This month alone, we've had 2 snowstorms, the COVID-19 outbreak spread to Utah, a toilet paper shortage throughout the world, social isolation started including: all church meetings cancelled, General Conference all digitally, travel bans internationally, a 5.7 earthquake in Salt Lake Valley... a total of 107 in a 2 day period, the airport shut down, the Kennecott mine had a huge chemical spill because of the earthquake, school being done from home, all extracurriculars cancelled, dentist and doctors offices closed, the local nursing home closed tight (we can't even deliver a package), etc.... A lot of people being affected, worse internationally. As a side note, our cousin Cyrus was baptized recently. So excited for him. I wish we could have been there.
Last Saturday, we threw a baby shower for Emma and her new baby Peter. She wanted a dragon theme. Ada and cousin Kate provided the artwork, Jer made flatbread to eat with our medieval meats, cheeses and fruits, and I put up construction paper to make our house look like it had brick doorways and fire in sconces on the walls. It was 10 people instead of the 40 that were invited, but I was glad to tell her that we love her in person before everything gets bad. She has about 3 weeks left because she's due on Easter, so we hope that there will be some normalcy before her life becomes so extremely different with her baby in tow.
For our home personally, all these changes has given us more time to deal with everything in general. Jer is still handling the Bishop's schedule and setting up online meetings. He's working from home (took over my sewing room. I don't mind because I'm more busy homeschooling and don't have time to sew.) I have had last week and this week off from daycare, but there is a call for daycare providers to be open for medical and emergency response workers. I'm debating whether I will or not. Ideally we need to stay COVID free at least for the sake of Judy, who is starting her last step in her cancer treatments, radiation for 28 days, on Tuesday. The doctors say that she's doing spectacularly. Of course, she doesn't feel spectacular, but if she hadn't been as active before she wouldn't be doing so well now. At least she has all of her drains removed finally and is much more comfortable.
I'm also a moderate risk person. I've had pneumonia 3 times, allergic to mold, and high blood pressure. I'm going to have to see how the spread is looking over the next week. Financially, we're okay. Jer and I would still both have incomes (mine would be about half as big as normal, but we're not living off mine... just using it to catch up on debt). I'm not sure the money is worth me staying open. We've so far been able to get everything that we've needed at the store. Long lines and waits, but we've been okay. We had toilet paper in our storage because of the daycare, and Macey's is wonderful about not letting people hoard things so that there is always enough on the shelf. It does make it harder on larger families to get everything that they need though. Many of my friends have to try several stores to find basic needs, but so far has found what they needed. My neighbors are very good about trying to make sure that people that need certain things can find it.
All of Ada, Evelyn and my exercise classes have been suspended. We haven't stopped paying them, because we still have an income and we want them to still be open by the end of this. Soccer got cancelled, so Ada and Sam have been left wanting on that one. Piano lessons have been suspended too. I don't mind that I don't have to run all over the place, but the kids are getting bored and both Ada and Evelyn have to be very on top of exercise for their adult feet to be able to carry them well and without pain. Ada's and my exercise class sent out a couple of small videos to do from home so that all three of us can keep up with it. I'm very grateful for technology. Sam and Ada have been running on the treadmill and using the backyard to keep active. Seth is constantly bouncing, so I'm not worried about him getting enough. Jer is running during his lunch hour, so I think that's great. I'm a little worried about Evelyn getting enough. Her favorite thing to do at home is curl up in her bed and read. Which is great, but now that she's home all day.... If this turns into a long term thing, I'm going to start teaching the kids piano lessons again. Maybe I can get Seth interested and started as well. He is reading now, so it would be much easier.
It's been interesting to work with different people on this. Some people are fine not seeing people and going out. Other friends are really struggling. One of them, 3 of her 4 kids have special needs and she just had her 2nd foot surgery. Her husband was given permission to work from home with one of his two jobs, but he has a second job just to make ends meet. They live in a little townhome, so there's not a lot of room to run around and play especially for her autistic 10 year old. I've been checking in on her, and physically she's okay. Emotionally she's having a hard time homeschooling.
