Just Us~ Week One

I have always documented our everything. Our big trips and exciting news. Our every days and little stories. I want to remember it all, and I want my kids to be able to look back and remember too. 

The same goes for right now. Like everyone else, today marks five days of social distancing, staying home, just being us. Five slow days of what I am afraid is our new normal. That last sentence makes me sound like it has been bad. It hasn't. It's just been....different.

A different I will want to remember.  

I'll start with the excitement of the week; we celebrated Doug's 31st birthday! Emery sweetly made him cards from everyone that would normally celebrate with us. Auggie was the first to tell him "Happy Birthday" and was concerned that we didn't get him any presents. Bennett was certain it was in fact his birthday. 

We made him a cake, found every green candle we could and let him pick supper. It was by far the calmest, most behaved birthday Douglas has ever had. Ha! Next year we will do it up big, promise.

The rest of our week has looked a lot like the following pictures. While Douglas works back in our room, and we pretend he isn't here, the kids and I have kept kind of busy, kind of not. 

We have a special time for school each day (which now happens while Bennett is napping...learned my mistake quickly on that one). Bennett is not getting Speech during this time (which makes me extra sad), but we are definitely practicing his verbal skills. The kid talks all day....its just up to us now to figure out what on earth he is saying!

Emery has turned into Miss Little Teacher and honestly Auggie listens better to her than he does me. Nana had bought him a few Kindergarten workbooks and he already has one done. I told him he could slow down....we have time! These two have very much enjoyed the extra together time. They are best buds and for the most part always get along. For the most part. A lot of their days are spent in imaginary play together with Bennett trying to keep up. I know Emery misses friends. She got the taste of all day friendship in school and just today she teared up twice which is unlike her. Maybe a FaceTime call to a close friend is needed soon. 

We have crafted, colored and started writing a letter a day to someone we miss. Grandpa and Grandma, they started with you. You should be receiving mail soon! Earlier in the week Auggie didn't understand why we couldn't go out to Grove or go inside a store. Later something was said about April Fools Day. Auggie's response: "Its probably canceled." I think he gets it now. 

I took a tip from our babysitter and had Doug pick up lots of puzzles during his last grocery trip. They have done the 48 piece ones lots of times but are most proud of the 100 piece accomplishment!   I told Doug that I kind of want a puzzle for us to do. I also just bought myself a Handwriting 101 book and some sharpies; I figured now would be a great time to learn a new skill. 

When Douglas is done working, the kids love spending time with him. We have played board games, cleaned the basement, cuddled on the couch and watched movies. I stay busy checking in on my students (that I so miss), picking out our next meal (I forgot what making three meals a day was like), reading and not folding laundry. Everyday I tell myself that I will fold laundry and every day I don't. Oh well. 

Yesterday the rain and cold of the week finally stopped, and we hurried outside. Fresh air never felt so good. I felt the weight and worry of the past week lift for just a little bit. I am just like everyone else. If I allow myself, I feel nervous, heavy, uncertain and scared. Its easy to slip into those feelings and getting harder to center myself on hope, faith and positivity. But those bad feelings are't the feelings I want to remember from this "Just Us" time. 

I thought about what this time would look like if I looked at it through my children's eyes. What will their memories be? Christmas pjs all day (Em's fav), imaginary play, puzzles, painting, hours outside, game nights, kitchen dance parties, movies, belly laughs with each other, cuddles on the couch. Mommy and Daddy all to themselves. All of their favorite things. 

Through the eyes of my children, this time doesn't seem so bad at all. And with this optimistic outlook, I recognize that Doug and I are really lucky right now. We both have still have an income coming in, we are safe at home with plenty of food (and toilet paper). We are healthy. Our children are healthy. It is not lost on me how fortunate we are and how many families have been greatly affected during this time. 

I see you and I am praying for you. The business owners who aren't sure how they are going to pay their employees. The mother who's daycare just closed but she needs to work. The senior students who had big dreams for their last year. The grocery store employee or fast food worker who is mentally and physically drained. The doctors and nurses who are putting their lives on the line. Our country and state leaders who have life altering decisions to make. The sick. The lonely. The list could go on and on and on. 

Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

This verse has been a pillar for me for the past five months, and it is what verse I sent my students this week when I reached out to them. It gives me hope and reminds me of God's plans and provisions. I pray maybe it does the same for you.

Reach out if you need anything, look for the good and stay home. Thats our plan anyway!