Playing the game of "Life" in 2020

Happy New Year everybody!  I broke with tradition this year and chose to send out New Year’s cards and a corresponding updated blog entry versus the Christmas equivalent because, well, 2020 was just plain different as you all know.  Living each and every day navigating the daily challenges of the past year reminded me very much of the games I played in my childhood.  For example……...

I grew up playing the game of “Life” (by Hasbro).  I still have two different versions of the game on the shelf in our playroom but admittedly we have not played for quite awhile as a family.  I don’t miss it much though because I play the 3D version of the game life every single day along with all of you.  

Hasbro describes the game as such: Spin the wheel of fate and take a drive along the twisting roads families have enjoyed for more than 40 years! Choose a College or Career path and start down the road of life, making money and having babies. You'll have adventure after adventure until you reach retirement. If you reach it first, you get a big chunk of change – and if you're the wealthiest player in retirement, you win!

(The Game of Life and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro.
Includes gameboard with spinner, cards, Spin to Win tokens, cars, pegs and money pack
For 2 to 4 players. 2013 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved.)

Part of the fun of playing the game back in the day was that each player used a tiny plastic car as their game piece and then you added tiny plastic blue or pink pegs to indicate who was driving, as well as adding blue or pink children pegs as you advanced.  It was always fun to spin and see where you ended up in life.  Here’s how our “real Life” 3D game went this year.

We started the year in our real life red van game piece with one pink peg piece (me) and thee blue pegs (James/Alex/Adam) nestled inside. I really thought we would need a new car game piece by the end of the year as the running joke in our family is “be careful on those pot holes! This game piece (I mean van) has to last another 10 years until both boys are out of college.” (The insanity of this joke lies in the fact that the van is a 2010 and has 180,000 miles on it!)

January started out quite well because I finally got to take the boys to see “Wicked.”  While in STL we also took in a Blues game so everyone was quite happy.  [Move ahead 3 spaces.]

  

 

Shortly after that trip Alex drove back down to STL and stood in line for three hours [go back 5 spaces] and finally got to touch the Stanley Cup which he has always wanted to do.[Move ahead four spaces].

Before Alex went back to Rolla the boys and James and their friend Joe went on a pheasant hunt. Nobody shot anybody but they DID manage to shoot some birds. [All hunters come back unharmed; Move ahead 4 spaces]

 

Later in January my brother-in-law Kevin was referred for sudden open heart surgery due to a newly found (and utterly surprising) aortic aneurysm. [Make arrangements to fly to the Cleveland Clinic to sit with my sister for a week during the procedure and lose a turn]. The staff at the Cleveland Clinic were amazing and we even attended “heart surgery class for loved one care” which totally geeked me out. (Like for real......I took notes). [Successful life saving surgery for brother-in-law; move ahead 10 spaces] My dad flew out to join us during our surgery vigil and and we had a few hours to escape and enjoy a nice evening meal together. [Enjoy unexpected time with relatives; advance 3 spaces]

 

In February Alex, Adam and James went to see the Battlehawks (XFL) play in St Louis. Evidently the crowd was rather “spirited” but none of them got into a fist fight so [Survive a physical game with loud mouths; move forward two spaces.]

In March we boarded a plane for Cape Coral, FL  to see my parents.  We were excited to see them and enjoyed some pool time [move ahead 2 spaces] but were limited in what we could do because the news of COVID had just hit the country. So, no flea market trips or other shopping for us.  [Shelter in Place in Florida, lose 2 turns]).  In the middle of that trip my sister Stacey and her husband Tony flew down and we took a charter fishing trip which was extremely fun. [Move ahead 3 spaces]. We also enjoyed a safe flight home. [Go ahead 6 spaces].

 

While we were in Florida in March, Alex got a visit at Rolla from his second mom Carolyn. [Feel good that Alex has a visitor while we are on break and thus do not cry because he can’t come with us; take an extra spin.]

