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Saturday, March 28, 2020

Swirling in COVID-19

Hi Friends! 

It's funny as I sit here to type up this post, I have mixed ideas of thoughts to get out. First, I'll give a recap on February and March- whew!

As you know, I had posted January was a challenging month for me. Some of it was even simple things like Easton losing his afternoon nap- all the mommas out there know this is a coveted time! It was so hard to lose it- huge adjustment around here. 

February continued to be really challenging for me. I can't quite pin all that was going on mentally and emotionally-just hard. Conversations needed to be had and some still haven't happened. Some of the things are out of my control completely Hard news. Changed plans. Life is just crazy friends. It just is. 

There was nothing huge and dramatic. I really was doing ok- but battling for sure to remind myself to let the little things go and to trust in what I know to be true. 

FUNNY that as I entered into March, I was ready and felt lighter. Nora was going to be tracked out which is a 3 week break that she gets throughout the year because she is year round school. That of course was going to mean that my routine was going to be thrown off BUT I knew we were going to have fun. She even had a track out bucket list-serious business you guys. 

This included things like- lots of play dates, crafting with Grammy, sleepover with Mommy, paint your pot, date with Daddy, go on a hike, beach day and scooter rides.

Weeeeeell, as ALL of you know, despite the many plans we had for March-and there were many, all plans paused. 

Everything paused.

I'm getting ahead of myself and need to rewind to February...



These kiddos did a 3 mile scooter ride. I was impressed! They could have kept going but I knew at some point they were going to hit their "done" and we'd still have to get back to the car. Ha. 


I had an appointment for my knee. This cutie came with and of course all attention was on him in the waiting room...





Us girls went on a date to the Jurassic World Tour- so much fun.



She loves all the creatures...


We joke they're going to get married... it will be really fun if it's not a just a joke. Haha. 


Nora's school had a reading challenge and if they read for so many hours within a certain time period, they would get two free tickets to a hockey game. She did it and so did her friend Juliet so both girls and their daddy's went on a date on Valentine's day. :)


Easton LOVES to help. It's the sweetest. 







We got a tiny bit of snow and it was wonderful. We went out early the next morning and it was SO pretty I had to attempt to be a photographer and capture some of it! 


It was nice enough outside to still have fun at the park. Nora started being able to push herself and keep the swing going AND get herself higher so now that is the best thing ever when we go to a park. :) Easton is more like... "mooooooommy push me!"


We had a cozy movie date at a friends house. We watched The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. It will always be one of my favorites. 


One of our weekly dates was a walk around a lake. I love trying new things and mixing it up. It was funny at one point on this date I asked Cale if he enjoyed having our weekly dates different every week or if he would prefer just going out to eat for every one. Can you guess what he picked?? Haha. He's a good sport though! 

And then March came...


Nora goes to a program at church and every week it has something special to do. One of the weeks was dress up as your favorite character in the Bible. Now, because I'm the super mom of the year, I was completely prepared for this...not. 

An hour before we needed to leave, I asked Nora what her favorite character was. I actually didn't have any clue what she was going to say. Well, very quickly she responded, "one of the lions that were in the lions den with Daniel."  Now because I do have a super Mama, while I scurried around the house to get everything ready to go, Grammy made something for Nora to wear. On the way to church she told me all about why she loves the lions and how they were very important. :)



The kids were asked to be in a wedding coming up. This was the cuuuuutest package/invitation. 







To kick off Nora's track out, we had a girls date with two of her best friends. This was such a joy to my heart and I definitely want it to become a thing we do.  :)



My brother and I took Easton to see monster trucks again! We all loved it! 





Right before everything went super cray cray, we had a date with friends. I am SO thankful for friendship that lasts through all the hard stuff!



Easton started swim lessons and after two... they were cancelled. Haha. 





The three of us went to a brain injury event. This was so good for us. Nora is at a good point that learning more about daddy's injury and learning more about how other people have similar injuries is needed and helpful for her. 

It was interesting because I actually feel so out of the "brain injury world" because we just live life and brain injury is just a part of it. This was good for me too.



fun + sun 


:)

When everything first started to unfold, I like many of you didn't think it was going to be as serious as some were making it out to be. Days unfolded and suddenly it was in question what would be canceled. Cale and I celebrated our 15th anniversary (insert all the praise hands) and had saved up our weekly date money to do something special that day. 

