MARCH 24, 2020
Well, it’s definitely a crazy time in our country and in life right now. Right after I had made the other blog entry the President of the United States informed the country that we would not be able to be in large groups anymore and what they have called now “social distancing“. This is in hopes to stop the coronavirus from spreading too far and so pretty much everything from library‘s to fun centers to schools to any place where people can gather are all closed down. Everyone in the country is now doing homeschooling with help from their teachers online. Everyone pretty much stays at home and we don’t get out much anymore except to run to the grocery store for things we need. So far the number of cases in Utah have reached almost 250 and that number has more than doubled in just over a week. I’m a little concerned for my parents because they are in bountiful where they are seeing a lot of cases in their own stake now. The first death in the state of Utah was in their own ward. It’s an unsettling time with a lot of change and a lot of unknown. We are having to learn to homeschool and the girls music classes and dance classes are now through YouTube. I really don’t care for online learning and it makes it tricky because I have to have them online a lot now. Everyone is trying their best. The markets in the country dropped over night and we are praying will recover by the end of this year but who knows.
However, there are many blessings during this time. Cade is still employed and has even had two big sales this last week! SUCH a blessing. I get to spend time with my girls learning with them and getting to see what they are doing in school. I mean really I have felt closer to my girls after a week of homeschooling. There are no alarms set during the day- Nothing on my calendar to be at! I have really been able to slow down and reevaluate life and what is most important. We get to spend so much time at home with family. We have been able to still take the Sacrament each week in our very own home. It has been a really neat experience. We take turns giving talks or doing musical numbers or prayers or primary lessons. I am so grateful Cade holds the Priesthood and that we’ll over a year ago President Nelson and the other leaders of our church stated that we would be doing a program called “Come follow me.” That program has prepared us for teaching the gospel in our own homes and taking gospel learning into our own hands and not relying on someone else for our ow salvation. It’s been neat to become closer to my family and especially to my Savior through this inspired program.
There are many uncertainties during this time but God is a loving God. He cares about me and each of His children. He knows when it is our time to go and He will help and bless those who follow Him.
MAY 9, 2020
This Quarantine business has been quite crazy. Nothing like this world has experienced….at least for my lifetime. It has been over 6 weeks now that a lot of the world has been shut down. Most of the United Stated has asked anyone who is not “essential business” to work from home. Really only health care workers, construction workers, some restaurant workers, police officers/firefighters, etc. have gone to work. Everyone else works from home. People don’t go anywhere unless you HAVE to and if you go anywhere you are supposed to wear a mask. Just this last weekend a few things started to open, but only if you have a mask on (who wants to wear a face mask when they go to the gym??). I feel bad for so many Americans who are worrying about feeding their family and taking care of bills. The economy shut down over night when President Trump ordered social distancing and the “stay safe, stay home” initiative. It’s been crazy. Like I mentioned in an earlier post- Disneyland is still shut down and will be for some time. All professional sports are shut down and will be for some time. I was supposed to be on a girls trip in California with my sisters and mom at this very moment but like so many others, trips are cancelled or postponed. And we have no idea when things will resume back to “normal”. Hopefully soon.
How this has affected OUR FAMILY:
Cade has been working from home and we all actually love it. I didn’t know how he would take it but it’s been so wonderful. He gets to eat lunch with us everyday and if I have to go somewhere (which isn’t too often these days) I can leave Jane during her nap with him at home. The commute is great too!
We have homeschooled for 7 weeks now and the first two weeks were a little rough. It was hard getting all of the apps and websites downloaded and working and figuring out each girls schedule and how to submit assignments, and all of their online Zoom meetings with each of their teachers all throughout the mornings. It was a lot of change at once. But I have actually liked all of this home time with the girls. They sure miss their friends and their teachers but at least they get to chat with them online (man, technology is amazing). They miss school and would go back in a heartbeat. BUT if any of them said they wanted to be homeschooled…I’d probably be excited to do it.
I have enjoyed the freedom of not being over-scheduled and being able to slow down life. We don’t have anywhere to go and anywhere to be. It has also has allowed us to know what are the most important areas to focus on in life. I love having so much family time together and I especially love seeing our girls become closer with each other. They are such good friends. They have very similar interests and love playing with each other. I really don’t think they care too much about not playing with neighborhood friends and being social all the time. I miss it!!! But I think they are all doing JUST fine having each other. I have tried keeping some fun things in our life to look forward to- going up the canyon, having picnics, playing in the water outside, watching movies with popcorn during the DAY. Our favorite thing we have started is taking turns picking the service we do that day. We have picked up trash at Tibble Fork, heart attacked doors, brought around treats, sent letters/pictures in the mail, and more. I love being able to serve with my girls and hope to instill the love of service in each of them.
