Nelson Family Blog: Easter and Covid 19 update

We have trucked along and made it to April 20th, and what a crazy, wild ride it has been. So, Covid-19 is still causing problems all over the world. Here is the US, most of the states are on lockdown, so many people have been laid off of work, and the economy is in really tough shape. Basically just essential workers are allowed to go to work, we can't gather in groups of more than 10, and basically all forms of entertainment are cancelled or postponed. We can't even visit extended family at this time. Time are just really strange.

John started his 6th week of working from home this week. For 6 weeks our world has been turned upside down, and there is really no sign of it going back to normal any time soon. Most people agree that in order for us all to go back to a normal life, we basically have to wait for a vaccine to be available, which hopefully will be in 18-24 months. So, that's wildly depressing. Most doctors agree that we should be able to go back to some sense of normal once the surge is over, with some social distancing and guidelines still in place.

I still miss normal so badly. I am on week 5 of working odd jobs to get my hours. I have mostly been at the call center, but I also fill in some hours with E Senior care. I have also been working all hours of the day, which is definitely not something I am used to. I miss my normal job immensely.

Right now things are especially crazy because one of the daycare teachers at Elliott's daycare tested positive for Covid-19, which means they had to shut the entire daycare down for 2 weeks. So, that totally throws a wrench into our normal plans. And right now Barb is really busy with the greenhouse, so that's not really an option for us. So, I am trying to work mostly Saturdays and Sundays, and then 3pm-midnight shifts during the week so that John and I can tag team Elliott. It's wild and crazy, but it's working for now. Did I mention that I can't wait for normal life again?!

We started Emma at summer care last Monday, and she is really enjoying it. She was starting to feel really isolated and lonely out at Grandma's house all the time. So we bit the bullet, and started summer care early. I'm really glad we did, they even help Emma with her homework during the day, which is amazing. That's less crying and fighting about homework in the evenings for us.

Overall the kids are handling things well. They don't really seem to mind all the time we are spending at home. Once in a while they suggest going somewhere and we have to remind them about the virus and how we can't go to most places. They can't even go to the grocery stores anymore, so they basically go to daycare and home, and that is literally it. Luckily we do have Jim and Barb's house that we still escape to sometimes.

We celebrated Easter a week and a half ago, and it was one of the weirdest Easters ever. The day before Easter was gorgeous outside. It was sunny and warm and just plain lovely. So, we set up an Easter egg hunt for the kids with eggs and candy, and a couple bigger gifts and the kids loved it. It was something out of our usual routine, so they really enjoyed it.

Then Easter came, and we got a snowstorm with 6 inches of snow. It was so bad out we couldn't even make it out to Jim and Barb's house, which was the plan. So, we just spent Easter at home by ourselves playing with the kids and watching the snowstorm. Emma and I made a fruit pizza and chex mix, and we made the best of it. I also worked on Easter, which was some nice time and a half, and frankly there wasn't anything else to do.

We were supposed to go to Rachel's house the weekend after Easter which fell on Elena's birthday as well. But of course, we had to cancel. So, we haven't seen anyone on my side of the family for a little over a month, and probably won't for quite a while. Thank goodness for Facetime and texting.

On our days off, we stay busy going out to work in the greenhouse. Barb has been really busy with online orders and customers already, so we try to help her out when we can. So, somehow we are really busy during this time when we are not allowed to do anything. Between the odd working hours, the homework, entertaining Elliott, working in the greenhouse and keeping our house running, and the stress of the pandemic, I am wiped. I am like always tired. We are trying to make the best of things, but we are all feeling the stress and loneliness of being stuck at home most of the time.

Avera recently had to deploy employees to whatever area they felt they needed the help. So, some employees were requested to report to the ICU, and they have to, or else they basically get fired. So, that was super stressful. Luckily, I got deployed to the call center, which was a huge relief. I imagine that could still change if we got a huge surge of patients, but for now I will just enjoy my assignment and go from there.

Sorry for the wordy post, there is a lot going on right now. I really hope that in another month we are at least a tiny bit closer to normal. I know that God is in control, and will guide us through this time. But, it's hard. And I am really looking forward to being able to go out again, or watch a sporting event again.