"Mom, how do you spell quarantine?" This is not a conversation I thought I would have with one of my children. But here we are, in the middle of the Coronavirus pandemic of 2020. The virus is extremely contagious and causing severe illness, especially in those with underlying conditions. In order to slow down the number of sick people in our already crowded hospitals, we have been advised to stay home with our families unless it's absolutely essential that we leave our houses! We are required to social distance ourselves from other people, keep 6 feet between each other, not gather in groups of more than 10, not give in to our children's requests to hang out with friends, and one last final detail, all the schools have been canceled for 4 weeks; most likely longer. Many businesses are closed, funerals, weddings, and church services are being live-streamed, and a handful of states have enacted "shelter in place" orders. These are unprecedented times. My grandmother is almost 97 years old and has never experienced anything like this before in her lifetime. It's weird, it's scary, it's daunting, but hopefully, something beautiful will come from all this!
I have thought about restarting this blog so many times over the past couple of years. For one reason or another, I have not taken the time to actually do it. I'm not sure how to even catch up on all that has been missed, but I going to try. Now I have the time! My kids are growing up so incredibly fast. The thought of how little time I have left with them takes my breath away and puts tears in my eyes. So now, I'm going to use this quiet, unscheduled moment in our life to remember and document some of the important events from the past 5 years. A lot has happened! Then I vow to keep this thing going. It's hard to admit it, but I going to need the organized pictures and memories for Cael's high school graduation!
The past 5 years have been eventful! The BIG things... we took custody of our sweet niece, Madeline, so we are wrangling 5 kids and moved to an acreage outside of town. I tried to go back to work full time-ish but in the end, we decided it was better for me to be home. Now I work at Waukee Middle as a para-educator and substitute teacher. I really love my job and I am very sad about not getting to go back. Corbin is still running his business and things are going well. During this "quarantine" I am thankful that he can work for home easily, although, being home all day with 5 kids and a husband takes a little adjusting.
Cael is 15 years old and is a freshman in high school! CRAZY! He is a fishing fanatic and still loves all things sports. He drives to school which kind of a terrifying thing for a parent, but the convenience of his independence is totally worth it! His first love is football and he started on both offense and defense during his freshman season. This year he had to make the choice between basketball and wrestling. He chose wrestling and actually earned a spot on varsity in the 195 pound and heavyweight weight classes. Being stuck at home with all of us is not ideal. He would rather be with friends or out fishing but I'm going to cherish seeing his face around the house every day!
Avery is 13 years old and is in 7th grade. She is a planner, an organizer, and a learner. She loves to bake, sew, and exercise. She isn't doing gymnastics any longer, but she likes to play volleyball, takes diving lessons, and participates in track. It has been a joy to watch her grow into a wonderful young lady. She is a huge help around the house and takes charge of the younger kids! Often people say that the middle school years are horrible, but she has really come into her own. She has a great group of friends, and there is little drama. Prior to the school closure, she was also a stage manager for the upcoming school play of the Lion King. The play director was very impressed with her organizational and follow-through skills! Oh, she also has her own business! She makes giant bubbles with bubble wands and sells them at farmers' markets and on-line. Avery's future is so bright!
Madeline is our sweet niece/bonus daughter. She has lived with us since the summer before her 1st-grade year, and she is currently in 5th grade and is 11 years old. Despite some challenges that she has faced in her little life she is a bright light! She is one of the happiest human beings I know without a care in the world! She is super social and loves her friends. She loves dancing, running, gymnastics and also excels at diving - partly because of the fact that this girl as NO FEAR! Madeline is a key employee in Avery's bubble business as Avery could not make it all work without her. We love her and it has been a blessing to have her in our lives!
Gabe is also in the 5th grade and is 11 years old (6 months younger than Maddy). He is a unique kid and still makes us laugh every day! Gabe used to compete in gymnastics, wrestles, plays football, basketball and is going to try lacrosse for the first time once we can gather in groups larger than ten! He has made some wonderful friendships in his 5th-grade year, and almost always has a smile on his face. One of my favorite things about the "social distancing" order is that Gabe and Avery have reconnected. When they were little they were best buddies and I have seen so many beautiful moments between them over this past week.
Luke is 8 years old and in the 2nd grade. He is tall and built like a brick house. Luke wrestles, plays basketball and football, and love to fish like Cael. Being the youngest of 5, Luke is a lot of fun. He knows more than he should and full of sh*t! I feel like his age puts him in the "sweet spot"... he is fun and independent but still loves to hug and cuddle. He comes up to me multiple times a day and says "I have one question for you? Why do you have to be the best mommy?" I mean, come on, he has me wrapped around his finger. The big kids say I let him get by with way more naughty stuff then they could ever get away with...they are probably right!
Well, I have only left my house a handful of times the past week and a half. I have not stepped foot into a grocery store or Target. What I have done? I have cleaned a couple of closets and baked two loaves of homemade bread. I have taken lots of walks and hikes with the kids. We have eaten dinner around the table every single night! I am reading the Harry Potter series out loud to the children. Not because they are asking for it, but because it makes me happy and they don't have a choice! Our daily pace has slowed WAY down, and it is actually kind of great. Today we started a bit of homeschooling to fill in the gap of no school, although, it is super simple and low stress.
I do have a heavy heart and some anxiety about what the next couple of months are going to look like, and I pray daily for everyone's health. I may have cried real tears over the closure of Starbucks, and the idea of homeschooling 5 children. I love living on an acreage, but I do miss seeing people. On the flip side, there is a sense of togetherness. There is a sense of love and hope all around. I believe that we will be better human beings when this health crisis subsides. I know for me, I will certainly never take being able to go to the grocery store, drop my kid off at friends' house, go to work, visit my parents and grandmother, or worship in a church for granted again!
