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Alice and Grandma social distancing
It’s a significant year for Alice. She turned 10 years old on April 16th. The one and only time in any person’s life when they welcome the change from single to double digits.
The year 2020 will always stick as a memory for Alice because there was no way to celebrate in the usual way. By having a birthday party. Her family had planned an afternoon of water-sliding, but those plans had to be cancelled because of the COVID-19 virus. But that doesn’t mean Alice’s day went by without festivity, her parents made sure of this.
The Teetaert family hosted something unique. A drive-by birthday party.
Alice’s Mom Kristin explains the concept. “The idea of a drive-by birthday party was appealing. It is a pretty simple idea. It allowed for people to greet her from their vehicle or visit on the driveway and still maintain social distancing. We set up a table for people to set cards or gifts on and set out cupcakes so “guests” could take a cupcake if they wanted to.”
Kristin says it was important for Alice to actually “see” her friends in person because it had been exactly one month since the last day of school, and that video chatting with them is not the same.
All in all, 20 friends stopped by. Some held signs out of their car windows. Others drove by with decorated vehicles to mark the occasion. It was a surprise for Alice, who didn’t realize what her parents had planned until 15 minutes before guests started arriving.
For the birthday girl, Alice says it was a special afternoon. “I have had some pretty fun and awesome birthday parties, but this was by far the best. It was so special to see everyone, and that made it the best.”
The day was celebrated with flair, despite self-isolation as reality.
By the end of the afternoon Alice would be able to reminisce that she indeed did hear a very special Birthday Song this year.
It came from Mother Nature as the voices of hundreds of Canada Geese flew over her home and then landed on Last Mountain Lake. As Alice walked across the grass on the home-made stilts built by her Dad, she heard their song. As the geese sang - it marked not just a change in season. It also marked the day Alice turned 10 years old.