PROS/CONS AND DISCOVERIES OF THE PANDEMIC

Wow. Living out history. As the kids and I spend year after year reading through some of the best history books and lessons of our world through all of time--we are always amazed at some of the CRAZY things that have happened and I'll often say out loud..."Can you imagine living through something like that?" Maybe a war, walking with Jesus on earth and witnessing his persecution, the GREAT DEPRESSION, Pearl Harbor, Nazi times, Civil War, the Pilgrim ships, missionary stories, or even when diseases literally leveled the world's population. 

Yet, for us we have grown up in fairly easy times. My dad told me a few weeks ago he remembers polio in the 1950's paralyzing people he knew and seeing SOS written in the sky in smoke above his house to get their vaccinations. His mom remembers how terrifying that disease was. My other grandma told me she remembers taking a job as a 16 year old making spark plugs in a factory for the war planes, and when they heard that WWII was over and everyone came out in the streets to celebrate. My grandpa who would be over 100 years old dropped out of high school to help his family through the DEPRESSION times. My grandma says she remembers making a dime a day washing her neighbors dishes and what a prize that money was to her family who needed it to put food on the table. I remember my dad telling a story of losing friends to the Vietnam war, and how he was only a few numbers away from getting drafted as an 18 year old. I say all this to remind us that while trials and troubles and personal losses have come to us as individuals--rarely have we lived through a large scale issue that creates a common bond across the nation--and even throughout the entire world. We are living out history.

What have been the PROS for me: 

Ben: I have loved having him working from home. We have more opportunity to eat lunch together, take afternoon walks and just simply be together. Even parenting has been better because he is there to hear things going on and he's got my back.

homeschooling:  While many are at home doing their schooling--and in crisis mode really--it was nice to have already had curriculum, schedules, testing etc in place, and be able to just keep on pushing through. If anything the pandemic only made us finish faster, and have more time for special projects and fun.

re purposing and attempting new things: I have loved finding creative uses for things I already own instead of the ease of going to buy something when I need it. Being stuck at home and even when going out having to do so with such caution and so few trips--I have loved looking for old fabrics, or new uses for things in the shed or craft projects, cleaning supplies etc. Claire brought a photo of a cute little bob haircut and asked if I would try it. Normally--I'd say no...but why not....so I watched a youtube video and gave it a shot. I even did this cool snipping motion with my hair scissors to make me feel like I was a stylist and added layers too. It certainly not professional, but she acted like she had a new lease on life--just like we ladies do when we get our hair cut and styled! It was fun.

family time. We knew early on--each day might have a monotony to it if we didn't come up with some creative planning. So each day we put a new recipe and a fun activity on the desk calendar on our kitchen table. The kids have loved knowing what is coming and looking forward to it.

rest- I hate to admit it, but with three kids-it's hard not to be too busy. It's been fun to see everything cancelled and just be able to stay home and not feel like anyone is missing anything. 

hobbies: I have loved having more time for my hobbies. Sewing projects, art, gardening, scrapbooking and blogging. Even walking and cooking and baking and things I have wanted to teach the kids and have more time for. It's May 3rd and I have finished our yearly homeschool scrapbook, made dozens of masks, pillows, etc, planted and mulched the whole yard, all my flowers, transplanted many plants and new trees and actually have most of my to do list finished! It's crazy! 

Bible: It's May 3rd and I am up to date on my bible reading plan for the year. 

extra money: Without activities, restaurants, driving or shopping--We are amazed at how much we have saved.

news: Admittedly, I rarely know what is going on in the news. Not culture, not the world, not even local. I wait until something alarms one of my sisters and they say something to me....and that is my cue to check out the news. But Ben and I have consistently been watching the news and I even got a news app and have really enjoyed having more margin to be able to know a little more about whats going on. I have found a new respect for our national leaders,  president and governor through this crisis.

