I miss "my kids"

There is so much going on with this stupid pandemic.   I have some college freshmen moving onto campus.   I have others starting remotely.   The local school system is all remote with towns around us in remote, hybrid or all in.   All in all, I miss my kids.   

In the beginning it was a nice break to not be working the long nights and be able to come home earlier.   I thought we would hunker down for a few weeks and then be back at it.  I had no idea what we were in for.   

We went into lock down and planned alternative plans for all summer programs.   We spent two weeks on the garden build and it was so awesome to be with them again.  But oh how I wanted to hug them.   You take for granted a simple hug.    You take for granted that smile.    Now the smile is behind a mask and you look at the eyes for clues.   The hug, it can’t happen.  

In a couple of weeks we should be starting our program live.   We should be getting ready to welcome back our littles to our teens, but we can’t.   I know this is now, and not forever.   But I miss my kids.