Well, that escalated quickly.
Tuessday, March 10 seems like a lifetime ago, when in reality was only 20 days ago.
Sweet hubby's mom had been in the hospital for a couple of days; the economy was starting to tank, schools were on the brink of being canceled, rumors of everything shutting down for "social distancing" were rampant....
And now, here we are....Fully two weeks distanced, and no end in sight. Sweet hubby in Chile, where his mom has, indeed, been diagnosed with a pancreatic tumor, but cannot receive follow-up diagnosis nor treatment (other than pain medication) because of clinics closing after Covid-19 exposures. Sweet hubby in Chile, recovering from his own hospital adventure when he was diagnosed with diverticulitis. Sweet hubby in Chile for at least another two weeks, as long as airlines will still fly him home to the states after two more weeks go by.
I am here, at the house, with the three small children. Peanut, Miss Middle, and "the baby." I couldn't buy diapers for about two weeks, so in an effort to ration the few we had left, began potty training "the baby" -- it's not like we're going anywhere, so why not, right? He's doing ok with it -- it'd be better if he would tell me when he wants to use the bathroom, but he's not, so I'm just trying to pay attention to the clock and take him before/after activities. We are getting outside as often as possible. I am extremely thankful for our well-equipped back yard: swing set, monkey bars, zipline, chickens, garden plots, stump (stage), bikes, table with umbrella....and I've taken advantage of sidewalk chalk, fairy gardens, and weeding in the front yard. I try to take the kids around the neighborhood for walks and bike rides so that I can get some exercise, too, when it isn't too hot. I am buying all the things on the internet, either for delivery or for pick-up, although I think I'm almost finished with the ordering -- we're well stocked on food and have two more food deliveries (a meal box and a vegetable/fruit box) scheduled; we're expecting a veritable library of early chapter books to arrive over the next couple of weeks, and I've already given the children so many new toys that if I don't stop now, they won't think their Easter baskets are anything special.
The day-to-day is HARD. I'm trying to be kind to the kids, but it is also just a lot of work and I'm the only adult and it feels like it never stops. And in the few moments that it does feel like I can use the time to rest, if I do *just* rest, I fall further behind on the work. The laundry won't fold itself; the dishes won't jump into the dishwasher on their own; and the bathroom sink....yikes. These kids are digging in the dirt every chance they get. We were preparing the garden plots for actual planting this afternoon, and "the baby" came over, stepped inside the raised bed, and belly flopped. Into the dirt. Over, and over, and over, as if he was swimming in the dirt. I....don't really know what to say about it. I am having some FUN moments, too; but for every fun moment of really being present with the kids, there is the trade-off of not being able to prepare for the next moment: dig the garden WITH them; bathe them, and then....still need to cook the supper, because supper does not cook itself while you bathe the children (unless you are MUCH more with-it than I am, with my 2, 4, and 6 year old children).
I WILL get through this, and it WILL be ok, and after some time, we'll all be able to look back on this time period and recognize our individual strengths and lessons from it. I'm not on the other side yet, and it's ok for it to feel and be hard right now.
What was it Julian of Norwich wrote? "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well"? It will, in the end, all be well.
Tuessday, March 10 seems like a lifetime ago, when in reality was only 20 days ago.
Sweet hubby's mom had been in the hospital for a couple of days; the economy was starting to tank, schools were on the brink of being canceled, rumors of everything shutting down for "social distancing" were rampant....
And now, here we are....Fully two weeks distanced, and no end in sight. Sweet hubby in Chile, where his mom has, indeed, been diagnosed with a pancreatic tumor, but cannot receive follow-up diagnosis nor treatment (other than pain medication) because of clinics closing after Covid-19 exposures. Sweet hubby in Chile, recovering from his own hospital adventure when he was diagnosed with diverticulitis. Sweet hubby in Chile for at least another two weeks, as long as airlines will still fly him home to the states after two more weeks go by.
I am here, at the house, with the three small children. Peanut, Miss Middle, and "the baby." I couldn't buy diapers for about two weeks, so in an effort to ration the few we had left, began potty training "the baby" -- it's not like we're going anywhere, so why not, right? He's doing ok with it -- it'd be better if he would tell me when he wants to use the bathroom, but he's not, so I'm just trying to pay attention to the clock and take him before/after activities. We are getting outside as often as possible. I am extremely thankful for our well-equipped back yard: swing set, monkey bars, zipline, chickens, garden plots, stump (stage), bikes, table with umbrella....and I've taken advantage of sidewalk chalk, fairy gardens, and weeding in the front yard. I try to take the kids around the neighborhood for walks and bike rides so that I can get some exercise, too, when it isn't too hot. I am buying all the things on the internet, either for delivery or for pick-up, although I think I'm almost finished with the ordering -- we're well stocked on food and have two more food deliveries (a meal box and a vegetable/fruit box) scheduled; we're expecting a veritable library of early chapter books to arrive over the next couple of weeks, and I've already given the children so many new toys that if I don't stop now, they won't think their Easter baskets are anything special.
The day-to-day is HARD. I'm trying to be kind to the kids, but it is also just a lot of work and I'm the only adult and it feels like it never stops. And in the few moments that it does feel like I can use the time to rest, if I do *just* rest, I fall further behind on the work. The laundry won't fold itself; the dishes won't jump into the dishwasher on their own; and the bathroom sink....yikes. These kids are digging in the dirt every chance they get. We were preparing the garden plots for actual planting this afternoon, and "the baby" came over, stepped inside the raised bed, and belly flopped. Into the dirt. Over, and over, and over, as if he was swimming in the dirt. I....don't really know what to say about it. I am having some FUN moments, too; but for every fun moment of really being present with the kids, there is the trade-off of not being able to prepare for the next moment: dig the garden WITH them; bathe them, and then....still need to cook the supper, because supper does not cook itself while you bathe the children (unless you are MUCH more with-it than I am, with my 2, 4, and 6 year old children).
I WILL get through this, and it WILL be ok, and after some time, we'll all be able to look back on this time period and recognize our individual strengths and lessons from it. I'm not on the other side yet, and it's ok for it to feel and be hard right now.
What was it Julian of Norwich wrote? "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well"? It will, in the end, all be well.
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