Hello Fall......

Here we are and it is September 1st.  Well, Covid is still hanging around and quite frankly the world is still a bit confusing.  

The kids are back in school...sort of.  Matthew, Adeline, and Finley are in the classroom. Brooklynn has chosen virtual.  They were all allowed to choose what they were comfortable with and I think they all chose well.

Sara is still with us.  Her place of work is opening but with a minimal staff.  Six month of being here and she is ready to get out.  I totally understand.  We are suffering from way too much togetherness.
Today I am sad, stressed, wondering what is ahead, and nervous.
All in all, it is not a good day.  I am usually not a negative person but today I am admitting to weakness.  I am worried for so many things.  I am hurting for so many people and honestly I am praying and praying and praying and wondering where God is.
So I am hoping that with fall ahead there are indeed beautiful things on the horizon.  I am hoping for positive and good because we have been falling downhill for much too long.

Here We Still Are.....

New post coming soon.  We are near the end of August and nothing has changed.  

Kids have started school and pics will follow but we are all suffering from face masks and cover fatigue.

Till tomorrow! 

To Go or Not to Go?.....

Parents right now are facing a tough choice.  I am so glad it is not me.

Amidst rising COVID numbers daily decisions must be made as to whether to send you kids to school or do virtual learning.

Masks, social distancing, lunch in the classroom,  how do you do recess and P.E.?

What if there is a positive case in the classroom?

Do you quarantine everyone for 14 days and then return to school?

What is happening?  When will this end?

As a part of the senior generation and those they consider most susceptible I have really been careful about what I have done and not done.  I make trips only when necessary.  I don't go without a mask.  Lysol wipes...always!

What is it going to take to eradicate this disease and move on to NORMAL?

Enough is enough.

COVID 4TH......

THE YEAR WAS DIFFERENT...BUT NOT.

Covid numbers are at an all time high.  They have been reporting 1100 plus cases per day here in the metroplex.  Masks are required everywhere.  Gatherings are to be kept small and only immediate family should be together.  

We headed to the lake as we always do for the holiday and it was a great escape.

Cedar Creek was full of families wanting to just be out of town.

The kids played and swam and went down the slide until their bathing sit bottom were worn thin.

I think the fireworks were at their all time best.  Did not look like there were any signs o recession at the fireworks stands.

It was a good weekend.  It was a weekend that I hope we all can forget the tension and unrest that have plagued our country for the last four plus months.

God bless America and hold all of us in the palm of your hands.

Broken Bow 2020......

Yes, we snuck out of town mid pandemic and went on our planned trip to Broken Bow.

We had planned this since last year and after much discussion and right before our cancellation date we all voted it was a go.

Am I ever glad we did.

Our first stop was the Broken Bow Mining Company where the kids all mined for treasure and then identified their rocks on a chart...lots of different treasures in that bag!

                 

A little swim and then time to check into our cabin...

TIME WELL WASTED!

Perfect name for what we are expecting to do...

waste a little time!

 

Lake time.....

Pontoon, tube, and sun!

Party Time 2020!

This years theme, a little 70's fun and even the littles got into the action!

When it rains all day Sunday, you improvise and invent!

You play with bubbles, you paint rocks, play in the creek and take a walk in the rain.

Nothing can spoil our day away!

It was fun, it was family time, it was memories.  The times are few that you can escape, especially during this weird time we are living in.

I am so grateful for all the time we had in one of our favorite vacation spots.

Escape!.....

Yes, we have pretty much stayed in for three months.  Yes, three months of "shelter in place" and only go out if it is necessary, with a mask of course.

Today we broke with the quarantine and drove out to Terrell to visit Ham Orchards.  

It is pretty much out in the middle of nowhere and it was a much needed break from staying in.  This has been tough.  Sara has been home for three months now.  The kids have been away from school and friends and everything normal.  

 So today we picked blueberries and enjoyed the sunshine and each others company.  

It was beautiful out and it was a much needed break.

 We haven't done much hugging in this weird time.  

Today it seemed okay.

It was good.  Good to go out and breathe fresh air, to walk, and hunt for big ripe blueberries...and for a moment forget that this has been a year of events that we just don't want to repeat.

Today was perfect.

Hanging In.....

We are out! 

 Sara and I are headed to Costco. It has been almost three months of lock up, though things are letting up some.  This is not an ordinary occurrence.  

Masks are sit required and it is not fun.  

Knowing it is near 100 degrees and you really cannot breathe, you think twice before you make any unneeded trips.

 We are ready for normal but what is normal going to be?  The infection rate is still rising and we are nowhere near the end....but we are out pretending like everything is fine.

What is going on God?

In a year what will be going on?  In a year how will we be different?

Will we be better or worse?

I m hoping we get it because I know there is a plan.

Celebrating.....

This was our first gathering of everyone since this pandemic started in the middle of March.

We have done social distancing, we have seen one family and then the other but we have not gotten together at all....until tonight.  

It was Gramp's birthday so we all decided gathering was okay.

We have all been beyond safe.  

We have washed hands, sprayed Lysol, disinfected everything in sight, worn masks, and otherwise followed every directive we have been given.  So, we decided we were safe enough as a family to get together.

It was so nice.  So nice to see the joy and hear the laughter of the kids, and see the smile on Jimmy's face.

Thanks to everyone for bringing us joy....boy did we need it!

Happy Birthday to you Gramps.