When all of this started, I created a fairly long list of my own projects I'd like to accomplish while we have so much more margin at home.
But over the past couple of weeks, I decided to shift my focus from MY goals, and instead work on creating a joyful experience for my children. Fortunately, our children are not prone to anxiety about this illness (my father says that's because my husband and I are so laid-back--although make no mistake, we are realistic about risks and careful, particularly because he is in remission from cancer, and he's an essential worker! No working from home here....). So they are not worried or living in fear at all.
Our state is advised to stay-at-home into the middle of the June.
Two months!
As long as we all stay healthy, I can dream up many engaging things to do in the next couple of months.
I'm not saying this to belittle the reality of the pandemic. I have friends and family who have been impacted already, and I know almost no one who hasn't suffered some financial consequences--including us. But I know what I have control over, and it's basically: keeping my home clean and sanitary, supporting my husband's health, and making life beautiful over here. That's it! I have no control over anything else--just my own home and my own attitude.
So to that end, I'm trying to dream up fun things for us to do:
*sidewalk chalk art
*bringing plenty of flowers inside (my flower beds in April have never looked so good, because I've had so much time to do all the chores and make things lovely!)
*baking together--a lot!
*playing kickball, badminton, basketball, and tag with my children
*indulging Finn's love of medieval history with a documentary on medieval weaponry
*indulging Finn's love of medieval history with a documentary on medieval weaponry
*drawing or coloring together and maybe learning more watercoloring techniques
*Spencerian handwriting books, for Annie and me (maybe?)
*a landscape design class for Finn and for me!
*a landscape design class for Finn and for me!
*sewing--Annie in particular has been working on her sewing skills. She's 9, and can use my sewing machine herself now! Yesterday she worked on a 'quilt' she's making while I worked on a dress I'm sewing for her. Very satisfying!
*picnics
*Finn is taking an Imagineering course via Khan Academy and he says it is fantastic so far
*writing lots of letters to friends and relatives
*sleeping in as much as we'd like
*Finn is taking an Imagineering course via Khan Academy and he says it is fantastic so far
*writing lots of letters to friends and relatives
*sleeping in as much as we'd like
*dinner al fresco on the patio once the weather is warmer
*reading through a stack of books
....and that's just the tip of the iceberg of my ideas.
Life can and should be fun, even in the midst of a hard time. My children are still having a childhood, even now. I felt the same way when my husband was going through all of the awful cancer surgeries and treatments in 2018. Yes, it was a hard time, but yes, our children were still children and we tried to still create happy memories for them. (And interestingly, our son says that time period was one of the best of his life so far; not because of my husband's illness, but because of the things that our children were able to do during that time.)
I am praying that my husband stays healthy and does not carry home any unwanted germs.
And we'll do our best to make life sweet.
* * *
I also want to say that I've had a lot of issues with comments--that is, people aren't able to leave them!--and after hunting around I think I've identified and fixed the issue. We'll see! Sorry about that. :)
....and that's just the tip of the iceberg of my ideas.
Life can and should be fun, even in the midst of a hard time. My children are still having a childhood, even now. I felt the same way when my husband was going through all of the awful cancer surgeries and treatments in 2018. Yes, it was a hard time, but yes, our children were still children and we tried to still create happy memories for them. (And interestingly, our son says that time period was one of the best of his life so far; not because of my husband's illness, but because of the things that our children were able to do during that time.)
I am praying that my husband stays healthy and does not carry home any unwanted germs.
And we'll do our best to make life sweet.
* * *
I also want to say that I've had a lot of issues with comments--that is, people aren't able to leave them!--and after hunting around I think I've identified and fixed the issue. We'll see! Sorry about that. :)
This is my experimental comment. ;) Our order lifts next week, but the restrictions are so stringent that most things won't change. Our church building can reopen, but we won't because it would be impossible to keep people 6' apart--especially kids! It makes me sad that much of our summer will look different than I'd imagined, with this being Caiden's last one before college. But we're doing the same as you--keeping things as happy and peaceful as possible! This too shall pass.
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