Social Distancing Deets

So....yeah. Everything has changed since I last posted. The Corona Virus, which started out as something I heard was going on in other parts of the world is now here, in an angry, rushing burst of sickness, heartbreak and general yuckiness, that is changing every aspect of our lives as Americans.

Wednesday and Thursday of last week were a whirlwind with parent-teacher conferences and looong days at school. On Thursday, I checked our local news site and saw that a nearby school district had closed due to Covid-19. Hmmm, that was alarming to me. So I continued on with conferences, continually refreshing news pages during appointments. I stopped by the store on the way home to pick up my Clicklist order and it was chaos. They weren't able to get many things on my list and the employees were so flustered and overwhelmed. I got home and immediately cried as I told AJ, "I think life is really going to change."

Headline on March 13th 

That Friday, I had the day off from school so I took Hank to Harmons and it was eerie. We were in line to check out for over 30 minutes. That afternoon, on the way home from Hank's first dentist appointment (he was a CHAMP), I received word that school was cancelled. I tried to refrain from watching the news most of the weekend.

this mountain view coming down the stairs is always gorgeous to me

just hanging around 

Monday and Tuesday I went into school, set up my Google classroom, and made packets for my students. I miss them terribly and contrary to what many may think, remote teaching is not at all easier than face to face teaching. That human connection is missing and it hurts my heart. Luckily, I feel like there are so many excellent online resources out there and I'm getting the hang of Google classroom. I've been filming a video each day for my kids of either a lesson or simply reading aloud to give them some peace that I'm still their teacher and I love them.

I filled that laundry basket with manipulatives and tools to use in teaching videos. It's my "Basket O'Teaching" 

work packets ready to go 

Wednesday morning, the first day of our at home teaching, AJ and I woke up early to try and get as much school work done as possible before Hank got up. We were sitting together at the kitchen table when the whole house started to shake. I froze. "That's an earthquake," AJ said calmly. We both shot up to go get Hank and by the time we were up the stairs, the shaking stopped. We just stood there in the stillness for about a minute not saying anything just processing what happened. We went to our phones to text nearby friends and family and check the news. Yep, we had just experienced a 5.7 earthquake. Sheesh. We had a few smaller ones last spring and we purchased an emergency backpack with survival goods and emergency food. We made a plan for if/when it happens again. It just felt like a lot on top of an already crazy week. We also discovered a series of cracks in our basement flooring from the quake. Fun times.

Some things to smile about, though:
-extra Hank snuggles and playtime is #1!!

-I took care of nagging to-do's like taking the census (do it while you're home!) and hanging some more things around the house

-emails from my sweet 1st graders

You can see my laptop is perched on a box so I can read aloud to my students from here 

-my 4th math endorsement class is officially finished! The 5th one (out of 6) will begin online at the end of the month

-Hank and I blasted Taylor Swift in the car (our fave!!) and drove around for a while and then to the Starbucks drive thru yesterday while AJ worked. It was the best half hour of my week, haha.

-We sorted and organized our basement
-AJ and I have really kicked up our workouts and are kicking some booty in our basement. Plus the FREE 90 days on the Peloton app is awesome. Plus walks. Lots of walks.

-I've cooked some new recipes and plan on baking some yummy cookies this weekend

vegetarian curry over basmati rice

quinoa crusted chicken parm

-I watched Harry Potter movies 2 and 3.

-The house is decorated for spring

-I've been re-vamping my daily gratitude practice and loving it
-Cleaned and sorted lots of paperwork

-I am declaring this the golden age of the internet. The memes are just too good.

I've spent a few years now taking the lemons of life and trying to make lemonade. Ever since Hadley, my sweet 5 day old daughter passed away in my arms, nearly 4 years ago,  I've searched and prayed to find silver linings in darkness and hope in the valleys... and it's worked. I've discovered stores of strength and the value of perspective in  difficult times. And know, my friends, that sometime in the future I'll write a post in this very space about the lessons I've learned, the bright spots in the unknown, and the beautiful grace of a loving God and kind people in my path. It really is true: It could always be worse. It's important to empathize with those who don't have it as carefree as we do right now.

But now, I'm not sure, is the right time for diving into those musings. I miss my old life and feeling secure and settled. I know that this too shall pass and that hope--perfect, awesome hope, is there no matter what. But sometimes the healthy thing to do....the right thing to do.....the sane thing to do, is let the hurt hurt for a minute. Let your heart break knowing it won't be that way forever.

Lots of love to you my friends.

Savor Your Sparkle and Wash Your Hands,
Leslie