And what a summer it was. The year 2020 has been anything but normal, and that applies to my favorite season, as well. Between having my kids home with me 24/7, not traveling at all, and only providing services virtually, it was a…unique experience.
That said, we did all we could to make the best of it. Things like swimming as much as we could (my daughter learned how to swim without floaties this summer!), grilling out several nights each week, spending time with our neighbors, trying new art projects, and taking long bike rides helped keep us busy and for the most part, happy.
And even though it wasn’t my ideal summer, it was still bittersweet to (unofficially) say goodbye to it as Labor Day weekend ended. The weather has already cooled way down and my kids are planning their Halloween costumes; there is no mistaking that fall is upon us.
In 2020, school looks different than it ever has before. For some kids, it means logging into a Zoom call. For some kids, it means homeschooling. And for some kids, it means venturing back into the classroom. My own children fall into that last category.
The last time I posted here, COVID-19 was barely a blip on my radar. My family boarded a plane on March 5, and we spent the next 5 days in Marco Island, Florida. While we were there, we made sure to be very careful about washing our hands often, not touching our face, and wiping down surfaces with Clorox wipes…but otherwise, everything seemed normal.
It was when we arrived at the airport to go home on March 10 that we realized things were changing. We saw lots of people wearing masks in the airport, and there was a general feeling of caution all around us. That only grew once we got back into our regular routine, and by the end of the week, my children’s school was closed indefinitely and we were told to stay home.
I wrote the song “Love, Love, Love (My Family)” before I became a mom, believe it or not. This photo was taken just a few days after my daughter Mia Belle was born and completed our family; now this song is more special to me than ever.
This holiday season felt like a total whirlwind, and I can hardly believe Christmas is already over. Despite how fast it went, this was one of my favorite Christmases yet for so many reasons.
Years ago, watching my students perform in our annual Music Therapy Connections recital, I remember thinking, “Someday that will be my own kids up there.”
Parker was a toddler and Mia Belle was an infant at the time, so the idea of them performing in a recital seemed like light years into the future. I didn’t quite understand back then how fast time goes by when you are a parent, but now I can fully appreciate that fact.
Welcome! I’m Rachel Rambach, board-certified music therapist and creator of Listen & Learn Music — educational songs and musical materials for children. I love sharing my work with you, along with my behind-the-scenes creative process, adventures in business ownership, and life as a mom of two little ones.
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