Tuesday, April 7, 2020

A Differenc a Week Can Make

***These words were typed 3 weeks ago...

Like many of you my brain is still in hyper drive over everything that has transpired over the past month. Week. Day.  Gosh...even the last hour.  Life as we know it looks very different today.  One month ago I was gleefully preparing to leave for Disneyland on the 22nd.  I was buying cute shirts and matching earrings. Planning what park to go to what day.  Getting meals scheduled.  Within 1 week all that changed.  Along with many other things.

Today, I woke up at 5 a.m. to be at the grocery store as soon as they opened in hopes of finding some chicken.  No luck.  Never in my life did I think I would have to do that.  Don't worry...I have food.  And toilet paper.  I'm not really worried about it...it's just something I, and I venture to say the rest of us, have never had to experience.  We are so used to do being able to go to any number of stores and getting whatever we want.  And if, on the off chance, that store doesn't have what you need you go 2 blocks to the next store and they will have it.  Not the case today.  No chicken to be found.

My kids have been out of school since last Friday and we have been on self imposed "shelter in place."  (A week ago I had never even heard those words.) I've made a few grocery runs and Rob has gone into work.  The kids have taken a car ride with me but that is it.  We are trying to do our part to stop this beast known as COVID-19 or Coronavirus.  Even though we have done everything we can...stayed home, social distancing, washed our hands 100 billion times, prayed, cloroxed, lysoled, and so on...every time someone says that something is wrong I immediately think we have it.  Carys and I had throats that hurt 3 days ago...corona. Anytime someone coughs...corona.  Anytime someone's stomach is upset...corona.  It's so ridiculous and I logically realize that.  However, my emotional side freaks out.  It ususally happens everyday around 2:00 that I am convinced we all have corona.  The reality is there is a good chance we will eventually get it.  The reality also is we will most likely be fine.

***I never finished that original post.  I love writing and I have countless number of posts I have wrote over the months that never got published.  Do people even blog anymore?  Isn't it all video now?  YouTube and Facebook Live?  I don't do videos well.  I enjoy writing.  So here we are with all the time in the world and a crisis upon us.  I feel like now is as good a time as any.  So, I write.  This is just my personal journal and you are all invited in. 

So what has happened since March 16th when I originally started this post?  More than anyone could ever imagined.  The Corona crisis has just gotten worse and just about every state has been put on a "shelter in place" or "stay at home" order.  The world is just really weird right now.  Yesterday my kids school was closed through the rest of the year.  They will be doing school online.  Carys is currently upstairs on a Zoom call with her friends.  She had a friend walk to our house about 2 weeks ago and stand on our hill, about 40 yards away, and Carys sat on the roof and they "hung out" for 2 hours.  I hand out wipes and toilet paper to neighbors who can't find any.  My mom made us face masks for us to wear when we are out.  I pick up groceries and sanitize them before they come in the house.  It's just all so surreal and sad.   Oh, and I experienced my first earthquake last Tuesday.  That was interesting.  I was on the phone with Broderick's 3rd period teacher (they were calling to check in on the kids) and I felt my house shaking.  I  was in a different room and I thought the kids were jumping around so I ignored it.  A few seconds later it was still happening so I came out into the kitchen.  The teacher then said, "I think that's an earthquake.  I'm going to let you go."  Sure enough it was.  6.5 with the epicenter about 70 miles from us.  Thankfully there was no damage in the Boise area and besides being shaken up we were all ok.  I don't know if any of you have ever experienced and earthquake but it is one of the most scary things I have ever experienced.  I got zero sleep that night and even now whenever Rob moves in bed I think it is happening again. 

I want to close this post out by saying people can be really cool.  I don't really watch the regular news..I can't handle it.  I do, however, love hearing the stories of how people are being kind, creative and loving.  The way they come up with creative ways to still connect.  I heard a story today of teachers that made a car parade and drove by their students houses to wave.  It brings tears to my eyes to think people are that great!  Why does it take crisis for us to rise up and be awesome?  Why does it take a pandemic for us to show appreciation to our healthcare workers?  Why does it take fear for me to bow my knees to my Savior every single day?  I just really pray that after all this we don't stop these acts of kindness, showing our appreciation or praying. 

Until next time friends stay safe and healthy.  Let's do what we need to, together, so we can get through this.

A few feel good things to watch/listen to

John Krasinski - Some Good News (So good!  Brings me to tears!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oilZ1hNZPRM

A song I have on repeat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DioI2k4IIjs

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