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.

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.

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 Baughs 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.

Photography by Julia Newman.

Being at home has taught Kyle and SS about their relationship. Instead of holding on to grudges or frustration, they “take a step back.”

“The other part is not working too much, making time for family. Honestly, that’s probably the biggest strategy,” Kyle says. “With the pandemic, it’s allowed us to really see what’s important, not worry or focus too much on just working too much.”

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.