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I remember the initial terror - my neighbor bringing me an item, wrapped in a Clorox wipe, and setting it down 10 feet away from me because neither party was sure that the other wasn't contaminated with a lethal virus. This year, even more than in years past, I felt ample reason to drop holiday cards from the priority list. If there ever was a year to try and send a little cheer in the form of a cute holiday card, it's 2020; even if the image was lacking the vibrant and crisp touch of the DSLR camera. As with years past, it was important to try and add elements of creativity and humor into the card (See years past here, here, and here).

It's those little things that don't even faze you at the time - a brief phone call ending in a declaration of love, as every phone call did - they leave a gaping hole. After Leanne's recent esophageal manometry showed very little muscle motility and pressure in her lower esophagus, and given the backdrop of her esophageal atresia surgery during infancy, the dilations, scar tissue, and imaging they have to date, the GI doctor made a referral to Mayo. Not to mention a whole lot of family togetherness, which, during its finer moments enhances our bond, and during its challenging moments, builds character (trying to be positive here - ha!). The last photos taken with the camera appear on this blog post and leave me in eager anticipation of our reunion with the refurbished lens.

I would laugh and tell her that unlike Leanne, I didn't have hundreds of friends to invite. So in this moment, with tears streaming down my face, I felt my mom there. Mama Hop left my birthday in Leanne's hands and Leanne saw to it that I was properly celebrated. I will never be as popular and beloved as Leanne, but Leanne loves me more than a million people combined ever could.

Living in an era of the Internet, where information is disseminated easily and rapidly, deciding what information and how much detail to share can be difficult. Everyone was outside, and when I went to the door and screamed for help, multiple neighbors came running. One neighbor ushered Biddy outside while other neighbors rallied to distract and calm my children. When the EMT's arrived, one asked if everyone standing in our home was family and my next door neighbor replied, "We're neighbors but we are a family.