It was a tough spring for the Hirneisen Family. Not long after Abby's Birthday, my Pop passed away suddenly due to complications during emergency heart surgery at a hospital between Greencastle and Geneva college where my brother and parents were traveling to see my niece play her final basketball game. This was very sad and very shocking. It was a trial, for my Mom and us, going through the process of finances and other administrative processes. This was then complicated by the shut down due to the virus. My Mom and family are managing, but I will forever miss my Pop and my kids will miss Gramps.
During this time, Abby was finishing up her swim season. It was fun to see her finish up well, develop, and get faster....and stronger! :)
We did get out skiing one time at Ski Liberty. It was fun and Abby did well.
Abby did her best to make it through the shut down. Initially, when the weather wasn't nice, she took up art everyday. She got pretty good at it.
She was a pretty consistent reader of Harry Potter and running a mile on treadmill as part of her day in addition to her zoom meetings and assignments.
Andrew spent the winter training and running indoor track meets. It was a good experience. Unfortunately, I was not able to get any action shots. Here he is getting ready.
The high school was nice enough to host us to do our signing for college running at the high school.
Andrew was one of the unfortunate 2020 class who missed out on alot this spring. He missed many traditional events. He missed his senior track season that he worked so hard to prepare for. He kept up with his studies and AP classes from home. There were some down times, but he persevered.
We did go out on the first day they opened golf courses in May to break things up.
Andrew did have a modified graduation where at least he could dress up and we could celebrate him getting his diploma. We tried our best to make it special....
(more pics to come as we get any official ones)
Madi was in DC for the semester with an internship through the National Journalism Center and at the Washington Times. She really did well and enjoyed living in DC....before she had to move home to finish her internship from home.
One of her first front page articles at the Washington Times discussed the spring breakers in March.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/mar/19/spring-breakers-ignore-coronavirus-social-distanci/
The story got 1300 retweets and got picked up by a syndicated radio show out of San Francisco - the Chip Franklin Show. Madi was on with the host to discuss the article and her views as a college student. It was a great opportunity and fun.
She lived in DC right by the Supreme Court building and with a view of the Capitol.
She had a press pass to Congress and the Pentagon and got many cool assignments that resulted in being published many times - google her! She met many new people and contacts while there.
She was fortunate to still have opportunities while working from home, but it wasn't the same....
Madi finished out her semester well. She turned 21 on May 18. Rebekah took her and my nieces to Myrtle Beach for a short trip to celebrate.
We did celebrate a modified Easter at our house complete with the traditional egg hunt with my Mom.
We are headed for an uncertain summer.....Andrew was planning on going to VMI for a summer session that was cancelled, Madi had her summer internship with Compassion International in Colorado cancelled, and Abby had her summer swim season cancelled. All pretty disappointing.
I hope you all are well and coping during this time. Not sure what the summer blog post will look like, but I hope that the science continues to help us understand the transmission and progresses with treatments to the point where people can maintain some practical activities until we get a vaccine....
Until next time....
She was fortunate to still have opportunities while working from home, but it wasn't the same....
Madi finished out her semester well. She turned 21 on May 18. Rebekah took her and my nieces to Myrtle Beach for a short trip to celebrate.
We did celebrate a modified Easter at our house complete with the traditional egg hunt with my Mom.
We are headed for an uncertain summer.....Andrew was planning on going to VMI for a summer session that was cancelled, Madi had her summer internship with Compassion International in Colorado cancelled, and Abby had her summer swim season cancelled. All pretty disappointing.
I hope you all are well and coping during this time. Not sure what the summer blog post will look like, but I hope that the science continues to help us understand the transmission and progresses with treatments to the point where people can maintain some practical activities until we get a vaccine....
Until next time....
