Fall 2021

School started in August pretty normal and we were so glad!  We actually got lockers back, got to go into the building and meet the teachers, and things felt back to normal.  I can't believe I have a HIGH SCHOOLER and Keatyn is in her last year of elementary.  I fought the tears.  My babies are so big!

Two weeks into school, we got an email on Sunday night saying 2 of the 4 fifth grade classes were being quarantined because of high covid cases.  Oh boy... here we go.  So Keatyn stayed home on Monday.  On Tuesday, August 31st I go upstairs to wait Trace up and when I touched him, he was burning up.  Sigh.  Sylvia called a friend that had at home tests and I ran up on the ridge to grab a few.  I armored up with gloves and a mask and went to wake up my boy.  As I was swabbing his nose, he sneezed all over me.  Bless his heart, he felt so bad and kept apologizing.  His test came back positive and the countdown was on for the rest of us.  I told him to stay in his room and the playroom and told Jimmy and Keatyn to stay on the bottom 2 floors.  I ran back and forth all day taking him food and taking his temp.  Poor kid felt so bad and ran a fever for 5 days.  There were days he slept 18 hours out of the 24.  It broke my heart.  That night, Keatyn complained of just not feeling great.  So, the 3 of us say around the kitchen table, swabbed, and tested ourselves.  Good family fun right there...

Keatyn was positive too.  By that point, she had been ALL over the house that day.  So there was really no point in any of us quarantining away from each other.  We were pretty much swimming in it.  Keatyn kinda claimed the basement and set up camp there for the rest of the week.  She was pretty asymptomatic and just didn't have a lot of energy.  My MIL described it best when she said she was "enjoying poor health."  Meanwhile, Trace hardly got out of bed all week.

Jimmy and I, realizing we were going to be stuck in the house for a few weeks decided to start Friday Night Lights on Netflix.  Yes, we were just about 15 years late to that party.  On Saturday, we were sitting there watching it and I thought... uh oh, here it is.  I waited until Sunday morning to test and within seconds my stick turned bright red.  Apparently that indicated a big viral load.  Ironically, Keatyn and I never ran a fever.  So my new PSA to everyone became... YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A FEVER TO HAVE COVID.  This, after we spent a year plus taking our kids temperatures as the gateway to whether they could go to school or not.  

This was about day 6 of no hair washing.  She looked like a hot mess.  When she finally did wash her hair she laughed and said some Ramen noodles fell out.  Lol!

Covid hair, don't care.

Much better!

I had been fully vaccinated and was very thankful I did ok through Covid and was BEYOND thankful Jimmy somehow never got it.  It honestly was the grace of God because it was ALL around him.  My symptoms were cough, snot, fatigue and overall blah, but one of the weirdest symptoms was despite having a fever, I could not control my body temperature.  It was the craziest thing.  I would go from one extreme to another in seconds. I realized when Maddux's mom brought us Olive Garden and dessert that I had lost my smell.  Jimmy walked past me with all the food and I couldn't smell it.  That was such a crazy feeling!  Day 6 and 7 were my worst and I really don't remember much about them.  I spend those 2 days pretty much asleep according to Jimmy.  He said he got a little concerned during that time but luckily we all came through it ok.  I have thanked the Lord many, many times since for his protection over my family during that scary time.  I feel very blessed we all came out ok and was very thankful we hadn't seen any of the grandparents before to expose them.  

A few weeks later, although the fatigue and cough lingered, I took Keatyn and Emerson for manis and pedis.  I felt good to be back out in the world again.

Trace missed a chunk of his golf season with Covid but got back in time to finish it up.  He was weak but made it through 9 holes.  Jimmy set me up with a fan blowing on my back and a towel to cough in for the last few matches.  Coughing and golf don't really go together but I made it through and was really glad I didn't miss it.

His last match was on Lookout Mountain and it was so beautiful he obliged with a picture.  Gosh, I can't even describe how much I love this kid.  

We had been promising him a boat trip with his buddies before Covid hit.  So once we were all well we took them for a tube ride.  It was the end of September and I thought they were crazy for getting in that cold water but it didn't seem to bother them a bit.  They ALL 4 rode on the tube for hours and the squeals coming from them absolutely cracked me up!

This girl... she's never met a rib she didn't like.

He's there...

My sweet Nanny turned 93 on October 15 and we celebrated at mom's with a birthday party.  I love this lady so much and was so thankful to get to spend another birthday with her.

They finished the golf season with a wonderful banquet at Food Works.  Very thankful for Godly coaches that pour into our children like Wes Moore.  

Earlier that day, Keatyn got her braces on.  She was really pumped, for about 10 minutes.  Lol!  She was very thankful there was quacamole at the banquet because that was about all she could eat.

Last picture without metal...

For fall break, we went to Destin for a few days and then met my parents in Atlanta on Monday, October 11 to watch the Braves play the Brewers in the playoffs.  It was such a fun day!  My mom felt too bad to come to the game but she stayed behind at the Embassy.  The Braves pulled out a win and the energy in Truist Park was unbelievable.  

The week before, we spent a few days down south.  The weather was wonderful and we had a great time.  So thankful for this special time together.

We did our first ever deep sea fishing trip and had a ball!  We all caught some and even got to take it to AJ's after and they cooked it for us.  Such a fun day!