Happy New Year, dear reader! We quietly rang in the new year here on the farm. I must say, I am disappointed that the holiday season is over. I am not ready for my bean to go back to school, the daily grind to begin, or the un-decorating of the house. However, time marches on, and we must get back to daily life. We have one more “event” to look forward to, which is my bean’s birthday. Birthdays are a big deal, and this year is an even bigger deal because she will officially become a teenager.

We will have a small gathering for dinner and cake and ice cream on her actual birthday. I wanted to have my favorite local baker, Jess Shotts, make her a super cool Stranger Things cake, but The Bean insisted on a homemade gob cake. It’s a rule here in the Smay household that whatever you want for your birthday dinner, you get. So, a gob cake it will be. She can’t decide what she wants for her dinner, but she has a few days to lock it down.

Turning thirteen is a big deal. I do a “big birthday” party for her every five years. The last birthday party we had was when she turned ten. She always chooses obscure themes, and her tenth birthday was a Peter Rabbit-themed sleepover. Everyone got a copy of the movie Peter Rabbit. We ordered matching nightgowns, had Peter Rabbit-themed food, did a scavenger hunt, an obstacle course, and pin the tail on the bunny. I do love a good party.

This year, I am contemplating breaking my own rule and having a 13th birthday party. As with the theme of the past two years, I am unsure of what to do with this whole Covid thing. Numbers are climbing, I know of a few people who have been hospitalized, and I worry about my little buddy getting sick. Jordan would like to have an ice skating party. The ice rink is pretty large so that the girls could spread out. However, the party rooms are not, and I worry about cramming all those girls into one small space. I have a lot to consider before I decide. I think we could wait a few weeks, wait for the holiday Covid surge to pass, and then have her party. Again, we will just have to wait and see.

I’m sure I am not alone in feeling tired of planning our lives around a virus. I would love to throw caution to the wind and have a big birthday bash. However, I would feel horrible if my poor judgment caused someone to get sick. I will also feel horrible if my little ray of sunshine doesn’t get to celebrate the way she would like. She has always been such a rational, understanding kid. We have discussed the situation, and she said she is good with whatever I decide. Again, she makes me very proud. I love how she allows nothing to squash her positivity. I also love being her mom.

So, we will wait. We will see what happens with this covid thing, and we will plan accordingly. At this point, it is the best we can do. As always, dear reader, stay safe, be smart, do the best you can do, and keep washing your hands.