Still Sheltering @ Week 7

It is May – finally? already?  I am not sure.  It seems that March and April both came and slid right by.  We have become accustomed to this way of life.  Laid back.  But with some tasks each day.  Summertime, but not really.  We have 19 more days of school until it is officially the last day.  Life will subtly shift under us.  Maybe it will even open up new possibilities by then.  We wish for more.  Wonder what’s ahead.  And draw back unsure of what will happen.  We try to find norms as the criteria change.  Do we wear masks when visiting grandparents – even when maintaining appropriate distance? Who pulls aside on a trail if you are hiking and see someone?  Which hikes will be too busy on a nice day?  Will the roads and stores fill up as things relax? When is the best time to shop?  How do we filter through all the information floating around out there?

It is so much work to reserve judgement and show compassion – both on social media and in the physical world.  We see people playing at a park as if the caution tape is there for fun.  We watch buggies clip clop past as they go to church on mornings we are watching online.  A roof goes up and 20 kids buzz around the yard like a happy pack of puppies.  And we yearn for a chance to hang with our cousins.  We see some people wearing masks.  Others not.  Reading the stream of heated criticism on both sides as I search for something uplifting on my Facebook feed. 

It’s not worth it.  I should just delete the thing and be done. 

But then you see a family you used to know is moving back.  Someone shares the best chocolate chip cookie recipe – you try it and it trumps all you’ve tried before.  Another posts a video of encouragement.  It is just what I was looking for. 

So, we go through our life and try to do the best we can with what we know. 

What’s up?

Not a lot.  We made it through another week.  We had things that we looked forward to, like my parents’ 45th anniversary.  While we did things differently, I think it was a pretty good substitute.  Their anniversary was on Saturday.  On Friday, we catered them a meal from Village Catering in Smithville.  It is good food, reasonably priced, and local.  The girls made special menus for them.

    

Saturday, mom slow cooked ribs for them, and dad made a salad.  We sent them a special invitation to attend a Zoom anniversary party at 6:45 that night.  We all hopped on and the fun began.  We had each made a clue for an item that they were supposed to find that reminded us of them and why they are special to us.  We had things from the dining room table to squeaky rockers to hot sauce to tighty-whiteys.  It was a fun process to walk down memory lane.  After that, we all ate pre-prepared chocoloate pudding over ice cream (well, Luke’s family may have had root beer floats… it all has the same common ingredient – ice cream!).  During that time we just visited.  It lasted long enough Madison actually asked to go to bed!

We’ve been going to school.  Just realized that this week that our specials (STEAM, art, music, gym) had been posting assignments since spring break in a new location.  Prior to break, teachers had been including them with their plans.  Now, specials post on “DES Parent Hub” – a convienent location, but not if you weren’t informed of it.  It’s fine.  We are going to slowly catch up – or at least keep up – from now on.  It was fun doing some art projects Monday. And having a family wall sit competition for gym on Friday (Ellie won).

     

The girls spent a majority of the week planning for the arrival of their American Girl dolls – that they offered to pay for.  They made a space for them in the playroom, crafted all the accessories they saw online using resources we had at home (pretty innovative things they came up with), and dreaming of the date of arrival (May 8).  They have been BUSY with this - almost obsessively - all week. 

When they weren’t doing that, I managed to get them to go on a few little walks with Pepper and I.  We found this beautiful bush just dwon the road.

And we have done a few Mandatory Mom Moments:

hiking at Wooster Memorial Park

       

4-H soil learning

    

cooking up the challenge recipes from their cookbooks – Madison made Shredded Chicken Tacos (fantastic) and Ellie made Cheesecake Bars with Strawberry Topping (also, amazing)

creating a scavenger hunt for our neighbors (we’ll put this out one day when it is warm for them to do and watch from our deck)

Pepper has been busy doing a whole lot of nothing and a whole lot of mischief. 

                   

While this was pre-shelter in place, I find this comic fitting.  As a side note, my kids are now addicted to reading the comics every morning.  They now know how to follow storylines, identify characters, and engage with the newspaper in a positive way.

What’s Up, March?

You would think with all the extra time I’ve had, I would be a blogging machine.  Extra time?  Yep. 

To my future self: We are facing a pandemic worldwide against COVID-19; a virus that attacks people and produces various end results from mild symptoms to death.  It started with the first cases in China on December 31, 2019.  It then started to spread because of travel to other countries.  Currently, in Ohio, the schools are closed, but working online.  This has been the case since March 16 and will continue until at least April 3, unless the governor asks us to remain closed.  We have been issued stay-at-home orders.  This means that as much as possible people should stay home.  You can leave your home for groceries – but we are encouraged to shop for more than one week at a time – and for exercise.  Otherwise, we are discouraged from visiting others, movie theaters are closed; most stores are closed (that don’t sell food or medical supplies); many people are out of work.  It is not good.  The idea is to “flatten the curve”  - stop the number of cases from rising exponentially every day and instead just maintain a lower number daily.  It makes complete sense.  It also feels funny to do all this when you are not the one that is sick.