Homeschooling for us has been different. I've always said that I wouldn't do well homeschooling. I used to teach all the kids fencing and piano. After those plus the normal moral and emotional lessons that moms teach, they were tired of hearing from me and would withdraw from me more. I'm now sending them to a piano teacher and the fencing center closed down so I'm not their coach anymore and it's been great... but now I'm homeschooling. Evelyn and Sam's teachers sent very clear instructions on what they expect from the students each day. Ada received a pile of work and an expected due date for the pile. Seth got a pile of papers and I get weekly emails from his teacher on what they would have learned in class that week. This week was Ireland and St Patrick. Ada's doing well, but has a heavy math load. Sam is doing well, but he doesn't like being self-sufficient... he manages to do it anyways. Evelyn says that she does it all, but I don't think she really is. I'm not sure how to make her more accountable without me hovering every step of the way. She is doing some of it for sure, but I'm not sure about all of her work. Seth is tired of sitting at the table about an hour in and gets frustrated with me for having to sit with him. He tells me he doesn't want a run around break in between, but he sure acts like he needs one. Yesterday he sat with his last two papers of the day in front of him.... He wrote SSSSSSS all the way across the Name line. Then he complained forever that there wasn't room for his name and wouldn't move on from that point because it was awful. Yeah, he went to bed after Mom tried being diplomatic without success. He definitely came back a lot happier and was able to finish.
I have a harder time enforcing kid chores after enforcing kid schooling. Luckily PE is still part of their curriculum and they generally like doing that one on their own. So far, it's doable, but I honestly feel like they are not receiving everything from me that they could from their very capable teachers at school. I can keep them from falling behind, but I don't feel like I'm enriching the curriculum at all. Maybe if this turns into a 3 month thing I will have the hang of it, but I'm not enjoying it at all and I'm definitely a grumpier mom after school hours. I've seen some things saying that this will be more of an 18 month thing. If that's true, then Ada will be sad to lose out on her first year of Jr High and her international trip with Aunt Janelle. We'd just registered for her classes last week and she is very much looking forward to it. If that's true, we'll be fine, but probably we won't flourish.
Home church has been half and half. Regular scripture study has been the same, and our "Primary" meeting went well. But the sacrament meeting was full of grumpy kids. Two of them were way more wiggly than they are regularly. Sam was all doomsday and cloud over his head. Ada shut her brain down and you could see her just trying to stay out of the way. I talked to Sam after and I really think that it's just his reaction to having so many changes all at once. It led to a very good conversation about inviting the Spirit into our own lives no matter what's going on around us. We'll see if tomorrow goes any better. Our Stake President authorized us to help our ministering families bless and pass the sacrament at least monthly. Our ministering brother came and helped Jer bless and pass the sacrament. It was special to me to see Jer taking his duties so seriously. I've had stay at home church before. Often growing up we would get special permission to hold sacrament meeting at Bear Lake during our reunions (Often we had 3 or 4 Bishops present with Uncles, Grandpa, my Dad or my great Uncles). It's not a new concept for me, but for the kids it is.
None of my ministering families felt comfortable letting people into their homes, even briefly, so I just let them know that Jer is willing if they want him to come in and help. (Two of the three families are converts and often their priesthood holders have told me that they aren't comfortable using their priesthood on their own.) Jer's ministering families said that they would do it on their own. One thing that I feel like is great about having that extra minister in, it brings a sense of normalcy, a bit of peace and a chance to serve.
Here are my kid's impressions so far:
Ada - says that everything is kind of exciting. She likes the changes and loves all the new things going on. She looks at everything like a scientist I think.
Sam - says that it's all annoying and doesn't like it all. Definitely not a big fan of big changes.
Evelyn - says that she likes the homeschooling, doesn't like staying home from church, thinks the earthquake was funny and the Corona virus.... not a fan.
Seth - likes all of it. He likes everyone being at home with him all the time.
Emma's blanket that I made for Peter.
Ada on St Patrick's Day with her green pancake and whipped cream.
