How Have You Been, Fellow Traveler? It’s Been a Quite a Year.

Midway through 2019, our family declared it The Year of the Slighs. We’re one of those families who finds joy among challenges, mostly because we choose to have a good attitude no matter what happens – and lots of things have happened in the two-and-a-half decades since Mr. Andi and I first met in 1994. But 2019 was different, because it seemed like a lot of things were starting to go our way:

• The year started with two biggies: Jackson Kayak gifted Mr. Andi a new kayak after hearing he lost his in Louisiana that fall, and I won a contest for a new camera lens. I never win ANYTHING so it felt HUGE.
• Sarah Kate received a partial scholarship for St. Michael Catholic High School, became a brand ambassador for Alinker, scored well enough on the ACT on her first try to take the pressure off of college admissions, and set multiple national records on her first visit to the Adaptive Sports USA Junior Nationals (oh, and she decided to start a YouTube channel – you should check it out!)
• Nathan made tremendous strides in speech due to an amazing product, actually got pretty good at T-ball, adapted amazingly well to a change in schools, and reached another milestone that was a REALLY long time coming.

Then 2020 started out strong, too. Sarah Kate and I traveled to Colorado in January so that she could compete in a swim meet at the US Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. She met (or became reacquainted with) several US Paralympic Team coaches and swimmers, including our friend McKenzie Coan. We stayed with our cousins in Denver – longtime readers will remember “Baby Megan”, born with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). Megan is now eight years old (yes, really!). We arranged for Megan to meet McKenzie, who also has OI, and it was hands-down the best part of the trip. 

Sarah Kate and Megan have always had a special bond. They “get” each other because they both understand what it’s like to have bodies that don’t work the way most people’s do. Megan especially seemed enthralled by the experience of being at the swim meet where no one cared that she uses a wheelchair. To come face-to-face with someone who has her same condition as has accomplished so much was incredibly powerful for Megan and the whole family.

Our optimism continued into February. 

We traveled to Orlando for Sarah Kate to attempt the Princess 5K at Walt Disney World and stay with my good friend, Katie, and her family. We used to visit a couple of times a year, but we hadn’t seen them since the same weekend back in 2017. The weather was cold and miserable, but she rocked the distance and was recognized by race announcer Carissa Galloway who featured her story about her first mile at the finish. The trip was quick but fun and I was so happy to see my friend after such a long time away. 

The next week, Nathan received recognition for his entry into his school’s science fair, and we traveled to Auburn so Sarah Kate could attend Engineering Day and swim in a meet at the university, which also gave her a chance to talk to some of the Auburn swim coaches. She became more convinced than ever that her future includes attending Auburn University.

When we were at Epcot the day after the 5K, we saw one woman wearing a face mask, reminding us that COVID-19 was out there…somewhere. The next weekend in Auburn we were talking to my mom about the COVID-19 news out of Washington state. My stepdad has a rare immune disorder, and she was talking about stocking up on things in case they needed to stay home for a couple of weeks.

That was on February 29.

Two weeks later, spring t-ball was suspended, schools were closed, I began writing COVID-19 statements for my clients, and I ordered fabric online to make face masks.

Sarah Kate’s friends lost their prom and graduation, she completed the school year online, and we haven’t been inside our family’s favorite Mexican restaurant – the one we used to visit almost every week – for a year, choosing to support them by ordering takeout instead.

In September, we took an almost direct hit from Hurricane Sally.

But we were lucky: our home and property had minimal damage, we were physically unharmed, our power was out for only three days, and we have wonderful neighbors who helped us out while Mr. Andi worked storm restoration around the clock for twelve days.

One month later, one of those wonderful neighbors was dead from COVID-19. I still frequently get choked up when I look out the front window and see their house. Nathan learned to swim in Mr. Randy’s pool after he offered to let us use it for private swim lessons. We cooked out in their backyard. We had countless conversations in each other’s yards. 

Many people’s homes and livelihoods were destroyed by Sally. Among them was another person dear to us, Sarah Kate’s swim coach. Coach Rich purchased the Eastern Shore Aquatics Center a decade ago and was a few months away from paying off the loan when Sally ripped it to shreds.

He was never able to obtain hurricane insurance on the building and has limited financing options available to rebuild – it will probably take two to three years. The team splintered, with some quitting swim altogether while the rest scrambled to find another team that had room for them in a time when pool space was limited due to COVID-19. Sarah Kate, Nathan, and I now drive 60 miles each way, three days a week, so she can swim. Nathan isn’t swimming at all. 

Today marks one year since I last saw my mom and stepdad.

One year since I felt like writing anything for you, reader. One year since the world changed for all of us. One year since I left behind the naive dread of a bittersweet senior year filled with “lasts”. When Sarah Kate’s senior year arrived, many of the lasts had already happened and when they did, I didn’t know they were the lasts. I didn’t get to see her teammates support her at a swim meet because I wasn’t allowed to go to them. Only two tickets were allowed for the state swim meet – girls only, all in one day, with reduced athlete participation. Mr. Andi hasn’t seen her swim a single time.

Weekly Mass at her school, normally open to visitors, was closed – the last one I attended was on Ash Wednesday before the pandemic. All of the para-swimming meets we had hoped to travel to were canceled, and there are still none confirmed on the calendar.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed for an in-person graduation with guests. 

There are reasons for optimism – first and foremost, the arrival of the vaccine. My mom receives her second dose today, both my stepdad and stepmom have received both doses, and Mr. Andi and I both received our first dose on Friday – Mr. Andi because of his essential status and me due to a combination of hyper-vigilance, persistence, and blind luck. 

If you’ve read this far, thank you. We all have a 2020 story. I know our family’s is not special, we were richly blessed in many ways over the past year, and many families are not as fortunate. I plan to share more about what’s happening with the kids – the reason you come here! – but I didn’t feel I could do it without catching you up a little on what came before. 

Blessings to you, fellow traveler along this uncertain road. I’ll see you again soon.