I also LOVE that my girls are forced to use their imaginiations more and come up with random things to do when they are bored. We live in a very over-scheduled world where we are constantly keeping them involved in dance, music, sports, and other extracurricular things as well as always feeling like we need to schedule our time being at museums, parks, splash pads, etc. But now we get to help them be KIDS. They get to learn how to come up with ways to entertain and it has been so fun to watch. Reminds me of when I was a kid and I LOVE it.
I am so grateful for a living prophet of God today. It’s been years in the making but the leaders of the church knew that there would come a time for gospel learning in the home to be our main source of being close to God. Over a year and half ago, they instituted the “Come Follow Me” program where we got to learn how to better teach the gospel in the home and have better discussions about Christ. Then this pandemic happened with Coronavirus (Covid-19) and we have not been able to attend church at church buildings for 7 weeks now. Those who have worthy priesthood holders in the home are able to administer the sacrament to their family which I am SO grateful Cade is able to do that for us. What a blessing!! We have really enjoyed assigning different members of our family to do talks, bear their testimony, sing musical numbers, etc. We have truly been able to become closer together and closer to our Savior.
I do miss being social and this last Sunday we finally got together with my parents and siblings at Nathan and Steph’s home. The last time I was able to was in January!! I am a social person and crave being around people. I feel that that is the best way I can serve others- inviting family or friends over for lunch or dinner, playing games with others, getting to know them so I can better know how to serve. Now it is a greater focus on serving my family which I have loved. But serving those outside of our family is a little trickier and not as simple.
Cade and I don’t get to go on weekly dates like we used to. We have saved a lot of money that way . We used to have Vera or Hailey come over every week and go to the temple, out to dinner, sporting or musical event, etc. And I miss that. But I feel like having him home during the day and also just going on walks or eating take-out in our car has been great too. We don’t have to do elaborate things to keep our relationship strong.
Overall, this has been a very positive experience for my family. I sometimes feel bad or guilty saying that because I know there are SO many families and individuals who are suffering physically, financially, spiritually, and socially. This is a very, very hard time for so many. I am trying to help my family think outside ourselves and know how we can reach out in our neighborhood and extended family. I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ and the many blessings we have received. There will be times in life where we will thrive and time where we feel we can barely survive but I need to strengthen my home and family during the times of thriving to prepare for the unknown future. Life is good. God is good. This Gospel of Jesus Christ is good.
Being able to do Zoom or FaceTime with people has been very rewarding. Like my Nauvoo Sisters!!!! OH man, I miss them and I haven't seen some of them for many years but we have been able to catch up on Go-to meeting and all chat together. Technology is amazing that way. We have all gone to different places and had different experiences but we still are just as close as ever! I love them so much.
Someone in our neighborhood brought a bucket of chalk and piece of paper around to all the homes in our neighborhood starting a chalk contest. The them was under the sea and we could walk around and see everyone chalk art. It was a very creative way to get people out of their homes but keep with social distancing guidelines.
Church at home has been a very special thing. The girls have more opportunities to share their testimonies or give talks or musical numbers. Our gospel discussions as a family are getting deeper and richer and I am SO grateful for the "Come Follow Me" program.
Driving around for a "Bear Hunt" around the neighborhood. People get creative during times like this!
The Virus and quarantine has also opened my eyes about how I am doing on food storage and emergency preparedness. I finally got our storage room organized and started doing a shelf full of food that we actually use on a daily basis. I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner but better late than too late!
Being able to do Zoom or FaceTime with people has been very rewarding. Like my Nauvoo Sisters!!!! OH man, I miss them and I haven't seen some of them for many years but we have been able to catch up on Go-to meeting and all chat together. Technology is amazing that way. We have all gone to different places and had different experiences but we still are just as close as ever! I love them so much.
Someone in our neighborhood brought a bucket of chalk and piece of paper around to all the homes in our neighborhood starting a chalk contest. The them was under the sea and we could walk around and see everyone chalk art. It was a very creative way to get people out of their homes but keep with social distancing guidelines.
Church at home has been a very special thing. The girls have more opportunities to share their testimonies or give talks or musical numbers. Our gospel discussions as a family are getting deeper and richer and I am SO grateful for the "Come Follow Me" program.
Driving around for a "Bear Hunt" around the neighborhood. People get creative during times like this!
Finding ways to serve has been more of a challenge but during April and May we took turns picking the service we wanted to do that day.
