CVSD: Day 4

Daniel got an email this morning from his boss saying that his department will have a staff meeting tomorrow. On site. !$#*?! His company is a government agency, don't they realize we are all supposed to be practicing social distancing? It's hard not to be frustrated by this.

We are starting to tentatively adjust to all being together. I know it is just Sunday, but our routines are already off with church being cancelled at the building. It is going to take a bit of time to get used to family dynamics of being together (if Daniel's work does finally let them work from home). We just need to remind ourselves that it will be like our camping trips when we are together 24/7. We got this!

We had a live televised worship service for church this morning, but it wasn't quite the same as being in person with our church family. For one thing we were all in pajamas and there was coffee and hot chocolate. No matter, the message was good: Love our neighbors. And also the reminder of, "what then can separate us from the love of Christ? Neither trouble nor hardship nor the coronavirus..." (paraphrase of Rom 8:35).

After lunch Daniel checked with our elderly neighbors to see if they needed anything and to let them know we are available if they do have any needs. We are also thinking about others ways we can fill needs in our community, while continuing to practice social distancing. I checked in with my small groups from church via text after worship service, trying to encourage one another during a time when we are all so unsure about so many things.

It rained all morning but cleared up after lunch. Daniel went to run a couple of necessary errands and I let the boys play outside with a friend. One of my good friends asked if I could go for a walk. The fresh air and sharing our concerns about the upcoming weeks was good for my soul.

The boys played outside for most of the afternoon before coming back around 5pm. I think they finally reached their play-together quota when it comes to outside play (they are seriously missing playing Minecraft and other inside games together). After supper two of Daniel's friends dropped by. While we are distancing ourselves from others, true isolation may prove difficult.

I know many families who are gearing up for their first day of imposed homeschool starting tomorrow. I am cheering them all on from the sidelines. My best advice is to make your kids go outside or do jumping jacks when things get out of hand. Or hide in the pantry and eat chocolate. Both work wonders.

I read somewhere that the coronavirus is just three degrees of separation away from each of us. I experienced that reality last night. A friend texted out a prayer request: she has a neighbor who owns a small company in North Georgia where a woman in her 30s (and her husband) both tested positive for coronavirus (after testing positive for the flu and pneumonia). She is currently in ICU at Emory. Her husband is also in ICU but doing better than her. They had not traveled at all and probably picked up the virus from a crowded place. It was all over Facebook this morning. Three. Degrees. of. Separation.

The birds don't seem to know there is a pandemic happening. They just keep singing that it is spring.