Meme- Virus

Love this so much💛💛💛💛
🚚 Truckers said, we will drive days on end getting supplies to the stores.
🏭 Store workers are stocking the shelves all night and store managers said, we are letting elderly people shop first in the mornings.
🛳 Carnival cruise line told Trump we can match those big Navy Hospital ships Comfort and Mercy with some fully staffed cruise ships.
🚘 GM said, we can make those ventilators where we were making cars starting next week. We will retrofit our manufacturing equipment immediately.
🕋 Restaurants said, we have kitchens and staff we can feed kids who's parents need some help.
🏀 NBA basketball players said, hold our basketballs while we write checks to pay the arena staff.
💰The wealthy said, here we will donate funds for the research and support of beating this virus.
📚 Teachers said, here let me help you virtually to teach your children, we will do online lessons and I will help parents enrich their children.
🎼 Celebrities said , let us read books to your children and sing songs on Twitter live feeds for those of you stuck inside.
🧵Crafters said, we will sit at our sewing machines for hours a day, sewing masks and caps for the nurses and home health care workers.
👩‍👦Moms said, here are my blogs and activity ideas for your children. Let's stand together in staying home with our kids.
👬 Young Americans said, let us volunteer to run errands, and get food for the vulnerable.
👩‍⚕️🥼 Nurses and Doctors putting themselves at risk to help the infected.
🚔 👩🏽‍🚒 🚑 Police, Firefighters and First Repsonders, Military standing strong and continuing to protect, serve and work while everyone else is safe in their homes.
🇺🇸 We look like a nation divided sometimes. But we are a nation that will stand and will fight together.
We will survive this. 🇺🇸 ❤️ 💪🏽 🙏🏽 🇺🇸

A Major Moment in History

I guess you couldn't call it a moment- this virus that has covered the world.  How quickly life changes- in many cases forever- with something no one could foresee.  This Corona virus- Covid 19 has manifested "more" than the flu.  Who knew.

I have a really good imagination but even so, I would never imagine a couple of weeks ago, that much of the world would be in "self-isolation (except for necessities) and "social distancing" (staying 6 feet apart) , that all non-essential businesses would come to a halt, that our churches would be closed and that all of our temples would be closed even for weddings,  that all of our missionaries in foreign countries would be brought home,

that missions in the US would be disrupted (Josh- who serves in Dallas Spanish Speaking will come home 2 months early.  He's been in isolation while on his mission which means the work has come to a standstill (shelter in place- all baptisms cancelled as well.) Rylee's missionary, Dawson, got home this week from  6 months in Brazil as did BFF Cathy's grandson Kirk who went out a month after Josh.  Our mission with the Sideways Boys has been put on hold as well.  I can't imagine the crazy going on there at this time- without school- with such volatile kids.  Our hearts ache for them all. 

The upside joke (not funny) is that toilet paper and hand sanitizer are the hottest commodities in town.  Who knew? 

That gas would be less than a dollar.  And on and on and on. That the world's economy is tanking.

It is almost surreal- as these horrible event are unfolding, we in our self isolation, can sleep in our clean sheets at night, with clean running water and a refrigerator and freezer full of delicious food. Pick up take-out at most restaurants.  Enough for sharing. Boredom and over-eating is our biggest threat.....

Yesterday- our faith and many others had a worldwide day of fasting and prayer.  This is the text that I sent to all my kids/kiddos.

“Such an honor to join in the world-wide fasting and prayer for our dear planet and world💕. So blessed in our abundance in this unsettled time. Besides the world, we have fasted for each one of you- I think each family has specific concerns and needs during this time.  Our prayers and pleas are fervent for each of you!  Susie is in the trenches everyday! (note: Susie is a nurse at the U of u- in critical care.) You are constantly in our prayers.  We pray for those in our family with health concerns. We pray for Parker and Connor and Josh that are away from us at this time that they will be protected.  We pray for leaders of countries and religious leaders. We pray for each one of our kiddos and hope they realize that they are now experiencing a huge moment in history.  I hope we can all learn from it. And especially we pray to have insight to know how to serve others. My mind and heart continually goes to people throughout the world that suffer every day for lack of resources or health.  We are so blessed and humbled. We are so lucky to be a part of this loving family! Hugs to all of you!”

I should have been documenting what has happened throughout the world but it's just too overwhelming.  Besides China- where this virus originated- Italy has really been hit hard. Spain as well. And now the U.S.

Here's what news sources have said today:

The pandemic has now infected 693,224 worldwide and killed 33,106 people as of  today.  Utah has seen 806 confirmed cased with four death as of Monday.  The illness is especially hard on those elderly (ha-ha- that's us!), immune-compromised or who have chronic health conditions.  Children aren't usually severely ill unless they have an underlying condition, but they can transmit the illness.

