6 minute read
PORCH
porch portraits
A year ago, wearing a mask in public would’ve raised some eyebrows. The pandemic has changed almost every aspect of life: how people shop, how people go to work, how people go to school. Now, mask-wearing has become as mundane as morning coffee. These experiences have held constant for families in our neighborhood.
Story by RENEE UMSTED | Photography by JULIA NEWMAN
Living and growing together
This time last year, Kyle and Sarah “SS” Baugh were spending their Sunday evenings at Drake’s. They used to leave their son Jackson, who’s almost 2 years old, with their babysitter, and head to the restaurant to munch on honey truffle chicken, with live music in the background and people perched on red leather seats all around.
But their weekend plans changed when the pandemic started. The Baughs, who have lived in Preston Hollow for about 1.5 years, lost access to childcare. Daily activities for Kyle and SS shifted to include taking care of Jackson and Foxy, their 12-year-old Pomeranian, while continuing to work in residential real estate from home.
Initially, the Baughs were concerned about how the real estate market would fare, especially during the typically busiest months.
“Everything got put on hold for about two months,” Kyle says.
Their concerns eased in mid-May, when the housing market started to heat up again. Existing home sales in 2020 reached the highest point since 2006.
“We feel, and we are, very fortunate and lucky to be in an area and in our business where everything is doing well, and we obviously know that a lot of people aren’t in that situation,” Kyle says.
Motivated by the circumstances brought on by the pandemic, the Baughts gave back to the community by donating Campisi’s pizzas to nurses in the emergency unit at UT Southwestern.
“We owe everything to the medical field right now,” SS says.
Like many other families, the Baughs have been spending more time together, walking to Bluff View Park in the mornings and some afternoons to enjoy the views and give Foxy some exercise.
Being at home has taught Kyle and SS about their relationship. Instead of holding on to grudges or frustration, they “take a step back.”
Their co-parenting skills have also improved, which comes as the couple is expecting their second child.
“If one of us needs to take a nap or go do something else for a little while, we have each other’s back and can make time,” Kyle says.
The Baughs aren’t too worried about what their work-life balance will look like in the coming months, even though they’ll have to juggle raising two kids, caring for an older dog and managing a growing business.
“I think we’ll be busier for sure, but I’m excited for our son to have a sibling,” SS says.
When things are back to what they were a year ago, the Baughs might find themselves traveling, “probably somewhere warm.”
Or they may just decide to wander back to Drake’s, to catch up with some friends over live music and honey truffle chicken.
Redefining the ‘new normal’
the pandemic brought all the Wiegands back to the house. Luke, 7, missed the excitement of finishing up his basketball season and had to complete the school year at home. Philip, who works in commercial real estate, had to stop going to the office for a while.
Activities the Wiegand family did together came to a halt when they couldn’t make it to services at Northway Church on Sundays. Philip and his wife, Melissa, tried to preserve some elements of normalcy by moving home groups outside. Those didn’t last.
Though virtually connecting with other people works sometimes, Melissa says, it’s not always easy.
“There’s a little bit more of an awkwardness to it, I feel like, for me at least, not knowing where to look for the camera, and you know, if the computer’s at a funny angle, or my dog’s barking,” she says.
At home, Philip and Melissa carried his desk out of the office space and upstairs to a room with doors so he could muffle some of the background noise. That space lost a computer, but it gained blocks their younger children – Davis, 4, and Emma, 2 – played with while Luke did his schoolwork at the kitchen table.
“I think figuring out how to do school, with him [Philip] working and with two younger kids was very challenging, I’d say the first few months, until we kind of found our new rhythm,” Melissa says.
Part of that new rhythm was discovering activities to do at their home in Preston Hollow, where they’ve lived since December 2019. Davis and Emma spent much of their time playing outside to let Luke focus on his schoolwork.
“We just got a little bounce house, and that has really been used every day, and we bought a little zip line off Amazon, which has been a hit,” Melissa says.
And Melissa, who has been leading the kids in gymnastics classes in their yard, didn’t forget to make time for herself. She decided to learn to play piano, something she’s wanted to do since she was a child.
Using a computer and the keyboard her husband gave her as an anniversary gift during the pandemic, Melissa practices learning songs like “Ain’t No Sunshine.”
“I feel like it’s such a good way to get out maybe feelings you can’t express in words, like a catharsis,” Melissa says, as Charlie, the Wiegands’ dog, barks in the background.
The Wiegands have learned to appreciate their time together as a family, Melissa says, and she’s thankful her children have each other’s company.
“I think the family time has been great, and learning that we have what we need here in our house together,” Melissa says.
With Luke back at school and Philip back at the office, the Wiegands are experiencing a snippet of what life was like a year ago. But the family is waiting to do more, like visiting Disney World, where they had planned a trip last spring. Until they can, the Wiegands will be happy to go somewhere closer to home: inside Chick-fil-A.
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