March 2020

 It's been a hard month. It started off much like most winter months start but it ended differently than we ever could have imagined. It's hard to write this right now to be honest, tears are falling. But I'll try to re-cap it as this is a space I want to be able to re-visit in years to come and I want to get it down. 

Reese and I started the month in Lacombe for the Raptors U10 Step 3 Black Gold League wind-up. We had a blast with the team and they skated away with many memories and smiles! I also enjoyed catching up with a friend from Stony Plain and wife, as their daughter played on the Spruce Grove team. 

On March 12th Blake and the Peewee AA Lancers played their last hockey game of the season. However, they did not know this would be their last game. Prior to the game we found out that due to the ongoing concerns over COVID19, hockey would be cancelled for the remainder of the season. It was actually during warmup that I learned this news. I chose not to tell the coaches or the team but man was it hard to know this was the end of the season. The boys played their hearts out, winning the game vs CAC in 1on1 OT. They all thought this meant they would proceed in playoffs but after the game the coaches broke the news to them - season is over. There were many tears, of course a lot of confusion and anger. This was such a great group of kids, coaches and families, we're sad to not be able to finish the season off as I think they had potential to go all the way.

Now, everything feels like it is falling apart :( The kids are online learning due to the pandemic. My office has been shut down and I am relocated to a health unit in Fort Saskatchewan with just my laptop and cell phone and really, no clear direction. We don't know what is happening with our jobs. Sports and activities are cancelled and the most heart-breaking of all, our Disneyland trip is postponed. We really held out hope that we could still go but this is turning in to a long, drawn out thing and travel is not recommended. I am so unbelievably sad for the kids, we've planned for this and saved for so long, my heart breaks but I know we have to stay safe and we can go again one day. It just sucks. Taking down our "Countdown to Disneyland" sign was a real stab in the heart. 

The last few weeks of March have been spent at home, of course. Quinn turned 2 on the 15th and is loving having us home :) We've watched a lot of movies and played board games. Thank god for Facetime as the kids have been able to keep in touch with their friends. I'm pretty much the only one leaving the house, as I go to work 3 days a week. 

So ending on a sad note but honestly, I am sad and scared and worried. So surreal to go from living our normal lives to this. Stay safe everyone, please just follow the recommendation and restrictions so we can get through this together.