Front Porch Photos

There's a trend going on where families are taking "front porch" photos to document what their lives are like right now. We decided to jump on board but took backyard photos instead. There were no rules about what to wear, what to bring, or how to behave. We created some real gems.

Still Home

It's April 18th, and we are still under a shelter in place order. The kids have been out of school for over a month, and our governor just announced yesterday that schools will remain closed for the rest of this school year; six more weeks of distance learning. Chris is still working from home, but his company is starting to talk about bringing people back to the office. His job still seems to be very stable, and we feel incredibly blessed. I have continued to teach my online barre class and am really enjoying it.

Ainsley headed back to Utah on the 4th. It was sad to say goodbye. She is just about finished with winter semester and will be starting spring term online in a little over a week. She is still planning on moving into an apartment on May 4th. I really wanted to be there to help her move, but it is looking like that won't be happening. Sadness.

Alice Clover still hasn't come home because she isn't quite ready to leave her mom. We can't wait for her to join our family but definitely don't want her to leave her momma too early. So, we still go to visit her. She is a sweet girl. She's looking more and more like her siblings, but we never have to guess which bunny she is because one of her ears isn't quite floppy yet. She has become a chunky girl and is oh so cute. We also found out she and Kaylee have the same birthday. It was meant to be!

We've been baking a lot. Whole wheat bread, cinnamon bread, homemade Reese's peanut butter cups (not actually baking), and Kaylee made a Lego cake for the finale of Lego Masters. She, "Nailed it!"

The weather is still pretty nice, and I am still trying to get out every day. Parks are going to reopen on the 20th, so I am definitely going to try to plan a family outing or two next week. We have a lavender plant in our front yard that is completely out of control, but I am letting it grow wild because it is full of bees. It's actually quite fun watching them buzz from flower to flower.

Conference weekend was good. I approached conference differently than I have in the past and felt like I got more out of it than I have in awhile. There was a lot of talk about what is going on in the world right now, and I loved the quote below from Elder Holland. 

No one actually knows how much longer this is going to go on. Pretty much everything has been cancelled through the summer. No FSY this year, and I am guessing no church camps either. We wear masks to the grocery store now, and I go as little as possible. It sounds like things are slowly going to start opening back up, but who knows how long that will take. Until they come up with a vaccine for this virus it seems that there would be at least some worry about it spreading. But, as Elder Holland said, we will conquer this, and I hope that we will come out of this situation better people - more caring, more loving, more kind. 

Stay Home, Stay Safe

Towards the end of February we started hearing that a virus which had pretty much brought China to its knees was spreading through Europe and Australia and was now creeping its way into the United States. We had plans to travel to California for Kevin's and Mindy's wedding over spring break and began to worry that we were not actually going to make it.

A week and a half or so before the wedding, Chris was feeling like we shouldn't travel to California, but we really wanted to go, so we decided to think about it a little while longer. A week before the wedding we had to make our decision, and the decision was to stay in Texas. Things started progressing very quickly after that.

On March 12th, Kaylee participated in her One Act Play competition. This year she played the part of the "Young Woman" in a play called "The Marvelous Playbill". I had the opportunity to watch her perform, and she was adorable. She won a medal and was selected as a member of the All Star Cast. Also, on March 12th, Ainsley participated in a dance competition called Dance Sport at BYU. She finished her competition as a semi-finalist and then called to tell me that BYU had made the decision to shut down down for the semester. They would be moving to online schooling and were asking everyone to move off campus if possible. She decided she wanted to stay in Utah, so over the next couple of days, Ainsley packed up her belongings, said goodbye to her roommates, and moved in with a friend until her off campus apartment was available in May. It was really hard for her to have to part ways with her roommates so unexpectedly and so quickly. Lastly, on March 12th, Chris' company told everyone they needed to start working from home until further notice. 

Around this time we were told that all of our church buildings were being closed, and we would need to hold church in our homes for now. On March 14th Spring Break began for Kaylee and Landon. On March 16th Kevin and Mindy were married moments before California decided that any gatherings larger than 10 people were no longer allowed. On March 17th we received a letter from Kaylee's and Landon's school stating that the school would not reopen after Spring Break and that they would be implementing distance learning.

