Schools Closing

On March 12th, we learned from Governor Inslee announced that all schools in 3 counties (including our county--King county) were to close for 6 weeks.  Six weeks!  We were expecting 2 or 3 because the Seattle District had already closed for 3 weeks.  The risk of Covid-10 was spreading and everyone needed to social distance and avoid large gatherings so that we could "flatten the curve" of people affected so that hospitals would be able to have the resources to help everyone.  So, shocked, we tried to wrap our head around what this would look like.  Evelyn came home with pink on that afternoon so I got her to the doctor and got her medicine.  Because school was closing anyway, I kept the kids home Friday (the "last" day of school) since Evelyn was still technically contagious.  Then we got word that we wouldn't be having regular church on Sunday, we would be having home-centered church.  For the past year, our prophet has taught us to focus on home-centered learning and church supported learning, meaning the focus should be that the gospel is taught at home and we are supported through church and classes.  We have resources, so many resources that help us to study individually and as a family.  It's pretty amazing that we have been prepared for this time.  

Here is a glimpse into our first weekend of quarantine.  

Evelyn writing and illustrating a massive story.

I sauteed mushrooms for the first time in my life and prepped taco meat to freeze for future meals.

The boys played RISK.

Daddy flew out of town for work and Evelyn lost a top tooth.

Evelyn learned how to do laundry and was fascinated watching the cycle begin.

After the tooth fairy visited Ev, Ryan traded a quarter with her to add to his quarter collection.

I spent the weekend overwhelmed at the prospect of teaching my kids for 6 weeks with their different levels and needs.  I also worried about families in our community who already needed access to resources and how this situation would cause them to have greater need.  Also, not all families have a stay-at-home parent.  There was a lot of uncertainty at this time.  People sent all kinds of resources and hints about how to teach kids at home.  Some suggested routines, some suggested "unschooling" and just bonding.  It was seriously  overwhelming,  I prayed and felt that for us, it was important to teach school but with a flexible routine.  i really wanted to be able to work with the kids when there was conflict. The crazy thing is, even though Tony was out of town, Kate flew up to spend a few weeks with us.  Before the pandemic started, I had a really busy couple of weeks so when Tony found out he had to travel for two weeks, and I knew how much was on my plate, we would see if a grandparent was available to visit and help with our crazy schedule and see Max's play, Peter and Wendy.  He's playing Toodles.  So Kate was able to come up and spend a week with us.  We decided that it would be easier in many ways to quarantine at their house instead.  This would made it easier for Tony to work from home in our little house where he doesn't have space for a separate office, and it would allow him to get some home projects done.  But first we would spend a week in Renton and get used to a routine.