What have been the CONS for me:  

church: I hate not being able to go to church. Sure we can learn the same message from home...but I miss the talking in the lobby, the connecting with others, hugs, kids playing with their friends and catching up and WORSHIPING together. something seems wrong about sitting in a recliner singing worship songs to the Lord.

friends: we miss our friends. we miss our family. we miss just shooting the breeze on the soccer fields, or at the basketball courts, or in a store or restaurant. 

going out: i hate all the social distancing. the masks and gloves and taking a shower, and cleaning and wiping down all the groceries and spraying Lysol on everything. And don't get me started on the  de-contaminating of amazon boxes and mail.  

activities: I miss book club, and lunch dates, and our co-op and visiting family, and having friends over, and going to soccer games and running through the drive through....


poison ivy: Claire and I had a terrible bought with poison ivy that lasted almost 30 days. Oh my we looked terrible. So while this was a con of our quarantine story--the pro would have to be that we didn't have to go out into public and be seen!

What have been my DISCOVERIES through the pandemic:

shoes: I have always been a shoe wearer in my house. I know what they say about germs...but I am more productive if I get up and put my shoes on in the morning. It's just a fact. But since the pandemic and precautions...we have all been taking our shoes off at the doors for safety. i found though i hate it. so i bought a new pair of tennis shoes to strictly be my inside tennis shoes and i am much happier.

time unaware: funny story: I found that this amazing little beautiful island, Turks and Caicos, that only has 14 cases of covid-19, and I thought for fun I will look up flights and see when I can fly there. It was April 21st when I decided to look for flights. The first available was April 22nd. When I saw that I thought...Why is the date so far out from now? That's when I realized it was April. I had in my mind it was March.

planner: I love my planner and use it all the time. It keeps me straight. For the first couple weeks I still looked at it, and then after a few weeks--it fell by the wayside and I haven't seen it in weeks.

dog: Claire and Ben have always wanted a dog. then she got Jack and Caleb onto this plan. and she has written papers, arguments and stories for years. The quarantine must've gotten into my brain..and in a hasty moment I said. okay. and now we are getting a dog! gasp.

fabric: I was folding laundry the other day and a pretty dishtowel came to the top of the basket and i thought to myself ooh..that would make a nice mask.

driving: Once a week Ben deems his drive to work day. he goes, listen to audio book, his music and spends time in prayer. he drives the 30 minutes to work and then turns around and comes home. its good for his mental status. I have done the same things a few time and it's been nice to just drive, listen to my music loudly and talk to God with no distraction.

trash: Oddly--being home more--we have had way less trash each week. I wonder why? I think maybe our chic-fil-a trash must've been taking up more room than we thought! ha.

hoodies: I love fashion. And hoodies are nice and practical, but often make me look like a hunchback because I have so much hair, and I just feel sort of frumpy in them. But for a cool spring and lots of stay at home time, and random daily walks--Jeans and hoodies and tennis shoes have been my mainstay. 

spending: So I have always thought I was the spender and Ben was the saver. But now I think I am the spender, so Ben is the saver.  I haven't shopped at all or even driven much in the last 45 days. I don't really like online shopping. Ben however bought a new bike, a new pair of shoes and an expensive soccer jersey for himself. I said one day, "Hey--I've never seen you buy this many things for yourself!" He laughed and said, "Well--we've been saving alot."

look for the good: In general-I try to look for the good in every situation and in this I can mostly see the good even though I will look forward to some of this being lifted. We can't choose what happens to us, but we can choose how we respond to it. I think I will come out of this more rested. More appreciative of our democracy and leaders and being an AMERICAN. More grateful for the freedom to worship corporately. Thankful for knowing where I'll be spending eternity b/c in times of crisis you see face the reality of  visible fear. More grateful for good healthcare and for the goodness of humans--from making masks and helping neighbors, to staying home to protect others. I think I will be more aware of wasteful spending and more careful to not waste so much time, money and margin. I think I will thank the Lord more for my friends and family and community and be glad to be part of something bigger.