springdellgirl: COVID-19 Quarantine: Days 1-4

Day One (March 14: Saturday)

Today was snowy and cold. Staying at home truly began. This is rough. I am not a homebody. I get stir crazy being stuck at home. I like to get out and do things. Everyone being home on a Saturday was weird. Ailey's regionals dance competition that was scheduled for today was cancelled and then they cancelled State. Her dance team season just ended. It was sad. Ailey has also had a cold but it is starting to go away. Just a runny nose... no fever and nothing resembling the coronavirus. Now so much as a cough or sneeze causes apprehension.

The governor cancelled any kind of gathering at a large venue. As our state did it so did other states. Concerts, museums, sporting events, March Madness, Bloomsday and Junior Bloomsday, the St. Patrick's Day parade... all kinds of things were cancelled today. The Church made a statement that missionaries with health issues and Senior Missionary couples are being sent home early.

Beverly had a grooming appointment today that had been scheduled for weeks. We kept that appointment. We just dropped her off and then came back to pick her up when she was done. If stuck indoors with our dog we prefer her well groomed. :) We had a few important errands that we felt we still needed to run. Tyler didn't go into any of the stores but he rode along with me in the car. I also HAD to get to the library. I heard that all of the libraries were going to be closing and I need books to survive quarantine!! I also made a hair appointment STAT! Kameron still had to go to work and Reilly too. I tried to impress upon her that she and Hunter needed to get themselves organized and see what supplies they needed from the store while there was still anything to get.

That afternoon Tyler and I put on all of our winter gear (I thought we were done with it...ugh) and went for a 3 mile walk. It was so needed. Tyler is great at lightening things up and keeping me from full on panicking. We wanted to do something fun for Saturday night for the kids so we went through the drive thru at McDonald's to get Shamrock Shakes and Filet-o-Fish meals for dinner. Our kids love that tradition were worried that McDonald's was going to shut down by St. Patrick's Day. We love us a Shamrock Shake! It's really the only time we ever go to McDonald's and even I enjoyed and needed a comforting Shamrock Shake!

Day 2 (March 15: Sunday)

Today there was snow on the ground and it was cold. It was very weird not getting up early for church or having an early church meeting. Kameron had to work today until 2pm so we decided to wait to have our home church until that afternoon so that he could attend. We decided to go ahead with our family's St. Patrick's Day dinner that we had scheduled for tonight. I was looking forward to having all of our kids under one roof for a few hours at least in all of this craziness. Tyler and I told the kids that we would have a family meeting that night too and make a game plan for the coming days ahead.

Around noon Reilly called us to say that she couldn't come over for dinner. Hunter's uncle (who Hunter works for) had been in direct contact with someone who had been diagnosed with COVID-19. The uncle is having to self-quarantine for 14 days. Since Reilly lives with Hunter and has had indirect contact she (and we) knew that it was too risky to have her come over and be around Tyler. That was a very teary phone call and the Coronavirus got much too real. :(

The elementary school teachers were all at school today and madly trying to figure out a plan for home school for the next six weeks. The high school teachers were at the high school too. We had so many texts and emails coming from the schools all day long. Bryn's teacher with her compromised immune system was not going to be able to be at school on Monday but texted that any of her students could come to the school this afternoon to get their supplies for the upcoming weeks and to see her and give her an elbow bump. Kameron got home from work just in time to drive Bryn over. Kameron had Mrs. Antonio in 5th grade too. He brought Bryn in and saw several of his old teachers. Bryn was so sad to say goodbye to Mrs. Antonio. She came home with a packet, books, online info, and a very rigorous daily schedule. I adore Mrs. Antonio.

After Bryn and Kameron got back we had our home church. Our bishop gave our ward permission for homes with priesthood holders to bless and partake of the Sacrament. Homes without a priesthood holder will get the Sacrament once a month. Tyler and Kameron both changed into white shirts and ties. Tyler got a white cloth and turned our coffee table into the sacrament table. We started our meeting off with a song and prayer. We sang a Sacrament hymn as Tyler and Kam prepared the Sacrament. Tyler and Kam took turns blessing the Sacrament. It actually was a very neat experience. After that we did our Come Follow Me lesson (not too different from other Sundays), watched the video from President Nelson which was super comforting, sang another song, and said the closing prayer.