So, what’s it like?

Work perspective…Students are not getting the same quality education they would from being at school.  They are (for the most part) working at home and getting the assignments done.  Our 7th and 8th graders are given one subject area a day to focus on, and the work takes them roughly 1 hour.  I monitor work progress using a little table I made to keep my eye on my students with IEPs.  I also meet with my students using Google Meet (video conferencing) one time a week.  I have really enjoyed this aspect.  It may feel a little awkward for them, but I think they (like me) enjoy seeing a familiar face that isn’t a family members.  I like hearing what they are doing and getting to know them one-on-one.  I also set up Google Voice, which is an somewhat anonymous phone number so that I can call them from home; the district discouraged us from using our personal numbers to contact students.  This is a great way to get ahold of parents and walk through questions they may have.  Strangely, I don’t mind it.  I don’t think it’s what’s best for kids, but I do enjoy the change of pace.  I do feel like I am strapped to my computer a lot, which is probably why I haven’t blogged… just more computer time.  I am thankful I had a man from our church upgrade my computer before all this so that it starts programs faster.  I don’t think I could do this and stay sane with the speed of my computer prior to that.  It was a God thing that I went ahead with that upgrade when I did.

Home-school perspective… So my own kids are doing school from home.  We have a daily schedule: Breakfast at 8am, Devotions at 8:30, School from 9-12 with a break in there, and then free time in the afternoon if all the work is done in the morning.  It works pretty well.  We are definitely not homeschooling.  We are not covering new content, spending adequate time, or pushing ourselves in creative ways.  But we do have a little work area set up right near my “home office” for the girls to work. 

They seem to be enjoying what they are doing and are pretty self-motivated.  I am VERY grateful for that.  Ellie seems to be wearing out easier than Madison, but she is younger. 

Yesterday, we worked on their art projects together outside; it was a beautiful day to be out.  Madison and I worked on her Mystery Science experiment – making a chain reaction and altering the force with which it could move the dixie cup.

This is a super cool website that her teachers had been using already.  They have opened up their whole library for free for this time period, as did Scholastic, and so many other educational websites.  It has been neat to see the generosity of companies at this point in time.  They could be using it for their own gain, but they are not, and that is so cool! 

Personal perspective…I pretty much sit in my little bubble of unawareness.  Well, that is not really true.  More like, I try to pretend life is normal most of the time.  We have enjoyed a lot of fun things: The first week the girls had the idea to move their rooms around so they would share a room again and then have a play room.  While this has been a major task for me in the past, this time they did almost all the work.  Jeremy and I just helped move the big furniture.  They moved and organized everything else.  It is nice. The girls did a 24-hour tent challenge given by their friends, Bailey and Ellie.  The challenge was to stay in a tent for 24-hours without getting out except to eat and go to the bathroom.  So, we moved furniture back to make room for a tent in our living room.  And they did it. 

It was a great day for them to do it because Jeremy and I have been wanting to clean/rearrange/declutter the one room in the basement for months now, and Saturday was the day.  They were entertained; we weren’t ignoring them. It was a win-win.  The basement feels much better to us now.  Jeremy had gotten an exercise bike that he can use alongside an app to do spin classes with a live instructor… kinda like the Peloton bike, but less expensive. So, we now have the exercise area, his office, and a “guest room.”  The guest bed feels less crushed by other things.  Putting Pepper’s space back into the room made it a little more crowded than we would have liked, but it works… and it’s moveable if we have company.  I have some after pictures, but no before picis…

    

I have instituted “Mandatory Mom Moments” each day.  This is just a time for me to connect with them intentionally in some way.  They can’t say no to whatever I ask them to do; they just have to do it.  So, we have… gone for a drive/errand and then to get ice cream, biked on the bike path with Grandma Ediger, made lemon loaf (which by the way is amazing and I don’t even like lemon stuff), done a St. Patrick’s Day scavenger hunt, went on a “bear hunt” around Lake Harmony (looking for bears in windows), watched an author/illustrator read a book online, did art projects together, went on a walk/bike ride on Kidron road sidewalk, and played a math-like card game (which they enjoyed way more than they thought they would). 

         

One day I got an email to make these fun pictures.  You just Google search an animal.  When you scroll down, you might see a place to “view 3-D”.  If you click on it, the animal pops up in your living room and you can take a fun picture with it. 

    

    

Ellie has finally decided to get back on the bicycle after taking a (small) fall last summer.  With the last few nice days we have had, the girls have been out constantly riding bikes.  It is good to see them enjoying the out of doors. 

