Let's talk about Thanksgiving.

Things need to look different this year. Our #COVID19 numbers our out of control & our healthcare systems are more and more overwhelmed with every passing day. Healthcare workers are begging for everyone to follow the guidance of experts. 1/6

We ALL need to take responsibility for protecting lives in our community. 2/6

For my family, that means my daughter won't be able to join us. She lives in the Twin Cities & is not in our bubble. My mom, who lives with my boys and I, is high risk so we are extremely careful & it's just not safe. 3/6

It also means we won't be traveling to Iowa to see Granny, my sister-in-law, the kids' cousins, and new babies we haven't even met yet. Everyone is disappointed. But this is what's necessary this year. We stay apart this year so we can ALL be at the table next year. 4/6

So we make the best of it. I'll be shipping some favorite foods to my daughter, we'll share recipes & I'll set up my iPad at the dining room table for her to join us virtually. It's not what any of us want, but we stay apart this year so we can ALL be at the table next year. 5/6

Now is the time to think about how our holiday celebrations will look different this year - because they need to.

If you have creative ideas for ways to connect while we're safely staying apart, please share. We will get through this, but it takes all of us. 6/6