Picture of the Week - 3/26/2020

Well, we are another week into the global Covid-19 pandemic and I still don't know what to say about this.  

The boys, Bob and I have all been home almost 24x7 since March 12th.  We've been to a few stores for groceries and a couple of home improvement project supplies, but that's it.  It's weird to stop everything cold turkey.  Really weird!

There are a great number of things I am very grateful for these days.  Here are a few in no particular order...

• We are healthy
• We have jobs and they are good ones working for a company who has put "taking care of our associates" at the top of their priority list.  Oddly, one of the reasons I have been hesitant about working for the same company as Bob for years is the whole "what happens if things go south" - and here we are...  and it's been fine.  Knock on wood...  we are good.
• We have supplies and things we need.  We never ran out of toilet paper.  We have figured out that our local Kroger restocks at night and has almost everything we need.*  We are limiting what we buy and not hoarding.  I am not worried about the food supply chain.  
• We have many options for ordering take-out food around here.  I want to support these little local businesses and we will be ordering out a few times a week to try to keep these local restaurants afloat.  We won't starve.
• We live in a safe, quiet neighborhood.  Our neighbors appear to be taking this seriously as well.  I'm very happy to be "stuck" where we are.  (With the exception that our neighbors chose now to "turn us in" to the HOA because they can see our garbage cans from their house - not from the street.  Grrr)
• My boys are plentiful in number which is mostly** a blessing because they keep each other company.
• We have a school district that embraced online learning a few years ago, so my boys are keeping up with what they were supposed to learn this year.  This is a very good thing because as of now they will be home until at least April 27th.  If I were a betting woman, I'd bet they won't go back again at all this year.
• I'm sure there's much more, but I'm trying to write this and listen to a conference call for work at the same time and I need to focus on work for a while.  

This whole situation has been an opportunity as well.  I really choose to believe this.  It's a chance to reconnect with each other.  We have spent every dinner together as a family since this started.  That is really nice.  I think this pandemic is a message from God to stop, slow down, and re-prioritize.  I'm taking it.  I'm doing it!

How are you doing?  How's your family?  What has been most surprising for you during this situation?  What can I pray for on your behalf?  How are you spending your days?

Here's a picture of Quinn in a sweatshirt he asked me to buy for him back in January.  It's more relevant now than it's ever been...  we will stay home and do our part to Save the World!

* Just to document for the future, it is so strange to go to a grocery store and see entire aisles empty.  There has been a run on things like paper products, pasta, rice, bread, and milk.  It's disconcerting to see that things we are used to taking for granted will be available just... gone.  Being flexible has been key...  we may not get the brand of spaghetti sauce we like best, but we aren't going to starve.

** Having a bunch of kids is also a challenge because there is always someone who wants to chat, needs help with something, or is just present.  I know that sounds awful, but I'm not used to being around them all the time!!!  It's taking some getting used to.

Picture of the Week - 3/19/2020

Well I have no idea where to start.  

It seems a little, I don't know... superficial?, to send a picture of the week email when things are SO upside down.  And yet I do feel the need to document what's happening as this is going to be a big part of the boys' boyhood memories.  Also, if this isn't the right time to reach out with a communication in an attempt to connect, I really don't know what is.  

We are under a "social distancing" protocol which started around last Thursday or Friday and has changed, no escalated, every day since.  We are now not allowed to go to the offices and schools are closed until at least April 13th.  We have had dentist appointments, eye appointments, and camps cancelled.  There are no sports.  We can't go eat at a restaurant because  you can't go in and sit down.  The guidance is that no more than 10 people should be gathered together.  We've transitioned to online church and conference call small groups.  The boys are all doing online learning.  It's weird.  

There is very little traffic because most everyone is just hanging at home.  When we have gone to a store the shelves are heavily impacted.  There are entire categories of food missing from my favorite grocery store - no rice, no paste, absolutely no paper products.  It's so strange - and unsettling.  Small businesses are taking a big hit.  Big businesses are nose diving on wallstreet.  Our 401ks are too scary to look at.  Bob and I are safe and secure in our jobs - for now - but who knows what the future holds.

