April fun

Our "stay-at-home" experience has had its ups and downs, but we are doing well overall. My heart goes out to working parents who are both working from home or who both have to leave their kids at home to be an "essential worker" on the front lines. Speaking of "essential," both Michael and I feel a little annoyed by that term--Michael hasn't been able to see his patients for a month (except for a few), and he is pretty essential to folks who still have braces on their teeth! Plus he is pretty essential to our being able to currently having a roof over our head and food on our table (I could certainly go back to work, but you know what I mean). Tongue in cheek aside, my prayers go out continually to healthcare workers, food workers, scientists and others who are working to "slow the spread" and also keep all the supply lines open. I hate wearing a mask when I make my weekly errand trips to Target and Costco, but it's all good.

 Henry's chart was for doing his morning routine all by himself, plus earning a little bit of the money.

 Robbie's was for reading 10 verses in the Book of Mormon per day and earning some of the money.

 We got a bike seat for Benjy, too, and he really enjoys it. We also purchased a bike for Clara, and she has learned to balance and pedal her bike! She still is really scared of it but is determined and continues to work at it, which is inspiring.

At the invitation of a friend, we made a sign for the hospital healthcare workers and put it up in one of the employee parking lots.

 Homemade doughnuts made from molds that Nana sent us. The doughnut recipe I used (not from my mom) was pretty tasteless, but the kids thought they were awesome.

Here the boys are playing "spies," apparently.

 One of the things we've been working on is having "special time" with each of the kids every day, a feat that is easier said than done. Special time is just 10 or 15 minutes doing an activity that the child gets to pick. Here Henry and I made a tower together.

 We made "rain" with shaving cream and colored water, learning about how clouds fill up and empty.

 Henry can be very sweet with Benjy sometimes. He also can be pretty rough with him, which is challenging, but the hugs shared between them are precious. Henry loves reading and swinging and climbing and playing games. We enjoy Don't Break the Ice, Race to the Treasure, Memory, Guess Who, Uno, Slamwich, and more.

 Benjy is very very busy. Very. Good thing he is so stinking cute.

 We took pictures of headstones at a local cemetery one Sunday for the Billion Graves app.

 Working on another sign for a family in the ward.

 Dinosaur themed preschool was not as cool as I was hoping, but that's okay. I am pretty sure teaching other kids is easier than your own, but then there have also been some gratifying teaching moments, like when Henry and I learned about the different words you could make from the word "planets" during our space themed week. Robbie typically does some of the activities with me and Henry (after we do our poem, etc. as I mentioned in a previous post) and then does his work from school on the tablet or on paper. I love how he is also interested in his own topics, like sharks--he has made a long list of at least one hundred shark species, which he has written in teeny handwriting. Lots of cool Lego creations these days from Robbie as well.

To make things feel more normal and to get out of the house, one Saturday we visited the enormously overpriced Virginia Safari Park to feed animals from our car.

 I think Benjy's favorite part was being able to sit in front and roam around the car.

 Lots of llamas.

 Yum!

 Space week went better--we watched a fascinating tour of the inside of the ISS and learned a lot of things about the planets and the moon. I love learning. I am especially appreciative of the people whose brains work differently than mine and can fathom things like space and time more easily than I can.

Speaking of the moon, here are its phases, Oreo-style.

This moon dough was a lot of fun. Very messy, but fun. Clara generally does her schoolwork in the study on her Chromebook, but on this occasion she wanted to join in on the fun.

Lots of book reading happening (Robbie is so cute when he reads to Benjy)--I have purchased some books, and my neighbors, Kate and Grace and I are doing a little book swap each week, which has really helped. I don't like reading books on a device, but we have done some of that, too.

 Michael has been doing various house projects, like building these planter boxes. He has still been going in 9 to 4 to complete a lot of backlogged work and projects, but the extra time on each end has been helpful to me. Too bad it ends tomorrow when he goes back to seeing patients. Still, though, we certainly have enjoyed having him around more, and the kids are always bummed when Daddy has to go to work.

 This Russian ring stacker from my parents is still going strong. I love Benjy's focus when he does things like this.

It is sweet to look back and see how we can find joy in little things despite the uncertainty and stress swirling around us. I have felt some feelings of anxiety and stress, worrying when enough is enough when it comes to educating my kids or making sure they're contributing around the house enough, etc. I also struggle when I am too focused on myself, and serving others is a little trickier now. Still, when I reach outside of myself I always feel better. Michael helped me realize I needed to make a plan for when I am focused on the kids' needs for school (9 to 12am) and when it's fine for things to be unstructured and for me not to feel guilty if I can't play with them all the time (in the afternoon). I made a list of daily priorities for myself as well, which has helped.

I was not looking forward to having home church each week, but I've been amazed that I can still feel the Spirit even when the kids are misbehaving (as long as I haven't lost the Spirit because I'm too upset at them). That is a great blessing.

So, we continue on, not knowing whether things in the summer will be cancelled or continued, basically taking each week at a time. I am ready to have "permission" to have playdates and go to parks, although I understand that large gatherings might be a ways away. The uncertainty is difficult, but I am learning about how to trust in the Lord more during my personal study, and I hope that I can be stronger after this experience, even when I feel like I'm slogging through most of the time. I guess that is what faith is, duh, to continue despite uncertainty and difficulty. Onward, then!