We've Got This!

 Well, we have COVID-19. 

My husband brought it home from somewhere. Which is crazy, because he is the one who follows all the mask and social distancing rules for his work. He is also much more careful than me outside of work, because he is a Type 1 diabetic and sicknesses always hit him harder than they do the rest of us. But we got it never-the-less.

It's strange. Any other virus we would find out we were sick and just stay home til we were well. Maybe tell some people we had recently been in contact with so they would know. But things are so different now. As soon as we got the positive test results we got several phone calls and had to make several phone calls. I had to do online grocery shopping for the first time ever. I can't see my family or friends for several weeks (it takes a while for a virus to work through a household of 7). I felt guilty getting gas, even though I was wearing a mask and sanitized my credit card before handing it to the gas attendant. We are living in a changed world.

Dealing with the virus symptoms themselves was less of a hassle. Sure, it was no fun: fevers, headaches, body-aches, fatigue, congestion, and ear ache. The virus spurred on a shingles episode for my husband, which was miserable. But we've personally been through much worse sicknesses. As I am writing this, only two of my five children have shown symptoms so far, and they have been very mild. We were blessed that COVID did not hit us very hard at all. 

What is hitting me harder is the isolation. And confinement. 

My Opa fell off of a ladder and broke two of his ribs, and I couldn't go up to see him or console my Oma while he was spending the night in the hospital. I had to ask my mom to be in charge of checking the mail for me. We are going to miss Awana, Bible Study, Crochet Class, MOPS, Homeschool Group, church...all the fun and meaningful activities that normally make up our weeks. 

Last April I wrote a blog about how I intended to fill my calendar during lockdown. Yesterday, I looked at my calendar, with all it's smeared out events, I decided again to re-write it. 

I can't change the fact that we have to distance ourselves. I can change how I deal with it.

So, in spite of my fatigue, we had a Superbowl party this weekend. I made all the kids' favorite party foods (football field layered dip, football shaped brownies, oven baked poppers, chips and dip). We watched the game and then played games afterwards. 

Life throws us all kinds of surprises. Sometimes they leave us staggering a bit. But none of the challenges  that come our way are a surprise to God. And if we lean on Him, we will make it through.

Much love, mamas!

Lee