(Note: I'm re-reading this entry 3 months later-More than 6.7 million people have been sickened and more than 400,000 have died of the coronavirus since the start of January, according to NBC News and Johns Hopkins University. COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in at least 200 countries and territories. )

So....we may be in quarantine for the month of April.  We've been going through this for about 2 weeks now.  I miss our family- who have been very pro-active in our isolation.  We send really funny text messages and pictures that get us all through each day.  I'll do a separate post on those tomorrow.  During this time, as crazy as it is, I have felt an immense sense of peace- peace that God is in charge.  We all do the best we can.  He is with us in the storm.

Virus

The Coronavirus is taking its toll on the world!  The Stock Market is crashing, businesses of all kinds are taking losses, schools are shutting down, the media is having a frenzy.  People are stock piling toilet tissue and hand sanitizer and water.  Nuts!  I did have to buy toilet tissue while grocery shopping (I buy it every week) and I was actually embarrassed and wanted to yell (to anyone who would listen)- "honest, this isn't for the virus.  We use this every day!"

I don't really know what is real and what isn't.  I understand that the virus can be serious and deadly but over 9,000 people have died thus far from the flu in the US alone this year.  That isn't in the news.  Time will tell.

But it has done a number on our son's main business which is cruises.  He had a complete cruise booked for Glen Beck and Bill O'Reilly to leave next week- and a million calls from thousands of people in a panic.  He also has many other cruises booked.  The people would like money back- but that isn't the way it works- tickets have already been purchased and the airlines and cruise ships are giving vouchers for travel within the year.  That doesn't make most people happy.  It's not a happy day to be in the travel business.

And, as a mom, I have been sick to death with worry.  You know how that goes.  Things will work out but not without lots of sleepless nights.  For the first time, I have been relieved that my parents have passed so I don't have to be freaking out about their care facility!  When the flu would be present in their center, the center would go on lockdown, sometimes for weeks.  Not as bad as a cruise ship but it can be pretty confining.  I miss them both so much.  My dad has almost been gone for 2 years and my mom for 4.  I can't believe I have lived without them for so long!  I got a new iPhone last week- and because I couldn't remember my icloud password, my new phone was locked for 4 days!  I about went crazy because text messaging is how everything is communicated.  I knew no ones phone number and no way to call.  We do still have landlines but they haven't worked for months.  People tell me all the time they call and it goes straight to voice mail and says the box is full.  I finally figured out that David had unplugged the main modem in his office and that's why the phones didn't work!  Duh!  I plugged them in- and thought I had better go through messages and start deleting.  There were several from my dad.  His last one said, "Hi, just called to let you know I'm well and happy and just waiting for you to get here."  At first I started to cry...then I went, "What!!!!  He's waiting for me to get there!"

A little spooky!

Things have been hard with the sideways boys.  We have a real group of angry, hostile kids right now.  Things have been happening and it's not good.  The kids are great with us but I hear about and read about what is going on in their homes (it's a boarding school) and the school and it literally makes me sick.  I want these kiddos to have a wonderful life ahead of them but without any sense of self-control, that isn't going to happen.  It has been a challenge- although today went really well (after praying my head off-lol).  I don't know if I can make another 1 1/2 years!  I do love the boys but it's hard when they seem to have two different personalities and things are a bit in an uproar....  I keep thinking God wants me to learn more about unconditional love. Like the love He has for me when I continually screw up on things I resolve to do better.  He loves me even during the screw ups.  I can do better.  I do love these boys- they just break my heart a little....

Last Sunday was Family Dinner. Had almost all the family.  Missed those that weren't here.  We had roast and a multitude of roasted vegetables. Mashed potatoes and gravy and hot rolls and strawberry cheesecake salad.  We celebrated Peyton's birthday and Sadie's (and Addie's from last month) with song and cake and ice cream. 

Finally went to an ENT to have a head scan to see what's going on with my sinuses/esophagus .  Taking so many meds it's crazy (and I'm not a good, regular med taker)- but I've got to get a handle on this.  It has been a crazy year of coughing and raspy voice and runny nose.  Not a good combination.

My friends Pretty Patty Petty and also Penny are both in St. George, feeling a titch uprooted as moving does.  I think they both need their friend (me!)- and I need to introduce the two of them so they can become fast friends.  Patty is in her house but Penny's house has just started.  I'm planning on going down next week to spend some time with both.

Two wonderful Ward wedding showers this weekend that I am helping with.  One of my dear Laurels, McCall S. is getting married and also our favorite boy, Skyler I.  The two showers are at the exact same time- yikes!  And I'm helping with food for both, because I love them both dearly!  I'm doing fruit and cheese and crackers for one and brownies and layered bars for the other.  Presents ordered and here (thank you Amazon!)- just need to be wrapped!

I have some sweet things I could share here but this post has been so whiny- I'll wait for another day.  Life is good.  Life is hard.  As Brandi sometimes says, "Motherhood is not all it's cracked up to be!"  (she kiddingly says that but what is true is that you NEVER stop worrying about your kids.  Even when they aren't kids.)