Happy New Year! Though today may not be a normal day of celebration (thanks, COVID), it’s nevertheless a great opportunity for reflection.

I’m still on maternity leave and have been missing my community immensely. My grandmother-in-law also resides in an assisted living, so I’m thankful to feel somewhat connected through her. My MIL recently asked my opinion about her Christmas gift, one of those digital frames that connects to WiFi and rotates photos. Let’s just say I have mixed feelings about them (more on that below), but our conversation got me thinking about my role as Executive Director. I’d be lying if I said I thought fondly of financial reports, census calls, or Department of Health reportables. What I lovingly recalled were all the responsibilities that won’t be found in my official job description. A few favorites (that I can’t wait to get back to after leave!) include the following:

• IT Magician: those frames I referenced above.. man, do they take up a lot of my time. They inevitably either come unplugged or disconnect from WiFi, so I’m constantly tending to them. Same goes for TVs, which “break” and 9 times out of 10 are fixed by the magical input button on the remote. I know these don’t sound too appealing, but I love being able to save the day, step away from my office, and hear the stories behind the photos (even if I could recite them myself by now).
• FaceTimer: throughout most of the pandemic, in-person visits were prohibited, so we did a LOT of FaceTiming with family members. The team was stretched thin as it was and I never minded doing them, so I was responsible for coordinating those calls. While I’m thrilled visits are allowed again, I honestly miss them! It was such a great way to get to know my loves’ families on a more personal level; in-person I may pop in, but it’s not the same as being present for the entire exchange. Many honestly made me feel like part of the family.
• Bus Driver: God, this one’s so fun, despite/especially wearing 4” heels! I’ve made it a point to bring residents on at least two outings a month (usually to restaurants) in order to spend more quality time with them and to kind of humanize my role, if that makes sense. During the past two years, I’ve driven them one on one to doctor appointments, to get vaccinated, etc. Recently, I drove one of my favorite nonnas who hadn’t been on a ride in years. I’ll never forget the one we took together.
• Hypeman: this one’s so special, too. According to Urban Dictionary, a Hypeman is someone who will always hype you up with compliments. I especially look forward to beauty parlor days and fussing over what knockouts my ladies are, as well as seeing my wheelchair loves walking during physical therapy and cheering them on. It’s true what the say: when you look good, you feel good, and it’s so important that they feel their absolute best.

Did I mention how much I’m missing work?! Here’s to returning in 2022 and fulfilling all of my responsibilities, required or not, to the best of my ability and with an abundance of love.