Ray and I had originally planned to stay home today. We were with our kids and grandkids yesterday. But after watching our Christmas Mass online (still worried about exposing our relatives to Omicron through active church attendance), we both were pretty droopy. Okay, maybe I even shed a tear or two about missing Midnight Mass and Christmas Day church for the second year in a row. Ray also was feeling the loss since he’d heard from a friend he and the kids sit with every year at Midnight Mass while I’m serving as an acolyte. His friend had asked if he was going and when Ray wrote back no, then his friend said he’d decided not to go either because of the upsurge in Covid cases. Ray wrote the kids this morning and said, “Your mother is crying while watching the church service.” A few minutes later, Sarah wrote, “Mom and dad … we are home all day sitting by the fire, playing games and puzzles, and eating if you want to join. Thinking of watching Encanto later.” Slightly pathetic of us, but sweet of her. About ten minutes later we were in the car.

This time is tough. We all want life to return to normal, but it has not yet done that. We’re here in LA where Covid cases are again surging with the extremely contagious Omicron variant. Many people I know have been sick with Covid, and even if they aren’t dying from it, it has not been a lot of fun. Also, I read online of someone I know in Texas whose relative has been on a ventilator for three weeks with Covid, and that relative is around forty. My friend doesn’t know if he’s going to make it or not. So, we’re not out of the woods yet and it can wear on a person. On all of us. This was yet another reason, we hopped in the car and headed back out to spend more time with our little “pod.”

I didn’t get to take photos of my favorite parts of the day. One was when I crawled in bed with the grandkids and read them stories from a book I’d given Luna for Christmas. I also read Lyla the book Good Night Moon. This is my idea of ideal “grandma” time. I also didn’t get a photo of chatting with Sarah while we cleaned the kitchen together. To me, perfect “mama” time is having the chance to chat with one of my daughters while we’re going about a simple task together. I cherish moments like these.

Below are photos of the kids while we all watched Encanto on a screen that Gregorio set up in the living room and also a photo of West Hollywood when we made our way home on Santa Monica Boulevard this evening.

I am grateful for the love I have in my life. I know this is a true blessing and I do not take it for granted. I am also grateful for the rain. Southern California is sorely in need and this feels like a true gift from above.

If you were one of those people who shed a tear today for whatever reason, please know my heart goes out to you. This is a tough time and we’re all doing the best we can right now with whatever obstacles life is putting in our paths. May the New Year bring light, love, and good health, and may God bless us, every one, tonight and always.