 

Later in March we got to celebrate Alex’s 20th birthday at home because Rolla sent all students home to finish the semester online. [Get to unexpectedly celebrate with Alex; take an extra turn.]

After March, Truman went virtual for the rest of the year. I spent a ridiculous amount of stressful time trying to figure out how to get our interns some simulated clock hours so that they could graduate ON TIME after being let go from their Spring internships. [Live through 2 months of ULTRA work stress where I spent all of my time with my iPad in one hand and my phone in the other trying to figure out how to switch my entire work-life to online; lose 10 turns]. Successfully get them all graduated on time!! [Jump ahead 15 spots]

In April we thought Adam had Covid which landed us in a FEMA trailer outside the local hospital. [Spend some time worrying about your son; skip two turns]

[Learn he was COVID negative; get an extra turn]

In May we went to the Lake to celebrate Adam’s 16th birthday with a couple of his friends. He got a cool guitar which they enjoyed taking ridiculous picture with. [Family refuses to take a serious picture; move back 3 spaces]

When Adam turned 16 he had finally saved enough money to buy the truck he wanted from a friend of ours. [Become proud of your son; take an extra turn]

 

In June the boys and I took James on a surprise trip to Minnesota to play in the “Extreme Sandbox.” While there they got to drive tractors, complete an obstacle course and push cars around with heavy machinery. They all had a blast and James was super surprised. [No one was injured in heavy machinery and they had fun; move ahead 5 spaces]

  

During that trip we were able to see my sister Stacey while on the way because we learned that we were crossing paths with her on the highway. [Stop to have lunch with relatives; lose two turns] [Appreciate time to visit with those we don’t see often; take an extra spin.]

Later in June Adam was driving his truck and got into a fender bender. [Son is without a truck for two months and you have to drive him everywhere; skip 3 turns].

In July, we were able to go to Arkansas to the resort we grew up going to so that we could celebrate my sister Molly’s 50th birthday. We also got to spend some time before/after at my dad’s house and had fun on his lake as well. The boys enjoyed spending time with their cousins and Adam was fortunate to be able to bring his girlfriend [No one was injured and everyone had a great time; Move ahead three spaces.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At some point this summer while working from home I looked out the window and saw this. [Miss an hour of work chasing your sons down the street as they were riding in the bucket of a tractor; lose a turn.]

Adam does a little modeling and acting just for fun (-when he has or we make the time which is not often).  In early August he was fortunate to be able to land a part in a national vacation bible school video that shot in STL.  The theme was “carnival” and he had a  great time. [Son gets first paid “acting job”;  Move ahead 4 Spaces]

 

  

  

Later in August Alex was able to go back to Rolla for his junior year.  He was excited to live off campus in an apartment with seven of his guy friends.  [Son secures cheaper off campus housing; take an extra spin].

At the end of August Adam FINALLY got his truck fixed!! [Son is once again independent; Move ahead two spaces].

In September, Adam ran Cross Country and steadily improved his personal best time.  [Drive hours to a meet to watch your son run past you in 10 seconds; go back a space.  Get excited for son as he improves his time; move forward two spaces].

 

 

I stopped working from home in September and began the process of getting our clinic ready to re-open to the public.  I spent most of the fall creating clinic/client friendly COVID precautions in this get-up at work: [Acquire PPE for all clinicians and create COVID clinic regulations;  lose 2 turns].

Part of my job involves placing interns in their medical and school placements.  Because of COVID, this year has been especially difficult.  I normally begin in June and am finished by August for the following spring semester.  However, this year I was UNable to secure spots until the third week in December!  This was overwhelmingly stressful.  If you know me you know that I am a big fan of St. Anthony.  He always sits on my desk along with my clutchable “worry”cross.  Things were so bad this year that my friend Andrea also gave me figurines of Jesus, a corgi dog, the Queen, Wonder Woman and Aqua Man to help out every day.  [Completely FREAK OUT all Fall semester as I am told NO, we cannot take an intern 1,584 times; lose 10 turns;  Take time out to thank a sweet/funny friend; take an extra spin!  Finally get interns placed (for the moment!?) hold breath and move forward five spaces!]