Our church has also been shuttered – but just the building.  We had online services last Sunday, and it was good at our house.  The girls got dressed up; Jeremy and I were much more casual in our attire.  The dog participated as well. 

    

We also are in small Salem Cares groups where we are supposed to intentional reach out to 3-4 households in Salem; I don’t know how other groups are doing, but I have enjoyed the interactions within mine, mostly through text and email.  I believe God will work in amazing ways during this time.  It will be so fun to hear what he has done when we all gather together again.

Grocery stores.  I hadn’t been to a large store since this all started, but on Monday I went to Wal-mart.  It was desolate – not of people, but of products.  There was no juice, eggs, refrigerated cookie dough or biscuits, no cheese, no toilet paper or paper towels, almost no soup, canned goods, or oils.  The one worker said you had to get there before 9am to get anything.  It think I left more shell-shocked here than anywhere.  It was crazy.  This is one of the more stocked aisles I saw.

We have picked up the school lunch a couple times now.  While we don’t need it, I am utilizing it.  The girls loved what was in their lunch – hidden treasures like fruit by the foot and chocolate milk. 

I love it because it is one meal I don’t have to cook or prep.  Three meals a day is exhausting work.  I have cooked every night this week, and I apparently picked the wrong meals because we have had ZERO leftovers.  Which means, I have to figure out food for the weekend. Ugh.  The good news is that I have supper helpers now.  One night I made BBQ ribs in the crockpot with cheesy potatoes.  Another night egg rolls in a bowl – super easy go-to recipe for me.  This more involved than I thought recipe of Sausage Pull-apart Bread.  There were no refrigerator biscuits at the store, so we did homemade, which upped the work requirement.  Madison was working with me and was a trooper.  We paired it with scrambled eggs and yogurt parfaits. . Last night it was Chicken Ranch Pasta.. mediocre, but easy. 

Final thoughts: Life is not the same.  We miss seeing people face to face.  We miss grandparent hugs and cousin giggles.  We miss feeling like the grocery store isn’t a war zone – that’s what one of our students said, “I went to the war zone, otherwise known as a grocery store, to get toilet paper and canned goods for my grandma.”  We miss the carefree way we approach life and interacting with the world.  We even miss school.  BUT we are enjoying the laid back atmosphere, the spring time air, the bike rides, the long meals not being rushed by soccer practice or choir or 4-H meetings.  It’s not all bad for us.  And we are being cautious to try to trim the ripple effects of what’s happening. 

Blessings as you go about your day.  Remember, God is in control when things feel like they are spiraling out of control.  He is our Rock and our Fortress and times of need.  He does not protect us from everything, but He does shore us up and give us HOPE. 

Confessions of a Mom…

I realized lately that I am really sarcastic with my kids.  Sometimes when I respond to them, I say things in ways that can be so hurtful.  I wouldn’t accept it from them, but somehow it comes spewing out of my mouth.  I try when I walk to pray or reflect in some ways.  Some times that is easier than others – depending on the attention I need to give the dog or the kids, both of which are usually walking with me.  But I am praying for words that build up and encourage.  Words not so full of tiredness and venom.  Words that will empower them in healthy ways instead of out of guilt or a need to prove themselves to me.  Words that are life-giving.  Can you please pray for me, too?  I know this blog can often seem like all we do is fun stuff, but that is not how it is.  These posts and pictures are snapshots of months and days.  They reflect the good moments, the ones when I have let loose, when I have stepped away from my to do list to spend time with them, when I have stopped reading my book or checking my phone to really see them, when I have given in to fun.  I know that there is a balance.  Things have to get done.  Discipline has to happen.  Chores need to be learned.  Boredom needs to be turned into something fun from their own imaginations.  But sometimes, I feel like my fun side is tamped down by feelings of selfishness, tiredness, and whatever else is mixed in there.  So, yeah, I need some prayer.  It is not desperate plea.  I don’t think I am failing, but I do see things I need to work on.  (Don’t we all have something to work on…?) So, thanks in advance.

There is beauty in our tall wildflowers, monstrous milkweed plants that bring monarch caterpillars and butterflies, and sunflowers grown from the seeds leftover from feeding birds.  So, I believe there is beauty in each of us even when it feels a bit hidden or disheveled.  Thanks be to God for creating us in His image.

Church Happenings

It was a busy month at church for us – in a very social way.  We had church pictorial pictures to take.  We rarely take a family picture.  It is something I think we should do more often, but we don’t take the time (or the money) to get a professional picture taken. While this is more posed than I may like, it is good to have.  The girls were so excited to get dressed up for their picture.  I snapped one of them before we left.

