Well, It Wasn't Disney

Yesterday Ashley turned 18. 

A huge milestone. 

It means we got her to adulthood alive. Tried to tell her that means we will start charging rent, but she didn't believe me. It does mean she can adopt a cat (as long as she takes care of it), and can sign us out of jail (not that we've been in prison before, but there is a first time for everything).

Her milestone was supposed to take place at World Disney World surrounded by her close friends as part of a school trip. Obviously that didn't happen.

Add it to one more loss.

Ashley has been an amazing sport through this -- much better than I have been. We finally heard her utter her first negative words, and they were mighty mild given the circumstances. As the birthday parade went by, Don said something to the effect of "wasn't that nice." She said "well, it wasn't Disney."

Way to make a mom choke up.

We did what we could do under the circumstances.

At 1 pm about 15 cars swung through our neighborhood with horns honking and people waving.

Family came over to enjoy the parade -- Melissa and her family as paraders, my parents as visitors. Felt odd not allowing them inside even though we have all been quarantining separately. You just don't know. You just can't trust others and their germs.

Afterwards Ashley met up with some friends in a parking lot. This quarantine has been hard on everyone. Lawrenceville (population 33,000) has had less than 300 identified cases, the vast majority have survived. While I understand the levels would be much higher if we were allowed to live the way we lived on March 12th, it doesn't mean the disease is not also taking a mental toll on people. It doesn't mean the disease did not rob high school seniors of what should have been the best days of their K-12 schooling experience. It doesn't mean it is threatening to steal freshman year of college, and even more.

I know I'm supposed to be grateful we are all healthy, that the numbers are low in our area, that scientists are working hard to create a vaccine at warp speed, but sometimes the losses just hurt too much.

What also hurts is not knowing when this will end and we can return to hugs and the theater again.

Happy birthday, Ashley. May be be celebrating in grand style next year at the end of your freshman year of college.