First day of senior year. In bed. In class. On his phone. Surrounded by what I'm guessing are last night's snacks.

Nothing is normal about these pandemic times. It's a dance of adjusting and readjusting expectations and our normal ways. But still, life continues.

It's not so bad, mom - my guy tells me about starting his final year of high school at home instead of with his friends. Because that's how he chooses to see it.

We get to choose, too. Every day. And every day there is something good. Like having extra time with my youngest child, my positive guy with a ready smile who will head off to college in a year.

No, this doesn't look like we expected. None of it. But we keep pulling what we can to place in the column of good things. If we choose to, we can find them. Even in a year such as this.