trip together next year or sometime so we can make memories together.
We still see the Grudeckis a lot. We haven't really quarantined from them. We did an Easter Egg hunt with them today at the park. It was really sweet. I loved watching you run carefree and be so excited when you would find an egg. I would give you hints on where to find them, because I wanted you to get a lot <3. I loved watching you open your eggs and fill your mouth full of jelly Beans. 
This morning when you and Maximus were looking through your baskets I looked at dad and said, "this may be one of the last Easters we have like this." I don't know how much longer the holidays will be magic for you so I am glad this one was so special. You and Maximus both slept in our bed last night because the thought of a giant bunny hopping through our house is kind of terrifying (for all of us). HAHA. It's not often that we let you and your brother both sleep in our bed but when you do you both always want to sleep on my side. You both say you like how my pillow smells. I think it smells like my shampoo or something. When dad asks why you don't like his side you always say, "because your pillow smells like hot gravy!" HAHAH. I don't know where you got that but it always cracks me up. 
I love you buddy. Thanks for making today so magical for me.
Mommy
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