Corona Crazy: Continued

I wish there were no more Coronavirus posts, but I fear this still may not be the last one. It has been a HUGE event in our lives that has both positively and negatively affected our relationships, our daily routines, our worship practices, and so much more! In so many ways, I want this to end. I'm tired of the underlying, nagging sense of anxiety about the virus itself and about its non-physiological, long-term effects. I want to return to "normal" life, but there are a few things I wouldn't want to change. I don't want to forget how important it is to have my family close. I don't want to take for granted the temporal means we have to provide for ourselves. I don't want to forget about the everyday heroes and the compassion and kindness shown to others. I don't want to forget about the meaningful, spiritual experiences we have been able to create in our homes. It has been hard to stay home...for everyone. The boys long to simply hang out with friends. Jonas wants to go do all the activities we'd been participating in before. I would simply love to go wander around a store that isn't a grocery store and without seeing people in masks or gloves. I know this will end. I have hope that it will end soon and that none of us will actually contract the virus. I have faith that all my family will be protected from the physical, financial, etc. consequences of this situation. But for now...here's where we're at. As of  April 3, 2020:
*Gas price at Costco $1.99
*All Schools are cancelled, parents homeschool with online learning.
*Self-distancing measures on the rise.
*Tape on the floors at grocery stores and others to help distance shoppers (6ft) from each other.
*Limited number of people inside stores, therefore, lineups outside the store doors.
*”Non-essential” stores and businesses mandated closed.
*Parks, trails, entire cities locked up.
*Entire sports seasons cancelled.
*Concerts, tours, festivals, entertainment events are all cancelled.
*Weddings, family celebrations, holiday gatherings all cancelled.
*Churches are closed.
*Temples are closed.
*Thousands of missionaries across the world have been sent home. They are being welcomed home with “drive-by” wavings.
*US missionaries are in self-isolation and teaching via technology. They can call home twice a week.
*General Conference will have no live audience.
*No gatherings of 100 or more, then 20 or more, now 10 or more.
*Don't socialize with anyone outside of your home.
*Children's outdoor play parks are closed with caution tape.
*Shortage of N95 masks, gowns, gloves for our front-line workers.
*Shortage of ventilators for the critically ill.
*Panic buying sets in and we have no toilet paper, hand sanitizer, Lysol, rice, flour and canned foods.
*People are hoarding bottled water.
*Shelves are bare.
*Manufacturers, distilleries and other businesses switch their lines to help make visors, masks, hand sanitizer and PPE.
*Government closes the border to all non-essential travel.
*Fines are established for breaking the rules.
*Stadiums and recreation facilities open up for the overflow of Covid-19 patients.
*Press conferences daily from the President. Daily updates on new cases, recoveries, and deaths.
*Government incentives to stay home.
*Barely anyone on the roads.
*People wearing masks and gloves outside.
*Medical field workers are afraid to go home to their families.
*Vegas casinos are closed.
*Times Square is empty.
*Disneyland and DisneyWorld are closed.
*A record 6.6 million Initial Jobless Claims filed for the week.

This has all been surreal! In some aspects, life is normal. Instead of feeling like we're in the middle of the school year, it simply feels like our summer vacation routine...without all the fun activities. We still maintain a normal menu. We still have our normal household activities. We have found ways to have safe fun while maintaining a social distance (e.g., snowmobiling, hiking, etc.) We still communicate with family and friends, but via technology rather than in-person. We've kept busy with our little living room remodel. Jonas and I went hunting for more of our ancestors graves (I figured I couldn't contract the virus from them). And this last weekend, we enjoyed gathering with all our kids to watch an historic General Conference. This year's broadcast was televised from a small room in the Conference Center with no audience. In fact, only the people who would be talking or saying prayers for that specific session were allowed in the room. As you can imagine, it wasn't the most reverent weekend with everyone home - wrestling broke out, the volume level increased, messes were everywhere...but for one weekend, life felt relatively normal again. We played whiffle ball, tried to fly with the parachute, worked on puzzles, celebrated Laurin's birthday, and so much more. For one weekend, I put my anxieties aside and simply enjoyed the two most important things in my life: faith and family. Miracles are still happening (e.g., temples are being built in China and the UAE!). Faith is being exercised (e.g., a worldwide fast is happening on Good Friday, April 10). Life is happening now...even if it is a little crazy.