We are now on our 5th week of staying home. As of right now they are extending the stay at home order until May 3, but we will see if that will actually be the date. Kansas City has the order going until May 15th. What a historical event that our country has completely shut down. It is a weird feeling when I go to the grocery store and see everyone in masks, and there are new rules put in place to make sure everyone is social distancing. The store shelves have been bare, and toilet paper of all things has been hard to come by. There was definitely a lot of panic those first couple weeks, but now I feel people are somewhat over it. Gas prices are about $1.50 a gallon around us, and I have not filled up my car in five weeks. My neighbor said she can't wait until she can go to Home Goods and touch everything.
Home schooling for the most part has surprisingly gone smoothly. The first two weeks they gave the kids a bingo board of different reading, math, writing, and social/science activities they could choose from. Finley liked having the choice. Baylor of course chose the activities that were the quickest so he could get outside, and Finley would work all day making a book. Those two are so different. After those two weeks we got lessons daily and that was an adjustment for Finley because she didn't always like what they said she had to do.
They both have zoom times with their teachers each week. Baylor meets twice a week with his reading group and then once a week with the whole class. Finley meets once a week and it is really just a time to connect and share. This week they had to say what had made them happy over the week. One little boy said he was excited about the new beer pong table his parents got. I was laughing so hard as the teacher tried to redirect to something else.
Andy is working from home, and has himself shut up in the sun room. He retiled the floor in there and I love that. He also got a new desk. It looks like he might be here for a few more months. They are tentatively saying July or August for him to go back to the office. I think it might be hard for him to go back because he likes this office better than his windowless one. He also likes the freedom to do things around here in the middle of the day.
The biggest news to come out of this is we have two up and coming YouTube stars. Lissy set up accounts for Finley and Baylor and they have started posting videos. It has kept them very busy this past week. The challenge I like the most that they did was to stay in a fort for 24 hours. I was able to get some things done on the main level of the house and clean up the basement while they stayed upstairs all day. They came down to eat dinner, and that was about it. They have definitely had some funny videos, and it really has been comic relief for us all.
Easter was a week ago and that definitely was weird to not have Church. Our Church did virtually stream it so we watched that in the morning, and then we made a big brunch. The Brawners came over to eat and hang out that day, and we are thankful to have them here. The highlight of the week is when they come to our house or we drive over to their house for dinner. The kids had an Easter egg hunt that morning, and it was beautiful out. Briley got the golden egg and Finley got the silver. The girls were so excited. They all seemed excited about the what the Easter bunny left them. A lot of new things to keep them occupied for a bit.
As hard as some days are for the kids to stay home, they have found ways to stay busy and be creative. Briley's friends have been writing letters to each other and then leaving them on their doorsteps. The funny thing is they call each other to talk about what the letters said. It really is just a way of going to each others houses in the hopes that they will pop out and say hello. She has gone through all her stationary so I need to get her some new stuff for her birthday. She has started using thank you cards now since that is all that is left.
Atticus's teacher started a you tube channel and has been reading to them and posting activities. She stopped by the house yesterday to bring him supplies for next weeks activities. He was excited to see her, but also very shy when she pulled up. She is doing a zoom with them tomorrow morning to show them what to do with the supplies she brought them.
While I am so ready to go out to restaurants again, and socialize with our friends, Andy and I have not missed the busy schedules that we previously had. We like that we can make a breakfast Saturday morning, and spend the day at home instead of running to games. I don't know if I am ready for that to all start up again, but at the same time I know the kids miss it. There is so much uncertainty of what our new normal will look like when this is over, and we wonder how things will change.
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