At this point pretty much everything non-essential started shutting down. Baca Center closed, and Clay Madsen closed shortly after that. Grocery store shelves were being emptied because everyone was panic buying. There were even long lines to get into grocery stores. It was wild. I took Landon to an orthodontist appointment during that week, and there was a woman there who said she was 84 years old and had never seen anything like what was going on in her lifetime.

On March 17th, Kaylee fell in love with some adorable mini lop bunnies that our friends the Nielsen's are selling after they are old enough to live away from their mom. They let her pick out a bunny and told her she could visit her any time she wants. On March 18th Ainsley and her friend decided they were going to drive from Utah to Texas to come and visit us. On March 19th Kaylee received word that all DPS offices were closing immediately and that she would not be able to take her drive test with them to get her license on the 20th. We quickly decided to take her to Austin Driving School where she could take the drive test and were able to get an appointment that day. She passed with flying colors. We are now calling her partially licensed because she still has to take her test results to a DPS office to actually get her license. As of today, they are still closed. On March 20th Ainsley and her friend left Provo, Utah at 5am and arrived in Round Rock, Texas at 1:30am on the 21st. 

On March 24th Round Rock passed a shelter-in-place order. Every non-essential business was ordered to close and unless you were an essential worker or needed to go out for an essential activity residents were told to stay home. On March 24th and March 26th I participated in fitness filming for the City of Round Rock. I and several other instructors filmed exercise videos that will be released to Round Rock residents while they are sheltering in place.

  

Yesterday Gateway sent out another letter extending Kaylee's and Landon's online schooling until at least May 4th and Chris' company let them know that May 4th was the earliest they would be returning to work. This is the third letter we have received. First they were planning on opening back up on April 3rd, then April 13th, and now May 4th. I have a feeling the kids aren't going back to school this school year.

Landon seems pretty okay with whatever happens school-wise, but Kaylee was just about in tears when the new letter was released yesterday. This school situation has been interesting with Kaylee. For years she begged to home school but now that she is being forced, she doesn't like it. She has made a couple of good friends this year and is really missing them. 

This situation has produced a roller coaster of emotions in me. I have mostly felt at peace, but there are times when I get incredibly anxious. The virus is no joke, and we have several family members who are considered high risk. I am trying to have faith that everything will work out, but it is hard at times. I'm trying to stay away from the news because it is always doom and gloom, and who even knows what is true and what is false anymore. 

I have also felt a lot of gratitude and very blessed during the last few months. We didn't have to panic over the massive toilet paper shortage because we always keep a stash on hand. Chris' job is about as stable as anything is right now, and he can actually work from home. I can't work right now, but it isn't affecting our budget. I miss the people I teach and train, but I have started an online barre class with some of them, and our first class was a super fun success. Plus, my mom is going to join the group for our second class tomorrow! It has been awesome having Ainsley home for a few weeks. She will be returning to Utah this coming Saturday which makes me sad and gives me some anxiety because I would rather have us all together right now, but I am grateful she has grown into an independent young adult who can handle tough situations. Home church has been fantastic! Our bishop gave permission for priesthood holders to bless and pass the sacrament in our homes which has been a wonderful experience. We started FaceTiming my parents during Sunday School lessons and have all been participating in teaching each other. Our transitions have been so smooth. Gateway was the perfect school to make a quick switch to distance learning, and our church has done an excellent job over the last year or so preparing us for a home church situation. We have had a lot of fun playing games and hanging out together. Ainsley and Kaylee dressed up in prom dresses one night because Kaylee realized she probably isn't getting a church prom this year. The weather has been nice, and I get out every day for a walk or a jog to breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the sun. I have even more gratitude for my lungs (I always have gratitude for my lungs because I know what it feels like to not breathe well) and every deep breath I am blessed with. I've had time to bake and make homemade noodles. Yum! I love having my family home even though they wish they could be at work or school. I also love that they wish they could be at work or school. 

Today we get to visit Kaylee's bunny who now has a name (Alice Clover Flopsalot) because taking care of a pet is allowed during our shelter in place order. Conference is coming up this weekend. In October President Nelson promised us an unforgettable April conference, although I don't think our current state is what he had in mind. 

The world is hurting right now. People have lost their jobs. People who are still working away from home are scared. People are really really sick and anxious and worried. My favorite scripture has been on my mind lately. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27). As I continue to think about this scripture, I will also continue to have hope that there is an end to this in sight.