A Year in Review

I think a lot of us thought that 2021 would be the year we went back to normal and didn't have to talk about COVID constantly, and while we made improvements in that direction, COVID proved to be here for the long haul. One thing I kept reflecting on in 2021 is that we don't actually want to go back to the normal of the past. The normal of the future is more exciting, inclusive, freeing, and ourselves. Here is my year in review that shows my path to where I am today. 

After witnessing the insurrection on the US Capitol on January 6th, Syd and I paused to watch the historic inauguration of Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden on January 20th. We wore our Biden Harris shirts and sat on the couch to watch. The ceremony was emotional for both of us as we watched Amanda Gorman perform her poem, Lady Gaga sing, and then the swearing in ceremony. I loved watching the first, but not the last, female Vice President being sworn into office. A great day to be an American and it felt like a dark cloud was being lifted and we could finally feel hopeful again. 

In February I got my first dose of the COVID vaccine! It felt like the first step to being able to leave our homes without fear of getting sick or infecting a loved one. Anyone who knows me knows that I hate getting shots, but this was my civc duty, and I was happy to help the cause. 

After and entire year of being closed, Mercy High School reopened its doors to students in March. It was a long, anxiety filled process of planning and creating safety protocols, but we did it. I filmed a health and safety video for students and led health and safety training for faculty, staff, students, and parents. With regular testing, I am happy to report that we had very few cases in those first weeks back to school. It did happen, but we always did our best to keep our community safe, and I am proud of that. Seeing our students in person again was the most rewarding part, especially being able to give our Seniors three months of a senior year to make memories with their friends. 

In April I crossed off a bucket list item by going to Yosemite for a socially distant vacation. For my birthday Syd and I rented a cabin in the national park. We hiked, explored, and cooked in the cabin instead of in restaurants. The scenery was beautiful, but I was pretty surprised by how much Yosemite felt like the Disneyland of nature. There were herds of people, and you can see the majority of the site from your car driving through the Yosemite loop. I was under the impression all of the site were hidden and you had to hike for hours to see them! This photo is from Tunnels View where you can see El Capitan, Half Dome, and the water fall, all in one scene. 

May is prom season at Mercy! We threw a COVID safe Prom at the mansion called "A Night in Paris". The SBOs ordered a 17 foot Eiffel Tower to add some decor. It took a week to build but on the day of Prom I had to call my dad in for back up to help raise the tower. It was crazy windy for May, and the cardboard tower ended up falling even thought my dad brought tools and stakes to help prop it up. In the end, the Eiffel Tower was only 10 feet, but still impressive and fun for photos. 

For Father's Day in June, my sister let Dad ride Atlas. Our Cowboy was so happy to take beautiful Atlas for a spin. We love to watch you ride, Dad!

Syd and I took our first real vacation in over a year in July. We spent two weeks in Kauai in a small cottage on the beach. Syd surfed every morning, while I did yoga, journaled, meditated, and read. In the afternoons I rekindled my love of golf. I hadn't played in three years because of my rib injury a few years ago, but when we tried to play in the warm weather, I was hooked. Golf is great during a pandemic because the sport is outside, and easy to socially distance.

Mercy started the new school year in person in August. I started my 5th year as the Asst. Head of School for Student Life, and Ryan is a Senior! We have new safety protocols in place and all community members are tested weekly. We are pretty used to wearing masks at this point, but I do miss seeing smiles in photos. 

We played some beautiful Fall golf in September. Syd and I became members of the Half Moon Bay Golf Links and we try to play once a week, more if we have time. Fall is the best time on the Coast and I was so happy to be able to wear shorts on our home course a few times. This photo is us on the 18th hole of the Old Course with the Ritz Carlton in the background.

The Giants were the best team in baseball this season! Our family was ready for an Orange October (the best kind of October), and we were devastated when the Giants lost to the Dodgers in the playoffs. It was a fun season to be a Giants fan because the team was so consistent with winning, and because we were home so often, we either watched or listened to every game. 

In November, Syd and I were feeling pretty burnt out, so we decided to take a week off and go back to Kauai. The stress of running a school in a pandemic for me, and grinding while working from home for Syd, was weighing on us. We needed warm weather, surfing, reading, reflecting, fresh fish, and golf to sooth our souls and that is exactly what that trip did for us. I am really grateful we had the opportunity to go because it gave me the energy I needed to get through the semester. The scenery in Hanalei was spectacular too. 

In December I spent the holidays with my family. We are all fully vaccinated and boosted, and I am grateful we were able to have a small gathering full of joy. 

Happy New Year, Everyone! I have decided that 2022 is the year of something new. Not sure what those new things will be, but I am looking forward to sharing it with all of you.