The coronavirus had been circulating in Washington since January, although no one knows to what extent since they still don't have extensive testing and it's been three months. Bottom line is that while it started (in the US) in Seattle/Everett, it is now all over the country and world. We've been under a shelter in place order for two and a half weeks, I think, could be longer. Everything sort of runs together. We only leave the house to go ride bikes in the court and I go to the grocery store about once a week. Other than that we stay at home.
It's crazy how easily we've slipped into this new routine. Collin says a morning prayer with us, gives everybody kisses, and then "goes to work" down on the first floor. The girls do school with me in the morning while Timothy mopes around and tries to get into as much mischief as humanly possible. In the afternoon while Timothy naps the girls get to watch a show while I get in some much needed alone time (where I am right now). After nap time we go outside to ride bikes. Occasionally a neighbor will be out at the same time as us and we will chat about how they're doing, how crazy everything is, any news that's interesting- it's pretty much always about the coronavirus- but always from at least six feet apart. I haven't made the kids wear masks when we go outside, but as of yesterday I wear one to go to the store.
I was feeling kind of stressed about our schedule a month back and was looking forward to Eliza's basketball season ending. At the time we had two bball practices, piano lessons, and family night every week; activity days every other week; as well as Collin continuing to work 60+ hours every week and trying to fit in one on one time with kids, going to the temple, ministering, church callings, etc. Now our schedule is bare except for piano lessons over a video call. It has certainly pared back our existence.
The kids have handled the whole situation with much more grace than I would have ever thought possible. They went to school on March 11, amid extra hand washing built into the day and extra work for the custodial staff, but otherwise normal circumstances. That afternoon we got a call from the district saying that school was closed until at least April 24th. That has now been extended through the end of the year. School is just done. When you adjust for time off for vacation they only went to school for about five months. They miss their friends and teachers and worry that, if by some miracle, we manage to move to Texas this summer as planned they will never see their friends again.
We haven't gone to church since even earlier. We had a ward Leap Day party on February 29th, went to church on March 1st and haven't been back since. At first it was just a localized closure, just the Seattle area since we were the epicenter of the virus in the US. The next week our temple closed and Sunday services were cancelled worldwide. I believe it was the following week that temples were closed worldwide. It is just crazy to think of the temples closed everywhere. I have to say though that the family Sacrament meetings that we've had over the past month have been some of the most spiritual Sacrament meetings I've been to. The kids are so reverent. I play a sacrament hymn from the Hymns Made Simple book and we all sing while Collin prepares the sacrament and blesses it. I've really enjoyed feeling like the Sacrament is a team effort between Collin, the kids, and me. I bake the bread, and sewed the white cloths to cover them, Collin blesses it, and we all work together to bring the Spirit into our home. We did have our neighbor from our ward joining us, but since she works at an Amazon locker hub she doesn't want to risk exposing us and has asked that going forward Collin just bring her the Sacrament a couple times a month. She just texted me to let me know that someone at work has tested positive so that's scary. We pray at every prayer for the caregivers and those who have to go into work that they will be protected. I worry constantly about my mom who works in a hospital.
That's the basics of life right now. I'll include some photos from over the past month to illustrate the "new normal."
While playing Legos the day before school ended the girls were making lots of bottles of hand sanitizer. I should've known then how dire the situation was.
Things have gotten better since this was taken. Now you can generally find things that you need at the stores with a few notable exceptions: Flour, dried beans, rice, cleaning supplies, are just not to be found. Toilet paper can now be found, but not in great quality or quantity. There were a few weeks there though that I started pondering the possibility of us resorting to using cloth scraps that were washed between uses. The photo below was taken the day they started regulating how many people could be in Costco at any given time. As 20 people came out 20 more could go in. I waited 35 minutes in the parking lot (with Timothy on m y back in the carrier)before I was allowed in. Other stores have followed suit. Going grocery shopping has become an incredibly stressful experience. Not only are you worried that you're asymptomatic and are going to infect somebody else, but there are repeated announcements every 5 minutes telling everybody to maintain social distancing requirements and stay 6 feet apart. Plus you don't quite know what you will and won't be able to find on the shelves, although thankfully there have not been major shortages.
Timothy helping out with the music during Sacrament meeting.
New Sunday traditions have included taking walks on the beaches (although the city is closing all beaches and parks as of today) and doing a puzzle. Every week after Sacrament meeting we go eat a treat (some kind of quick bread: banana, poppy seed, applesauce bread, etc.) and then do a puzzle as a family. We have all really enjoyed this new tradition over the past five weeks. Well, all of us except Timothy who finds puzzle doing as boring as home school. He does however enjoy the treat.
Puzzle time.
School time
Trying to keep up with the sisters on a Sunday walk.
How to get to the forbidden play doh in three easy steps.
More school mischief.
One of the projects from art specialty. The girls followed a water coloring tutorial off of youtube. (I traced an outline onto the paper in pencil beforehand.) The top one is Clara's. Bottom left is Eliza's and bottom right is Leona's.
A peacock drawing by Leona from another online art class.
