I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to sit down and type out my feelings and all the happenings that have been going on around here lately but every day seemed to run into the next. Each night I had to choose to else go to bed and rest my weary mind or stay up and update my blog. I choose to keep the mind at ease and sleep. So here goes ... this might end up being a really long post or maybe Ill decided to break it up into multiple posts???
When we went to Florida in February, I heard of the Coronavirus but it was all beginning in China, so far away from us. This virus is a respiratory virus and symptoms are fever and cough. Many people have suffered already from this epidemic and it spreads very easily!!! The people that have dealt the most from this are elderly and with low immune systems. Quarantine is a word that I never even knew about it until now. This virus has now spread world wide and America is seeing affects of this TODAY.
Mike traveled to Arizona the last week in February and I joked but was a little serious in my mind when I commented to him to not bring back any Coronavirus sickness. His travels went well and we are healthy!!!! Thank the Lord for this!!!!!
Then Hadassah was off for her Senior Trip. All the way to Africa she traveled with the Class of 2020! We prayed health and blessings over them as they traveled, witnessed to orphans in Kenya, did skits and devotions night after night with those at Naomi's Village and twelve days later, they all traveled back home to the States. This was late Thursday, March 12, and now my momma heart was ready to see Hadassah and have her back home safe and sound!!!! The news by now had Covid 19 all over it! I'm not the one to watch the news that much except when there are disasters and hurricanes, etc.. For some reason I am intrigued by those events. I do listen to WDAC in the morning and late afternoon and usually any news I hear from that is what I know. Hadassah made it home safely and by Friday, we started getting emails and notices from school that they will be closing down for the next two weeks to help stop this spread of Coronavirus.
What? No school for the next two weeks??? I drove to school on Tuesday, March 17, (they already had Monday off of school because of teachers in service) to pick up Ashlyn's books and papers that her teacher had put together for us to do at home. Homeschooling was never my option way of teaching but here goes for the next plus weeks. I prayed for God's help!!!!!
Non essential stores were closing down and then on Thursday, March 19, of this week, Governor Wolf said that all non essential businesses were also to shut down. This now involves Mike's employees and business!!!! We've never had something like this before and how are we to react? So far we know of no one who has this sickness. The numbers are low compared to the population but we must be sensitive to those who are fighting for a cure. Fighting for life!!! For the doctors and nurses and to watch the whole world be affected is so crazy!!!!! Traveling has come to minimum. Parks, businesses, church and stores (except for groceries and gas) are closed. No gatherings are to happen that have more than ten people. STAY HOME is what we are being told!!!!! Quarantine has begun.
Last week, my mind was racing. My heart went from worry to anxiety to peace and knowing that God's got this all in his hands!!!! He's not surprised by this and what an opportunity for us Christians to shine our light in such a dark time of sickness and stress and worry!!!! Meanwhile, I had one ear on the radio updates and the other ear on my four children that are now suddenly all at home. They are in the kitchen wanting breakfast, lunch and dinner! :))) I don't want to complain, really I don't but my mind was spinning. Then to add to it all, we had Jeremiah here working in the basement for the past two weeks and so construction dust and dirt and noise and paint and projects were happening all at once. One day I went back to our master bedroom to breathe and take a deep breath because I felt like the entire house needed cleaned! I was asking God every day for more patience and more grace and for continued health and mostly for peace in such an unknown time in history!!!!!! With the kids out of school, Hadassah has been helping Jeremiah paint the newly constructed basement and then on Wednesday, they painted the living room! That's when I was at my thinnest moment of trying to keep my emotions and baring's together. I was totally OK with having it all done but what a process of plastic and blue tape and paint brushes all around, plus little ones that were eager to help out! When we originally schedule for Jeremiah to work here, we had no idea all of this other stuff would be going on.
Homeschooling is going well. Ashlyn pretty much knows what to do on her own. Matthew and Hadassah check online for their assignments. It takes only a little while in the morning and then I excuse Ashlyn to play with Austin. These two have been having the time of their lives!!! They play well but we've had to figure out how to not have one mess after the next!!!! They were instructed to clean up one thing before going to the next thing! It has really been helpful!!!!
The weather has been nice and Matthew helped me edge around the flowerbeds and Hadassah mowed the yard for the first time!!!! Outside projects are beginning!!!!! The garden got planted with the early spring seeds and plants and the rest will get purchased and planted hopefully in a few weeks!!!!!!
Church has been canceled for two weeks now! This is a huge change and we really cannot wait to gather with our friends and family again!!!! We listened to YouTube both Sundays on the message that God put on Merv Charles' heart! We've been listening to lots of worship music!!!! Yesterday, Mike and I watched the song "Blessing" from Kari Jobe and both of us were in tears!!! The Spirit is moving and I've been asking God to speak to me through all of this unrest and unknown. I like "normal"!!!! I get distraught when my little world gets rocked. I actually wish to grow in this area and not let the worries and changes in my life take me for such a loop. I'm just being honest here! This has been a stretch and not just for me but for many others all around the globe!!!! There are so many questions from the kids, from me and from others all around. We are just taking one day at a time. What really can we do more other than cry out to God and listen for him to speak!!!!! America is going to wake up and see the goodness of God!!!!!
There are schools in other states that have announced that they are closing down for the year and not finishing up 2019/2020. I get nervous about this because there is so much we normally look forward to at the end of school. Ashlyn has missed her field trip already and disappointment has a lot to do with this virus. We are going to try to hold our schedules lightly and not get too fired up if more and more things get canceled. We want to do our part with helping slow down this virus and for sure we do not want to be in contact with such a sickness!!!!!!!
I feel like so much more could be said because my heart was heavy most of last week and my mind was trying to take in all what is happening. This week seems much better!!!! God has been faithful and he is my helper in time of such of unknown.
I went grocery shopping last Monday (like normal) but did grab a few extras just in case things get really bad and we can't get out and about. Now today, we were low in groceries again. The kids have been eating more since they are at home and it was time to restock. Hadassah has been baking extra much and what a great time to get some kitchen skills learned and for me to teach her some basics!!!! I went out to our local grocier and even though they still have a lot on their shelves, it's starting to show that something odd is going on. No toilet paper ... no where. I'm really hoping we don't run out here!!!! The bread shelves were almost empty. People are buying meats and dairy products in bulk. We do want to support the locals in our area that are still able to serve through drive up window or take out. All restaurants are closed unless they offer these two services. It's crazy!!!! All sporting events are closed! What a time for families to ban together and spend time together!!!!! We had a campfire here in the back yard on Friday night. The weather was so nice and it was fun to roast hot dogs and s'mores again!!!! Saturday night we called New Holland Coffee for take out! These small coffee shops and restaurants are still open if they have drive through or take out available and we enjoyed supporting them! We hope to do this again! Hadassah picked up the food for us and all enjoyed it around the dining room table ... right here at home!!!!
What a time in history to shine as a Christian!!!! Mike is in his office today answering any phone calls that come in. His employees were told to not come into work today and he's asking God for guidance for the upcoming days and weeks.
I'm trying to put my best foot forward! Times could really be much worse for us here on our little frontier and so we remain grateful for God's blessings!!!! I want to love on the children more! Read stories and play games more. Ashlyn and I already played some "take one", we drew some animals, we played marbles meanwhile the Mike and the boys found themselves a dart board and are playing darts non stop.
Stay positive!!!! Don't be discouraged! God's got us in his care!!!!
