Monday (3/23) Daddy worked from home and it went pretty well. The kids painted again. The little girls played with play dough, and the Bigs played Catan with Daddy in the afternoon and Skippo with Mommy in the evening. Today the governor ordered strict stay at home orders punishable by misdemeanor. Generally the kids felt worse today. It's still just the 3 coughing, but Hazel and Wyatt were warm and not themselves. I'm trying not to feel anxious but it all feels very overwhelming if I let myself think about caring for 7 sick children with everything so upside down in the world. There are so many concerns about our healthcare system failing and I've had to back way off reading and listening to the news and watching the numbers. Instead I've used my time today to listen to podcasts by some of my favorite pastors and just intentionally do what I can to stay grounded in the truth.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” ~ Isaiah 41:10
DAY 9
Tuesday (3/24) We made sand art again today, played the Game of Life, and the kids enjoyed more Skippo games and time outside. Brandon had to lay off his first people today which was hard and I got to talk to Tina for awhile which was really nice. Sadie, Wyatt, and Hazel are still coughing and Wyatt and Hazel are still warm, but overall their energy seems up from yesterday which is encouraging.
Also Wyatt had another ZOOM meeting with his class. They had a dance party! His teachers make school so fun! They also took prayer requests which was really sobering. There are really heavy things on 3rd grade hearts right now. Their prayer requests were almost all centered around the Coronavirus. They were asking for prayer for grandparents that they were worried about, and siblings who don't live with them who they are worried about, and for parents who are health care workers who they are worried about, and for the president, and for people generally not to be scared and overwhelmed about the Coronavirus, and for parents who are getting lots of calls and texts from their bosses and who are just really stressed out. At the end one of the kiddos prayed:
Dear Jesus, I pray that everybody would be safe and for grandparents and family members that they would stay safe and for the world to know that you are with us and you are powerful and that you will help us through this. Amen
Yes!!! AMEN!!
My girls love to play baby games. Today they were out taking their babies for walks and bike rides.
We do our best to get out every afternoon. While the Bigs play on their tablets, the babies and I take a little walk to get the mail, say hi to the animals, and just get some fresh air.
ZOOM
We are desperate to find ways to entertain these babies of ours who wish they were walking but instead are becoming experts at falling and as a result crying. Today their entertainment of choice was Sadie playing her flute for them. They also enjoyed watching Daisy through the window.
This seems to be their own little language for now. They love making it and it almost always gets the other one going. So cute!
Wednesday (3/25) Today was a very lonely day. Brandon has so much going on with work as jobs are closing and he is responsible for so many people and decisions. His work day today was something like 6:00am to 5:00pm with a break for dinner and bedtime, and then back at it until just after 8:00. On top of just a really long day I stopped by the dairy to pick up some groceries Robert had grabbed for me a few days ago and found out that the rest of my family is continuing to get together. While I know I shouldn't let this bother me, I know we are all allowed to make our own choices, it still in this moment makes me feel so much more alienated than I was already feeling. I realize we will probably never know the role our actions play in this, which makes it hard, but what I landed on for me is that I just have to keep reminding myself that I'm not staying at home for me or even for my own family, but for people I love who this could harm. I stay at home for Dale and Tina and Jenna, for Janelle, for Knox, for Quincy, and for Grandma and Grandpa and while I know I won't save their lives I really do pray that there is a person like me living near them who will save their life by staying at home too. It is hard to ignore the numbers and what the experts are predicting will happen here in the coming months. They may be wrong or it may all be a stupid conspiracy. Honestly I don't know! I don't know what to believe and I pray that "they," whoever "they" are, are wrong. I guess in the end if this was all a big waste of time and the worst thing that happened was I missed out on a few things and experienced some loneliness, then I guess I'll have to see that as a good outcome but man my heart is conflicted and heavy today. It's so heavy as I read stories of elderly people in Spain being abandoned in retirement homes by their caretakers only to be found days later by police, and doctors in Italy having to choose who lives and dies, and hospitals in New York where as of today women are no longer allowed to have a support person to be in the room with them during labor. How is it possible that in the 21st century, in America, this is what is happening?!?! Yet in light of all of this I recognize that I blessed! I'm so thankful that this isn't severely affecting children, and that Brandon has a good job, and that we have space for our kids to run around, and that they have each other. Hazel seems to be hanging in there with this cold or whatever they have, and I'm really thankful for that. Sadie also seems to be improving, but Wyatt was worse, and the twins are starting to cough. Praying again that this passes quickly because man am I tired.
Like I said we are desperate for new forms of twin entertainment. Mommy is all out of ideas and energy so almost anything goes.
Thursday (3/26) Today was better. We had some sunshine which was nice. In the morning the kids rode their bikes down the driveway, we played with sidewalk chalk, and in the afternoon we took a quick trip into Salem. The hospital was looking for volunteers to sew masks. They had put together kits to make 10,000 masks and were going to pass them out from 1:00-3:00. So we headed up to pick up a kit but when we got off the freeway at about 1:30 traffic was stopped. We figured it was an accident but as we got closer to the lot where they were passing out kits we realized that it was primarily all people trying to do the same thing. It was backed up in literally every direction. So we headed back home, but it was encouraging to know so many people wanted to help.
The kids had a lot of fun today riding their bikes down the driveway and through the puddle. Even Evie got into it, although she's a bit of a wild child on that tricycle and we were all waiting for her to crash.