Closer to time I had actually found tickets to a Canes game, lower level seating for a really good price. I was SO excited that it worked out for us to be at a game with amazing seats ON our anniversary. 

As things started to cancel, I was still thinking there's no way the game is going to cancel- it did. 

Along with everything else. All of our plans.

And as time went on it was clear the reason these things were cancelling. 

To several people leading up to the first weekend everything was cancelling I said, "this is my nightmare unfolding... everything cancelling and not getting to be around people." 

Going into March Mama and I had talked about going to the beach for a couple nights. Our family of 5 only has taken trips to go visit people but we haven't taken a trip just for us. Since Nora was already planning a day at the beach it was an idea. Our friends told us about an amazing and affordable place to stay so it was definitely a great idea but we decided to wait. 

Well...with all plans changing, we decided lets just go. We'll stay away from people and have time to run and play on the beach. 

BEST. DECISION. EVER.

Even  while we were there, everything with the virus escalated. We stayed away from people and truly were just us with water and sand. I was nervous about not getting to go do or see anything else- just our room and beach but it was perfect. 

My kids could have played on the beach all day everyday for a week. 

Nora could have turned into a mermaid.




















Once we arrived back home, it was crazy town. We were home. And home. And home. 
We came up with a plan to have routine and rhythm for all of us to keep our sanity. 

My biggest fear when everything started to close and shut down was Cale. Guys one day- just one day with his schedule changing can be so hard if we are not super intentional and this was going to be every single day for who knew how long. 

LOTS and lots of prayer from my lips and from a lot of yours has been the key to the joy and peace we have had during all of this. I can't even express how truly thankful I am. 

I know this time is so hard for so many of you. Lives are drastically being impacted and in no way do I want to make light of it in a way that doesn't hold the weight that it is for you. In fact, for Cale and I's weekly date this week we did a video and on purpose we were trying to bring some lightness to the whole situation because there is so much heavy and one of you let me know that for some, this is not a light thing. So as I write, please know that I completely agree. Several people in my life that I love dearly are having their lives turned upside down because of this. There is so much loss...

I do want to add perspective on the flip side to also encourage and maybe add some lightness for all the heavy that is there and that we can't make go away-

In fact, it's been interesting to sit back and watch once again camps set up. It seems with most things in life people can passionately join a camp and make it known which they belong to for all others to either join in or add to the noise with which camp they belong to. 

"I vaccinate."
"I would never vaccinate."
"I'm for Trump!"
"I can't stand Trump." 
"I'm stocking up and buying toilet paper...but I'm actually not telling anyone."
"Who are all the crazy people buying all the toilet paper?"
"I don't feel like this virus is as big of a deal as it seems."
"STAY home people."

It's always so back and forth. Even a war between moms who always homeschool and moms who are suddenly pushed into it during this time. Both sides are making their camp known-their voice heard. 

This is hard. NO joke. We didn't see it coming. We didn't think that 2020 was going to throw this curve ball- the memes are amazing. 

Friends, what are we doing with this time? What voice are we trying so hard to have heard? We all know it's going to end (eventually...maybe...we hope...!) at some point. It will. It always does and with the amount of impact this is going to have on so many lives, we know we aren't walking out of this unchanged. Hopefully not. 

I'm praying that I'm not the same woman-wife-mom as I was before being swooped up in this Corona tornado as it rips through life as we know it. 

Can we all emerge after all of this, appreciating the people around us more? Appreciating the value of connection and friendship more?

How are you going to THRIVE during this swirling COVID-19 time?

Here's a little survival kit for you. Ideas gathered from myself and others... :)


Keep a thankful list- writing at least 5 things down every day.
Move your body in some way every day.
Put mascara on and get dressed even if you aren't leaving the house.
Watch a movie with a friend over text. 
Zoom group- create one.
Make a list of goals to complete during stay-at-home.
Watch a fun movie as a family.
Read a book that's been sitting on your shelf.
Send out cards to people you think about and are thankful for but maybe never let them know.
Learn something new.
Make a new recipe.
Organize your pictures.
Clean up your budget- or create one.
Put up a tent and camp in the backyard.
Call a friend-not just text but call. 
Yard work.
Catch up on emails.
Start working on your Christmas list and who you plan to buy for.
Start a new family tradition. 
Make a list of ways you can be a blessing to others- and start.
Connect with someone in some way every day.
Make a family (or personal) bucket list.
Clean out the junk drawer.
Have your kids or yourself play a game (like Guess Who?) virtually.
Paint your toe nails.
Start a group text with a few friends.
Plan something to look forward to after this is all over.
Knock out some house projects.
Sit and be still. Listen. 
Cuddle extra with your kiddos. 
Do a fun new puzzle. 
Have a picnic outside.
Start a new Netflix series
Make and frost cookies.

