COVID-19 Update - September (COVID Hits Family)

Here is a COVID Update for September. The most relevant news is that Jacob and Mathew Walker have both tested positive for COVID-19 and Scott and Lori also likely have been infected. Jacob went to visit some friends and after his visit he found out that his friends had been infected. He, Matt and Scott were all tested and Jacob and Matt tested positive. Scott initially tested negative, but since then has started to feel sick. Matt has lost his sense of taste. Lori has started to feel sick as well. Overall, they are doing okay so far, but we are praying that they (and Brooklyn and Juniper) will all be okay and recover quickly with no long-term or significant illness. We feel bad for Matt and Brooklyn who just moved to Morgan to live with Scott and Lori. It continues to show that we have to be diligent in keeping our family safe. 

Just to touch on things in a wider scale. 

For the most part, things have continued to improve. If fact, up to the start of school things were drastically improving with case counts under 400 on a rolling 7 day average with multiple case counts of less than 300 in a day. However, with the start of school, the case counts have started to increase again just this week. We'll have to watch how things are progressing. Some schools have had to shut down in person classes and there will likely be more. 

As you can see, since the decline starting in the beginning of August, the case count is now pretty flat. Hospitalizations have significantly declined since mid-August. 

The situation in the US overall has improved as well, but is still fairly high. 

Here are a few pictures from August and COVID-19. 

Wearing masks while doing the ward walkabout. 

We got to go to sacrament meeting for the first time since March. 

We wrapped up our summer with a drive to get ice cream. 

This is what the eye doctor looks like with COVID-19. Lydia trying on glasses.

One of the biggest challenges during this has been dealing with increased food costs. Shantel and I bought a lot of food at discounts by waiting for things to come on sale. During the Pandemic, things really have not been on sale. Every time we adjust our budget, we find that we are still short of money in our grocery budget. It has definitely been a challenge. We have been so blessed to continue to be able to work and earn money and have money for groceries, but it has been challenging. I went to Sam's club the other day and for the first time in forever I saw something actually on sale. I bought a whole bunch of chicken and meat. 

This is definitely a marathon and not a sprint. We continue to try to be grateful for our blessings and deal with the challenges that come with living during a pandemic. I am grateful to God for his love and support of our family in these times. 

David is the very very BEST

The title is so blatantly obvious that it seems like it shouldn't even need to be said. Anyone who knows David knows that he is the "very very BEST". They'd just respond, "Yeah, duh." 

But this post is exactly about that. 

David is the very very best.

He's been working from home since March, in a sudden and unexpected work situation. He's had an even heavier workload than usual due to some extra projects that he's working on at the National level (which means he's working on those projects PLUS everything he normally does at his local office). He has a large church calling and he supports me unfailingly in my time-consuming calling. 

And did I mention that ALL sports have been canceled for months and months? 

I know that he is feeling the stress of this difficult time. But instead of complaining or getting upset, he has doubled-down on strengthening his spiritual foundation, making sure he is giving 100% to his kids, and treating me like the most important thing in his whole life. 

He has a determined, hard-working, and faithful heart of gold. 

David has been taking the biggest load where this blog is concerned. He's doing all of the Coronavirus blogging updates, and 90% of the posts. My brain hasn't been able to handle sitting down and writing about it, and I've been doing a very, very few posts - basically only the kid's monthly/yearly updates. The only reason that this record of our lives didn't fizzle and die this year is because of his consistent and dedicated efforts.  I'm grateful for the value that he sees in the recording of our lives. I'm grateful for the effort that he puts into the hard work around him - into making our lives better. 

Here is an absolutely not-comprehensive list of things that David has done for me THIS week: 

-Blogged. 

-Woken up with the kids so I could go on a walk with a friend. 

-Rubbed my back as I fell asleep at night. 

-Made me laugh until I cried. 

-Did the dishes unprompted, multiple times

-Brought the garbage can out with me because it was too heavy for me to do without struggling with it for a long time, even though he had an important meeting to prepare for.

-Made me breakfast. 

-Took off my glasses and put them in a safe place when I fell asleep with them on. 

-Let me read a book in my bedroom while I ate a piece of chocolate while he played with the kids. 

-Helped me make dinner. 

-Told me my dinner was amazing, even though it wasn't. 

-Cleaned the basement with the kids, including vacuuming. 

-Started cleaning and organizing Lucy's room on his own, even though I was feeling overwhelmed by it and wasn't planning to clean it even though it was a disaster of leftover storage room things, clothes boxes, and toys/books. Once he started I jumped in and it feels amazing in there now. 

-Took care of the kids for 8+ hours while I was at Stake Baptisms. 

-Went out after the kids were in bed so we could try some new spicy chicken sandwiches.

-Went on a bike ride with me and the kids because I wanted to. 

-Rubbed my back because he knew I was worried about something.

-Told me I was a responsible human when I wasn't acting like a responsible human. 

-Made me feel happy when I was feeling sad. 

-Shared his testimony with me. 

-Made me a grilled cheese sandwich.

-Told me that he loved me, unprompted, with a long list of things he appreciated about me. 

-Got me water at dinner when I forgot to get myself a water. 

-Waited to watch all of his sports until after the kids (and I) were asleep.

-Manned the wheel of our "ship" while I went to minister to a friend/ward sister and started making dinner while I was gone. 

-He swept the floor after dinner every single night (my least favorite kitchen job).

-Pretended he was a Robot chasing the kids up the stairs at bedtime and made me laugh so hard.

-Worked hard every day at his job, at his calling, and to take care of our home.

These are just the ones I can think of as I'm sitting here. But I know there are another 10 lists worth of items just like these in all five of the love languages.  In fact, I would submit that the way that David loves us is such a good example of true love.

David is the very, very best. He is carrying a large load right now, but he makes such a big difference to me in my life and I wanted to recognize him for the good that he is doing and the difference he is making. Here's hoping he can make it through September (a very very busy month for him at work) and that I can offer even half of the love and support that he offers to me. 

Dear Caleb,

 Dear Caleb, 

You're almost three. Three years old is a pretty big deal and I want you to know that I love you- I love everything about you. It's not always to be the sibling in the middle, not quite old enough for many of the things Lydia and Austin want to do- but much older than Lucy. But you manage it incredibly well and I am grateful for you in our family. 

My sweet boy. Along with the big feelings that come with growing up and turning 3 - you've also been just so scared lately.  It's heartbreaking for me to see how scared you are of the dark when I put you to bed at night. But to also see you so scared during the day has been weighing on my mama-heart. The other day, I was going to let you play with some blocks and listen to an audio book at the same time so I set you up in Lucy's bedroom. You were so excited and happy, but as soon as I closed the door behind me, there wasn't even time for 5 heartbeats before you let out a wail like you were being attacked. I rushed back into the room to find you on the rocking chair with terror in your eyes looking toward the closet. You told me that monsters would come out of the closet if you were alone. It was so sad and I really feel for you. 

I wanted to write you a little letter to tell you that I love you. There will always be scary things in life - but I will always be right here for you. 

Sometimes those scary things are real, sometimes they are perceived/imagined, but always- always- you can have confidence that you aren't alone. You can have faith in me, your mom. In us, your family. In God, your foundation. Faith is stronger than fear. 

Love, Your Mama