In October James and I celebrated 23 years of marriage and were able to escape for dinner.  [Get one free spin for every year you stay married after twenty;  Take three extra spins!]. 

In November we were sad to say good bye to Lucy, our beloved adopted springer spaniel.  She grew up with the boys and was our faithful friend.  [Take some time to feel sad at the loss of your pet; skip two turns.]

   

Honey our adopted chocolate lab mourned the loss of her canine sister by carrying her food dish around and needing us to put a treat in it. [Stop to feel sad for your other dog, skip a turn.  Unless you ARE the dog then get an extra spin for working the system and getting your treat!]

James was fortunate to get a deer this year during hunting season.  [You survive another hunting season with your husband;  move ahead two spaces.]

Adam was fortunate to celebrate the Catholic sacrament of Confirmation this year.  Unfortunately, due to COVID we were not allowed to invite any family to join us.  The event was live streamed and fortunately, our family was able to see him better while online than we were.  [Grandparents send a great pic when you can’t see because you are in the back;  Move ahead three spaces.]

We were unable to go home to Illinois for Thanksgiving due to wanting to keep my mother and her husband Bob safe from Covid.  [Be sad due to not seeing mom for Thanksgiving for first year EVER and skip a turn.  However, we did get to have a family Thanksgiving ZOOM gathering.  [Figure out how to arrange a meeting from Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota and Germany; Move ahead five spaces.]

We also spent some time in November celebrating my aunt’s wedding to her long-time partner Sherry.  [Have a blast with your cousin Connie and do not get COVID;  Move ahead four spaces.]

 

On our way back from Iowa we stopped in the town where the farmhouse painting entitled American Gothic exists.  [Make cranky kids get out and pose for a “dumb pic mom”; Lose a turn.]

In early December Alex attended his Rugby team “formal?!” [Stop to wonder why Rugby players refuse to wear pants; player on your right gets an extra turn.]

In December, Alex came home for Christmas break.  The FIRST being that gets a hug is Honey. [Be happy and sad at same time; do nothing]

As I sit and type this I am not in Missouri but rather in Florida, spending Christmas with my dad and Ginny.  (By the time I publish it I will be back in icy/snowy Missouri).  It was just too risky to host Christmas in Missouri and it makes me really REALLY sad.  This is the view I am used to in December.  

[Be sad that you cannot host Christmas this year; skip 5 turns.]

 

(However this view from my dad’s condo helps).

[Realize that the view is awesome and remember that you do not have to cook for a crowd or fight the cold on the way to church;  Advance three spaces.]

We took every precaution we could on the plane.  

   

[Do the right thing and practice all COVID safety precautions;  Move head four spaces to Florida.]

We had a very nice time celebrating Christmas with my dad in Florida;

 

Surprisingly, this is one of my favorite memories of the whole year.  I snuck a pic of the boys laying on my bed with me and just spontaneously talking about life.  COVID couldn’t take that away!

I don’t take for granted the fact that our country mourns the loss of thousands of people this year......people who by no fault of their own were forced to prematurely end their game of life.  I pause each day to send up prayers for all of you who have lost dear family members and close friends and for those fighting for their lives due to a terrible pandemic that none of us saw coming and that no one was prepared for.  I keep the survivors of those losses as well as the front line health care workers in my thoughts and prayers each night and will continue to do so until we collectively find ourselves on the other side of this international tragedy. Playing the game of life in 2020 has been devastating to soooo many this year.  Please know that I quietly mourn your losses with you. 

Let’s hope 2021 doesn’t read this sign.

Each year I purchase Christmas ornaments for my family.  Here was what they received this year.

If nothing changes in the next 12 hours, my family and I have been fortunate to make it out of 2020 and are able to continue to play the game of life each day.  I haven’t quite made it to retirement yet but I’m still in the game;  [Jump ahead to 2021!]

Happy and HEALTHY New Year to each of you from each of us.  “May God bless us......everyone!”