We have been really, really cautious with this whole COVID-thing. The kids were pulled out of school. We continue to mask, despite being vaccinated. We still avoid crowded restaurants, bars, and gatherings. We liberally utilize rapid-tests when we feel a bit under the weather or welcome visitors from outside our immediate family-pod.
So there was a little trepidation leading up to this, our first post-vaccine (but mid-pandemic) holiday. Would others be willing to exercise the same degree of caution that we do, even for a weekend, so that everyone could hang-out and enjoy the festivities with equal ease? Would there be tension if we asked folks to gently rub a swab in their nares before getting together? We didn’t know what to expect, but those concerns were allayed when Elizabeth asked people to test before visiting in advance of us even needing to bring it up. #thumbsup
Keith had to work on Wednesday and we would have arrived too late had we left after his workday was complete, so we all set our alarms on Wednesday night, woke-up early Thanksgiving morning, left surprisingly late considering how early we woke up, made an obligatory stop at Krispy Kreme in Clark’s Summit, and arrived to Paoli a little before noon, just in time to watch Santa arrive at Macy’s to conclude the Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The rest of the time was spent as most holidays usually are: with hugs, food, drinks, naps, broken televisions, tears, stories, and laughter. Okay – so it wasn’t without a few blemishes.
And while things were certainly different than they’ve ever been, everyone still seemed to be able to relish in our collective ability to share together in a holiday for the first time since December of 2019. It had been a very, very long 23 months, but – somehow – it still felt like so little time had passed at all.
Thanks to all who accept, welcome, and love us: to Elizabeth, Tim, Tommy, Edwardo, Angela, Steph, and DJ … this was the holiday that we needed to happen, and we are so very grateful that it did.
