A New Normal.

Things are starting to resemble being normal again. At least a new normal. I am back working at the ASC in surgery. And it is wonderful to be back. I really do enjoy being where I am supposed to be. But, things are a little different. We have to wear our surgical masks and eye protection all day, We can only take our mask off when we are eating or drinking something. We also have to wear N95 masks during airway procedures and any patient who didn't get tested for Covid, their test is pending, or their test was negative but they are symptomatic. The N95 is pretty terrible and uncomfortable, but at least I don't have to wear it for 12 hours straight like some of the floor nurses. Work is different, but it is really nice to be around my coworkers again as well. I missed everyone!

Other things are starting to look more normal as well. Businesses have opened back up again. Restaurants have their dining rooms open, so you can actually eat inside a restaurant again. The gyms are open again, and they are talking about opening the libraries and the Midco pool. They are not opening the outdoor city pools this summer, and people are pretty bummed about that. However, the virus is still here, and we are still wearing masks, washing hands, social distancing and just being careful overall.

The kids are still enjoying playing with the neighbor kids. They play hard all day at daycare and summer care, and then they play hard with the neighborhood kids. We don't get them to bed until after 9, and they are super tired. Then, they wake up and do it all over again. There are been some outbursts and mood swings, so we are trying to get them into a better routine which involves going to bed a little sooner. But they are loving summer. We spend pretty much our entire evening outside, and everyone is loving it.

John and I broke down and bought a pergola this past weekend. We were so tired of the sun baking us on our west patio, so we bought a very simple pergola from Menards. We really like it. It adds a lot to our patio, and we are pretty proud of it. We sat out there until 10pm the other night, and it was glorious. Now, we just need some finishing touches. We already hung up some patio lights, and we want to buy an outdoor rug to add a nice homey touch. I'm sure we will find some other pieces to add along the way as well. We also have quite a variety of potted flowers. Our yard is looking mighty spiffy this summer. And since we can't go out and do a whole lot this summer, it's going to be nice to have a comfy place to hang out. We also got our garden planted this last week, and it's looking nice!

We recently went through the work of emptying out the sandbox and filling it with potting soil. The kids weren't playing with it anymore, so we decided to make a second garden out of it for this summer. We are going to plant squash and cucumbers there. It will be interesting to see how that grows.

My mom got a new job at a nursing home in Sleepy Eye. She is going to be working the 3-11pm shift, and she seems excited about it. She started this past Tuesday, I haven't been able to talk to her yet, but hopefully she is liking it. I'm sure it's weird to not be home every evening anymore.

We are also busy planning Emma's birthday party right now. We are going to Yogi Bear again in a couple weeks, and she is super excited. We are only inviting 3 friends this time to spend the night in the camper, so it should be a little more enjoyable for mom. Emma keeps a countdown going to let us know how close we are getting to her birthday! I can't believe she will be 8 soon!

That's pretty much everything that is new around here. Thankfully, things are starting to resemble a new normal. I still can't wait to be back to completely normal, but I think that is a ways away yet. But, I am very grateful that summer is here. I can't wait to get some camping in this year.

The parks are also open again!!

Building the pergola 

A Trip to MN.

Well, a couple more weeks have flown by, and things continue to change around here. I worked my last scheduled shift at the call center yesterday, and now I head back to the ASC tomorrow. We are open for surgery again, but of course things have changed due to Covid-19. We basically have to wear N-95 masks throughout the entire surgery, and wear our other mask the entire day. We can only take them off while eating. It's so crazy how things have changed. I'm excited to be back, and to see my co-workers, but I really wish we could just go back to normal. I am going to miss the call center. They treated me very well, and I learned to really like the staff. I am going to continue to pick up shifts there if I am short on hours some weeks.

I also made a trip to see my parents last week. They were super-duper excited to see us. It had been a couple months, and they are getting pretty lonely on the farm. Also, mom got laid off of work, so she needed a little cheering up. It was a really nice trip. The kids had a lot of fun just exploring the grove and all the buildings over at Ryan's house. Both kids also got to drive the 4-wheeler which they got was the greatest thing ever.  We also spent some time in the shop and washing vehicles. We were outside pretty much the entire two days and everybody had a great time.

On Tuesday evening we had a campfire and made steaks and potatoes over the fire. It was delicious. It was also pretty nice to sit around the fire and chat with my parents and brother. This pandemic has really disrupted all aspects of our lives, and it was nice to feel like things were normal for a couple of days.

Today we got the official word that the Sioux Falls City Pools will not be opening this summer. So, that is going to be a shock for all the kids in town. It's sure going to be a different summer. Luckily, we can still go camping this summer, so that will make up for some of this. I think most of our summer will be spent at home out in the yard, or biking on the bike trail. We will make the best of it.