The list can go on and on an on. 

Do you have ideas?

I've been praying daily that I would walk this crazy time out with my eyes fixed on Jesus. I don't want them anywhere else. I don't want to be distracted with all the things happening that make anxiety rise. 

I want to look back on this time and the way that my family experienced it with sweetness, even when that seems like it should be impossible.

I hope you can too...




    

4 comments:

  1. Well, My son Ben and I went a virtual tour of The Great Wall of China and then watched Mulan. I'm finding there's a reason Father had, "This IS the day the Lord has made, I WILL rejoice and be glad in it," written in His Word. I'm finding ways to be more thoughtful of others, and people ae being more thoughtful too. I never quite thought of myself as elderly (64 years old) until our renter said she would be glad to do some shopping for us as she wasn't at risk for going out. '~' I am getting more reading done, that's FUN. I'm going to start my "What Defines You?" bible study Monday morning. Oh, and I have done my weight bearing exercises nearly everyday. That's been good. Even though my Priscilla Shirer convention was cancelled, good came from it. With the refund we were able to pay down our credit card a bit more. I don't know why Father has allowed this to happen, BUT I do KNOW He is in charge no matter what anyone thinks or says.

    Now to respond to the rest of your blog entry...

    I remember a friend who had her children stay on their beds for an half hour reading a book holding it up while laying down. Sometimes they even fell asleep...unintentionally of course. Nora lost a tooth! Lily still gets excited about loosing her teeth. Grama Fairy still gives a surprise for the lost tooth. :) The Jurassic World Tour sounds like it was a blast. I can imaging the fun Nora Had. You know, I know a couple married for many years now, who were childhood sweethearts. Soooo...…….The snow pictures were a favorite of mine. Thanks for sharing them. We made snow angels when it snowed here. Your weekly dates are such a good idea. My Dave and I, well lets just say our dates aren't weekly. :(
    You know, it stands to reason that lions were what Nora would pick to be for school dress up. They are an animal after all!! We have a Painted Plate Shop here in Olympia. It's a favorite place to go. There certainly have been some cute things come form there. Salome (my one daughter) has a good brother in Jon (Ben, too). Jon asked if there was anything she needed. She said not really, except for some meat maybe. He ordered quite a variety and had it mailed to her. Plus he's a GREAT landlord. Ben's been real sweet about having Lily down and playing with her. Yup, you and Salome have GOOD brothers!!!!!

    Dear One, I leave you with this...
    "The Lord bless you and keep you;
    The Lord make His face shine upon you,
    And be gracious to you;
    The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
    And give you peace."

    Marion



    Now to respond to the rest of your blog...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Marion,
      I love that you guys did a virtual tour! We've done a few things like that. "Field trips" for Nora. :) It's definitely a crazy time. I really am soaking up and sitting in this time with my family all together and how God is delighted in us. He loves our family and yours!

      She did lose a tooth! Two! She has three that are loose but I don't think they'll be coming out soon.

      Yes...the weekly date challenge we did a few years ago and it was so good. I was feeling like Cale was maybe feeling a little like he was getting my leftovers. I want him to feel loved and important. I decided to start up the weekly dates again so that he has time each week with just me and my focus only on him. It's sometimes sitting downstairs with a board game but it still ends up being special! :)

      Praying for you guys during this time! Love you!!

      Delete
  2. Perfect post! Sweetly and eloquently said, we must all keep our prayers going and our focus on Him! I pray that you all stay healthy and that the Lord would provide distraction for Cale so he would not get frustrated or bored, but he too can thrive during this. Bless you all,
    Terri

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your little family popped into my mind tonight. My husband and I would read your blog every chance we got during Cale’s recovery and for years to come. So glad to see your family thriving. Will say prayers for you all to get through this crazy time.

    ReplyDelete

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