The boys are doing really well.  They are sad that the can't play with their friends (we are taking a pretty firm stand on no interactions outside the family) but have managed to make it through almost 4 days without incident.  We have at least 3 weeks left.  

I say "at least" because if I'm being honest, I think we will have them home through the end of the school year.  It will all depend on whether we can slow the spread of this Covid-19 virus or not.  Right now it's showing no signs of slowing down.  We have around 250 cases and 10 deaths in Georgia.  Across the US it's 10k cases and 150 deaths.  We are all fine.  We are healthy and showing now signs of the virus.  We may still have it.  Who knows...  We don't personally know anyone with it - or have any reason to know that we've crossed paths with anyone who has it.  But again, who knows.

Tomorrow is Friday - then a weekend which won't feel much like a weekend with everyone still home and nowhere to go.  We will continue to just be happy to be safe and secure - and try not to watch too much news.

Check in - how are you?  How are your people?  How's your situation?  No picture today, but if you are into data, check out this website which has an animated map of the spread of this virus.  It's been SO fast!  Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Take care everyone!

Picture of the Week - 3/13/2020

These are very strange times indeed.

Almost all of our activities have been cancelled for at least the next week due to Coronavirus concerns.  School, sports, church - all of it.   If I were a betting woman, I would bet that we won't get back to normal (whatever that's going to look like) until after Spring break in mid-April.  

We find ourselves being asked (strongly encouraged) to work from home and the boys have all been transitioned to "online learning" days starting on Monday.  Are we ready?  Who knows...  we have food, supplies, and each other.  I think we will be fine and we are supporting the decisions made by all those people in charge of "cancel or continue" decisions.  It's a tough call and a really good example of a situation where you aren't going to be able to please everyone regardless of the direction chosen.  

For us, the only cancellation that I'm bothered by is Spencer's SAT.  He was to take it on Saturday and we really need to start the whole college application preparation process.  This will impact our timelines - but you know what - it's impacting everyone else too.  

If you need anything, please reach out to us (or someone local) and ask for help.  We have "stuff" - including toilet paper, which we did NOT go out and buy to hoard - and have a houseful of capable boys.  

Be safe, wash your hands, stay away from crowds.  If it's not necessary - don't go.  Revisit what is necessary.  

In the meantime, here's a cute picture of Brutus.  He's THRILLED that we are all home all the time - and I'm guessing he'll be even happier on Saturday when I force the family to go outside SOMEWHERE because it's the only day in the 10 day forecast without rain.  Strange times indeed...

Picture of the Week - 3/5/2020

Greetings from the waterlogged south!

It's rained for like 4 days straight.  February was the second wettest February on record in Atlanta.  I miss the sun!

Not much new going on here this week.  Bob and I are heads down at work.  Spencer is committed to getting stronger and spends copious amounts of time at the gym.  Quinn is doing wrestling practice 2-3 times a week - and even signing up for extra morning practice when he can.  Zane is doing double-sports this season with wrestling and lacrosse.  His lacrosse games start on Saturday.  Beckett is also doing wrestling through the spring/summer.  

This is the easiest spring schedule we have had in YEARS.  Like maybe since before Spencer and Quinn started baseball.  Between Spencer being able to drive and the fact that they are all working out at the same wrestling studio, we have several nights a week which require only ONE adult.  That's like crazy!  The easy schedule has allowed Bob and I to do some other stuff - like sit still for 10 minutes LOL - no seriously, like we have both joined small groups with our church and are really enjoying getting to participate in those activities.  It feels like a new season...  a good one!

Here's a picture I love from this week.  On Monday nights all 4 boys are in the same place, doing the same thing.  I love that.  I hope they will remember those nights for the rest of their lives.  It's a very rare thing to be able to say you regularly got to spend time with all 3 of your brothers doing something you all enjoy.

Until next week...