We still had our family's St. Patrick's Dinner. I decorated and we made corned beef, cabbage, onions, potatoes, homemade bread, lime jello jigglers, green punch, and a lime poke cake for dessert. My heart wasn't super into it... we were missing two people! But Abbey still came over and we facetimed with Reilly during dinner. Our kids are pretty hilarious even in the midst of a global pandemic. We all needed some good laughs tonight. We ended up having a fun night after all! We wore our silly hats and blared Irish music. We took a bunch of personality tests and figured out Abbey's Love Language (Quality Time) and Enneagram number...9...just like Tyler. We introduced her to Darby O'Gill and the Little People! She had never seen that movie before! What?!

Day 3 (March 16: Monday)

Today was cold but the sun came out. Today was extremely weird. Tyler worked from home and we tried to figure out what we were going to do going forward. Both Reilly and Kameron still have to go to work like normal. Kameron's work is really strict and he is very limited in who he has contact with but Reilly's work is not. Her bosses will keep their business up and running no matter what and Reilly will have to be there and will keep coming in contact with all kinds of people. Besides Tyler... I worry about her the most. Bryn woke up with a cold. Are you kidding me?! But like Ailey it seemed very cold-like...just a runny nose, head congestion, and no fever.

Ailey spent most of her day getting all of her communications, plans, and schedules from her teachers. She also has a VERY rigorous daily schedule. Online classes and video chats with teachers and classmates. I am glad to see how organized our schools are. I keep seeing on social media that parents in other areas are having to plan and make up lessons for their children. Not here. Thank goodness! Both girls got their study areas organized and ready to go. Tyler set up his home office area.

The governor declared that people can't meet in groups larger than 50 now. He closed restaurants (except for takeout and drive thru), Bars, Movie Theaters, Malls, Gyms, Hair and nail Salons (NO!) All things like that. Meki told us that her sister who lives in the Bay Area in CA was on lockdown and having to shelter in place. Scary. The church made a statement that missionaries who have already served 21 months are being sent home. Colleges are closing and sending students home. All out of state students have to return. Grocery stores are empty. You can't find cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, or toilet paper anywhere. We are so glad to have some and very happy to have supplies to share with Reilly and Hunter too.

Tyler and I went for another big 3 mile walk this afternoon. These walks are keeping me sane. I DO NOT want to have to shelter in place and have to pace my backyard for exercise! Reilly came over after work and did a porch visit. She talked to Tyler through the window and the rest of us through the door but from a safe distance. She put a big smooch on our window. It was a teary visit. I don't like to be separated from our kids! We made Reilly and Hunter a care package with a "to-go" St. Patrick's Day dinner, drinks, dessert, and decor. We sent her home with some extra supplies and hand sanitizer too. I hate not being able to hug and kiss her!!

Tyler and I drove to his office later (around 8 pm) to pick up some plans that he needed for a project that he was working on. We had to go when there was no one else around. We stopped at Rite-Aid at around 9 pm too. I ran in to track down some tampons! Those are scarce around here!! (At least the brand that the girls and I use.) I snagged the last two boxes while Tyler waited in the car. Then it was home and to bed. We are turning into pioneers who get up with the sun and go to bed when the sun sets. The stress has been draining.

Day 4 (March 17: Tuesday)

Today was sunny and is actually St. Patrick's Day! Home School also began in earnest. It is serious business. Ailey and Bryn start at 9 am and are hard at work until about 2:30 pm. Tyler's department at work had things much more organized and he now has a skype meeting every morning at 8:15 am and then he puts in a full day. We are so grateful that he can still do his job. I am trying to figure out how to not go crazy with everyone at home and still get my projects/work done. I haven't figured that out yet. Maybe next week.

We heard from some very reliable sources that school will most likely be cancelled for the rest of the year. Wow. That was a blow. My heart goes out to Abbey who just had her Senior year abruptly ended. Prom and Graduation have been cancelled too. Even worse...we heard that there is a very real possibility that there won't be school next year due to not having a vaccine that would be available to everyone by then. I had a small breakdown today. Ailey's school trip to San Francisco was also cancelled. We heard that all retail stores were going to close except for banks, grocery stores, and pharmacies. That still hasn't happened. The church made a statement that missionaries who are serving in several foreign countries are all being sent home. Today was ROUGH. Not having an end date for all of this is so difficult and depressing.

Tyler and I ran out to the lake that evening to meet with and get a bid from a tree removal service. (Tyler from a safe social distance.) There is so much damage out at the lake that we can't really delay getting this done. FIVE HUGE TREES need to come down and many others limbed. Being out at the lake gave me a little bit of peace and a pause in all of the hysteria and panic. We got our favorite Chinese take out and just took a breather for a few hours before we headed back home and back to our new reality.