My first tulip bloomed today!!!
Maddie got to work with Daddy for a few minutes today. She's a big help I assure you.
Getting Our Wiggles Out!
Friday (3/27) Today marked 100,000 confirmed cases of COVID 19 in the US. It's really so unreal. So far the US has only had 1,579 deaths but its hard to even imagine what to expect when today alone Italy has lost 919 people. Incredibly sad!!! All this reminds me that we have no right to complain about anything. We have it so good to be stuck at home with the ones we love.
Today Sadie had her first ZOOM meeting with her class and I think she was excited to show off the Twinkies. The twins have been pretty miserable today which is sad. They're feverish and coughing but the others are starting to feel better so that is good, and we finally made our chocolate chip cookies and started watching Little House on the Prairie.
Today it was Aubrey's turn to work with Daddy.
Oh Alexa or as Hazel calls her MaLexa...
Saturday (3/28) Cooper had his first ZOOM meeting with his class today. He was pretty excited!! Also I got google classrooms set up for the oldest 3 so I guess that means we are ready to embark on the next leg of this journey...online education. We also made a quick trip to Home Depot for pellets and charcoal. Only Daddy went in, but we all enjoyed leaving the house for a drive. The babies are still coughing a lot and didn't sleep well. Hopefully just one or two more days and they will be back to themselves. Everyone else seems to be doing well. Oh and Daddy and Mommy played some Super Mario Brother's with the kids and Daddy got a little bit more demo done on our bathroom.
DAY 14
Sunday (3/29) I can't help but keep thinking how much slower life feels right now. Days seem long and though there are still many things undone I've also had time for things I wouldn't have if not for the situation we are currently in. So today I choose thankfulness for those things. For games played, and cookies baked, and podcasts listened to, and pictures taken, and beauty noticed, and conversations had, and time enjoyed, and things learned, and subtle changes felt, and most importantly for more unhurried time with the Lord than I can remember having in probably the past decade.
Today we watched church online again and this time the little girls watched their own lesson and did an activity sheet, Mommy was feeling a little more ambitious on week 2, we also walk outside to check on the goats with Evie and the babies, and my tulips are starting to open up. Yay!!! Bigger kids are feeling much better but babies seem to still be feeling lousy :( Oh and we ended the day with Star Wars and a pizza party even treating ourselves to pizza from both Papa Murphy's and Little Caesars. We couldn't come to a unanimous agreement and figured why not??? We've got time!
Kids Church Online
A few encouraging things I came across week:
Carloads of Christians took part in an amazing prayer event at the Cartersville Medical Center in Georgia. They came to pray for patients and the medical teams who are taking care of the patients. Horns honked, those praying held up encouraging homemade signs, while atop the hospital, some staff members appeared to say thank you and even take part in the mass community prayer.
As "Waymaker" played on radios that were turned up loud, believers prayed and worshiped. Videos from Facebook show the enthusiasm and solidarity as prayers to God connected all.
Way Maker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the Darkness
That is who you are!!!!
Also loved this letter written by an Author I love Ann Voskamp:
Dear Older Neighbor,
I just wanted you to know that every evening, when it grows dark on these empty streets, I see the light flicker on over your dining table & I see you there through the window.
And in the middle of a global pandemic, I needed a way to tell you:
Don't be afraid of what is outside your doors.
Because we are all going to war against this virus for you, because you've waged wars for our freedom, for the comfort of our lives.
You've battled through recessions for us.
You've rationed for us.
You've gone with less for us.
You're the generation who taught us what sacrifice and grit and kindness really was.
And exactly because you taught us well - we won't fail you now.
We will fight this virus exactly the way you've taught us to fight for what is right.
You're the ones who taught us to do whatever it takes to rise for the vulnerable & now we will band together to do hard things for the kind of life & values that matter.
You're the generation who was birthed after the last World War & we promise we will not let your generation die without us going to war with the world against this virus.
Your very lives are at stake & you can count on us to care more for your lives than for our stocks.
The cure isn't worse than the problem - because sacrifice is never worse than the privilege of protecting lives.
And we know:
If we sacrifice anyone's health for the health of the economy, it's our own collective soul that needs healing.
We are all in this boat together & together we will find ways to hold on to all of us through this storm - because there is no pushing anyone out of this boat. Or parts of all of us go down.
When I saw you through the window tonight - your crowned white glory there in all the light - I just couldn't wait another day to somehow thank you, somehow say:
Don't be afraid, Older Neighbor.
You've taught us well:
We will protect you with our very lives - as you've given your very lives for ours.
This has been a great reminder to me in the lonely moments when I find myself wondering if staying home even matters. When at times this week the decision to stay home seemed hard and sometimes silly and possibly just not worth the cost, this reminded me that even if it only saves one life it is a small price to pay. This generation has laid down their lives for our freedoms and we can temporarily set aside some of our freedoms for their lives.
Finally I came across this quote from C.S. Lewis book Screwtape Letters written in 1942.
Satan: I will cause anxiety, fear, and panic. I will shut down business, schools, places of worship, and sports events. I will cause economic turmoil.
Jesus: I will bring together neighbors, restore the family unit, I will bring dinner back to the kitchen table. I will help people slow down their lives and appreciate what really matters. I will teach my children to rely on me and not the world. I will teach my children to trust me and not their money and material resources.
God is at work!
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