Our new normal: week 2

The week of March 22, 2020

We've started finding our groove here with home-schooling and routines and balance. I've been so impressed with how well the kids have taken to distance learning. There have been struggles. Without motivation from peers to keep going and pep talks from teachers to power through, it's a challenge. But we're making it day by day.

On Monday, March 23 Governor Gretchen Whitmer imposed a "shelter in place" executive order: Stay home, Stay Safe. Other than groceries, we really have stayed put. We've spent far less time watching the news and perusing social media, and we're better for it. Panic and worry can be contagious, and I've had enough. I'm starting to see this situation as a blessing, and not wallow so much in the loneliness. After all, we have each other. This newly imposed shutdown has afforded us family time to do so many things we had previously been unable to do. There's more reading, more board games, more trampoline time, and yes, more clean laundry!

On Tuesday, we celebrated Morgan's 13th birthday. I'm certain it will be a birthday she always remembers - a parade of friends in our horseshoe driveway, gifts from grandparents on the front porch at a safe distance, and a 4-way Zoom meeting across the miles. 

To help keep things light, our principal has emailed some optional activities for a distance learning spirit week. It includes: making beds, a family game night, kids prepare dinner (the suggested sandwiches by our principal will be grilled hamburgers because as Andrew said "I have more experience grilling."), clean a room, clean a vehicle. We fizzled after Wednesday, but it's been a fun week.

The stay home order is scheduled to be lifted at midnight on Monday, April 13, returning to work and school on the 14th. I expect that date to be extended. I'm also sad for what this means about Easter. With the fun activities and Morgan's birthday, it hasn't really hit me until the end of this week that we will most likely not be traveling to celebrate Easter.

Despite the fun and trying to see the glass half-full, it does feel like a cloud of sadness is always nearby. There's been some school news shared that has sucked every ounce of happiness right out of me. I woke up today and was greeted with pouring rain and realized nothing has changed. The sad news still came, there's still Coronavirus in the world, and we must carry on. 

Here are some things that stood out to us during this second week:

Unexpected snow
More "Doodles with Mo Willems"
Lots of walks, even to Hillcrest Market to exchange the propane
Basketball at the Schmidts
Bought an Apple TV
A little more school than last week
Running the dishwasher SO much!
Zoom meetings (family, Trinity staff, AD's, 7th grade, Middle School Sundays)