The next day, we headed to the annual Salem outing to see the Akron RubberDucks play some baseball.  It is a good time.  This year, we had 36 people!  And the weather was absolutely perfect.  Usually, we try to get to an Indians game as a family, too, but that hasn’t happened this year.  So, for now, we will just call this enough. 

The following weekend, our Sunday school class got together.  We are going to try to get together once a quarter to hang out, get to know each other, and build relationships.  This is our second time, and I think we all had a great time.  There are a lot of kids, and they all played so well together.  We adults could sit and watch and catch up.  Plus the weather cooperated for us!

Finally, the church has started playing ultimate frisbee football every Sunday night.  It has been a long time since I played – my college years, I think.  I loved playing then.  I love playing now.  I was much more agile then.  I am at least still moving now.  It is a great way to get a run in, bond with people ages 9-40ish, and brush up my frisbee skills. 

I am so glad for all the opportunities that we have had outside of church to be together.  I think the more we encourage each other just through sharing life, the stronger the body of Christ is.  So, bring on the fun!

Other Fun

I have been trying to figure out why I am feeling off today.  As I sit here, I digest my last 5 weeks since school started.  The first few weeks, I was trying to find my footing at school and hoped life at home would roll on as normal.  Now I feel like I have established a routine or system at school, although still feeling a bit lost at times.  But I look at my weeks, and they are filled with teaching, Jeremy working and sometimes gone for work, school, ballet lessons, and other obligations.  My weekdays end in a panicked rush to get kids to bed.  And I feel like I am just trying to survive.  My Saturdays are filled to the brim, scrambling to clean in the two hours before rushing Ellie to ballet, grabbing groceries during her 45 minute lesson, and speeding home to finish the rest of my to-do list. 

And the 30 minutes in the van with Ellie to ballet today was filled with a constant barrage of her “reading” Nancy Clancy and Ready Freddy. After she had just finished saying, and I quote, “Whew! I am so tired of talking. I am glad I can have a break!” (… she had been playing school prior to ballet.)  The 30 minutes home was filled in the same manner.  And I wonder, When did her stories become an assault on my senses instead of entertainment and a sense of awe at her creativity?  And I think it happened when I gave up part of my motherhood to working. 

I don’t dislike my job.  In fact, I had a great week – the best week this whole year.  I even feel like I have maybe turned a corner in building relationships. 

But, there is a trade-off.  I lost my time to be with my kids – to be present and not be hurried.  I can only imagine what it would have been like this year with two in school and me at home.  I imagine I could have all my cleaning and errands done, so Saturday could just be enjoyed.  I imagine that I could welcome them off the bus with a smile and a hug and be ready to listen to their day, instead of turning in my work chair in the classroom, hugging them, and trying to wrap up my last thoughts for the day.  I imagine that while there would still be homework to squeeze in, I could have at least prepped supper to ease the stress of the night.  I imagine that I would have been able to get a walk in and exercise instead of feeling a bit of bitterness of the loss of “me” time. 

But I suppose if I talked to stay-at-home moms they would say it is not that idyllic.  That there is still stress, even when kids go to school and you stay home.  That while the day may be a time to get your work done, the end of the day is still a panicked rush to fit in chores, play, homework, meals, showers, books, snuggles, and bed. 

It is just an adjustment right now, a transition.  Something I always struggle a bit with. 

You probably wonder, “Hey, where’s the fun you mentioned in the title??”  I get it.  I got off on a tangent.  I realized as I was going to post that these things are bits of goodness that are squeezed into the days of our otherwise hectic life.  And it makes me appreciate it all the more. 

So, for the goodness that abounds through pictures (and probably a lot of missed because I didn’t take a picture)…

A friend’s birthday party – sleepover themed party, complete with pizza and pajamas!

  

Flowers from Jeremy just because

    

A double rainbow to remind me of God’s grace, His abundance, and His loving kindness for His children

Getting together at Grandma Yoh’s house to catch-up with Aunt Lisa from Texas, taking pictures with Aunt Marianne and Erin, and turning SnapChat into a bonding experience with Aunt Diane.

         

Having an impromptu leftover buffet lunch at Luke and Steph’s house with Ben and Steph after church last Sunday.  I was craving this family time and didn’t even realize it til it happened.  We hung out til 5pm just being friends and family.  The kids (Lilli, Madison, Ellie, and Landen) just played like cousins do.  It was rejuvenating.  I am thankful once again for family.

Right now, I am thankful that Jeremy and Gloria took the girls to Lehman’s fall fest so I could recover from the last five weeks of life.  It gave me time to read, work a bit on school, and digest and process life. 

Thanks for reading as I write.  This has become my outlet, my memory keeper, and my journal over the past 10 years.  I appreciate those who walk the journey with me, whether I know you are there or not