January and February were full of visits and learning about the past and enjoying family. March has proved to be about fearing the future and appreciating family in a completely opposite way.
COVID 19
Earlier in the year China and other countries were battling a viral outbreak known as Covid-19. It's a flu like virus that affects the lungs and breathing in a very contagious, lethal and easily transmitted fashion. Within days it had crippled China and Italy and started spreading to other countries. We watched from afar but by March it had spread to the United States.
Many feel that Covid-19 coming to the US is something the government and people are treating too severely. The reactions and emotions are as bipolar a you can get. There is no treatment. They are creating a vaccine, but I wouldn't touch it for my life. Different story/subject for a later date.
We have watched this past week, March 13th on, as schools have closed, stores have been raided and completely depleted of goods. Food, toilet paper, water, flour, sugar, everything but candy. Ironic huh?
Jaime, Robyn, Whitney and Riatt came down for a visit and got into town Friday when everything was starting to collapse. We could do nothing more than wait. They had planned to stay for a week, but soon we realize that they should probably try to get back home sooner than later in case they
We were at dinner on Tuesday March 17th when what we had waited for and hoped wouldn't happen finally came through. The Governor, Sisolak, closed down Vegas. Business had been deep cleaning in hopes of staying open. They reduced numbers of peopled in areas. Sports teams suspended their seasons. Casinos closed gambling areas. Schools were closed. Finally the hotels themselves started to close. Wednesday the Gov mandated that all non-essential businesses close. What is non-essential? What is essential?!
I sat there, in a restaurant instead of being at a home cooked meal and watched the address on the bar tv screen. My appetite was gone. Joel's job for all we knew was gone. How would we pay our bills? How would anyone pay their bills with more than half of the city and state now unemployed!
Panic, fear, emotions. I was overwhelmed. Joel was overwhelmed. We haven't hid anything from the girls as to what is going on. But doesn't seem to affect them so negatively. They took the news and carried on with life.
With no school, things have been interesting. We study at home and that has been an adjustment.
Hailey and Emi both learned how to ride their bikes over the past 2 weeks. They were terrified at first and had many falls and bruises. But with the encouragement of a full half gallon of ice cream all to themselves they pushed through! It has been amazing and a great relief to have them riding. Walks are quicker and they love riding. It's gotten to where I can hook up the Chariot and put Brystol in and we all go for rides. The girls can't get enough!
So with no school opens, that means everything had to be moved online or given out to be completed at home. That has been an interesting challenge. I am extremely grateful for all of the talented people out in the world that have utilized the media and internet and their amazing teaching skills and knowledge to help us educate and entertain our children and help keep us all a little bit more sane during these times. The girls usually watch Science Mom on youtube in the morning. The Cincinatti Zoo posts live videos of the different animals. The zoos are closed so they help educate from online.
I won't lie and say that I'm not scared. I'm not panicked sometimes. Especially when I try to go to the store for something like copy paper or construction paper and see long lines waiting to be let into the stores. People raided the stores a week ago taking all the toilet paper, water, flour, and most other goods. I usually turn around and find a different option because I just can't handle lines like that right now.
I'm slowly getting more organized with how to help the girls in school. How to read, how to learn, how to have fun. At times I feel like a failure because I don't feel like I've done enough. Too much play and not enough learning. Pressure from others that seem to have it more together than me. But tonight I got a weekly organizer that lets me write down the things Hailey and Emilee do education-wise and throughout the day and it let me see that we are productive and learning and having fun.
I hope that Hailey and Emi can look back on these days are love what they have learned and appreciate that they were able to cope with such hard change and challenges.
Joel is working for the moment. Apparently being HVAC is considered necessity. But hour by hour the job site could close and we would be unemployed like the rest.
It changes the way we look at living. Don't waste food. Conserve what you have. Be creative in your meals. --I'm still working on that part.
On a totally different note, in January I created a sourdough or natural yeasted starter to make bread. It has been a fun journey and a well worth while investment because now I can make bread when there is non on the shelves to buy. I need to rebuild the strength of my started because I think I measured something wrong or got he water too hot and killed it slightly. Time to revive.
I hope that I can be more positive in the coming days. I hope that I can be more confident in myself and the world around me. I don't want to fear and let panic overcome me. Sometimes I have moments where it's too much and I'm grateful that Joel shares that load when he can. He is a great dad and works hard to provide a full life for us, even in hard times.
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