On the positive side of things, some businesses are starting to open up around here again. The hair salons and restaurants are open again, but with some new regulations in place. My women's league softball team is starting on June 1, but we are recommended to wear masks and cannot hangout in the dugout together. It's going to be weird, but hopefully fun. And like I said earlier, surgery and clinics are opening up, so hopefully Avera can start making some money again.

Emma finished school on Friday. We were all so ready for home-schooling to be over. It was long, painful, and very emotional to do homework at home. Emma was so relieved to be done. And frankly, so were John and I. I can handle a lot of this Covid-19 stuff, but I don't think I can handle another session of homeschooling. I really, really hope that schools are open in the fall.

Right now we are just trying to get into a new summer normal routine. The kids are in daycare and summer care and we are going to try to keep them going there everyday. They spent a lot of time out of daycare earlier this month, and they just do better on a schedule. I am getting back into my normal schedule, and it will be nice to be home on weekends and evenings now. We also have some camping weekends planned, and the rest we will just make day trips to some State Parks, or trips out to the farms. We can definitely make our own fun, and we will have to do that this year. This is where growing up sheltered on a farm really comes in handy.

We also are trying to plan a birthday party for Emma right now. We are planning on a Yogi Bear camping trip, which at this point in time it sounds like they are opening the pool, bouncy pillow, and mini golf course, so that should still be fun. We are just still taking things a day at a time around here, and trying to adapt to all the changes.

Daycare Fun

Fun at the shop 

The chicken coop

Rock pile

Homework is finally over

33 years old.

Today is my birthday. I am 33 years old. And this is the weirdest birthday I have ever had. My work is completely different, my social life is completely different, and I haven't seen any extended family for at least 3 months, and probably won't for even longer. I am so sick of Covid, and so ready for normal life to resume, which doesn't seem to be a possibility any time soon.

Life really isn't so bad, it's just different. The weather has been really nice lately, so it has helped that we have been able to be outside enjoying the weather. Elliott has been out of daycare for 2 weeks, so it has been a little bit of a crazy shuffle to keep track of him while John and I worked full time. But we made it, and Elliott was super excited to head back to daycare today. A little bit of normalcy returning. Emma was also happy to be back at summer care after a crazy weekend of late nights and bonfires.

Our days are spent at work and at home, with an occasional grocery store trip. But only one adult can go, kids are not supposed to go into grocery stores at this time. Luckily, we do escape to Jim and Barb's house pretty frequently, which is a really nice change of scenery. We have been helping in the greenhouse quite a bit, which has been crazy busy. People are going crazy for greenhouse products right now, Barb is sold out of a lot of her garden items, and it's only the beginning of May!!

The news keeps us informed of how many daily new cases of Covid-19 there are, and how many people died each day from Covid-19. We can't really escape the news, so the best thing is just to shut it off once in a while and just focus on things that make us happy.

The city is starting to ease some restrictions a little, which is nice. They opened the parks back up and we have been on the bike trail a couple times, which the kids loved. And I had some really good bonding time with Elliott over the two weeks he was out of daycare. That kid is so much fun one on one. We sure stayed busy every day.

The newest thing in our household is that Emma and Elliott made some neighborhood friends, and they get to just run over a couple houses down (with permission) and play with their friends. They think this is the greatest thing ever, and we enjoy that they have some kids their age to play with as well. And we have gotten to know the kids' parents. It has been nice to finally have some neighbors we can visit with and hang out with. One good thing about being stuck at home all the time is that we finally have met some of our neighbors! The only down side is that our kids are not very tactful, and think they can just run over to their houses at any time of the day, so we are working with them.

Home schooling is still rough. We are down to our final 2 weeks, which is amazing. I cannot wait until we are done with it. Emma is a nightmare with the school work. She thinks everything is too hard, whines and complains the entire time, and then puts in about 30% total effort. She writes really messy, doesn't answer the questions correctly, and doesn't even use proper grammar. And she doesn't care. I don't know how to make her care about homework. I think she has just mentally checked out since she is not going to school anymore and the weather has been so nice. So, we are trying to just get through it. Hopefully this doesn't set her too far back in the fall. And hopefully we are back in school in the fall. These kids will need some stability this fall!

I just worked 10 hours shifts for the last 4 days, so I have a couple days off now. Yay! John and I are going to get some lunch (and probably eat it in the car) and do a little shopping over lunch. So, that will be a nice little birthday treat. Otherwise I am just looking at a pretty low key birthday, which is ok.

Here's to year 33. :)

Our tree is blooming 

Doing some schoolwork outside 

Tired little boy 

Milk jug bird feeder 

Bike trail!

My mornings for the last two weeks 

Stuffed animal stroller ride 

Working at the greenhouse 

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.

Easter Egg hunt 

Emma took some sunset photos 

Planting Raspberry Bushes 

Lego Tower 

Working at the greenhouse 

Just another day at work. 

More day before Easter photos 

Walking down Marion Rd before the started construction (they had the road closed)