Dusting off and a little housekeeping!

 Good Afternoon!  I do not know if anyone out there will still be checking my blog.  I'm back...at least for the next few days.  We are dealing with a bit of COVID here, so I am working from home and caring for my family.  

My son and my husband both tested positive last week for COVID.  We are praising the Lord that their symptoms so far have been very mild.  My son has actually been cleared to return to work today.  Andrew's symptoms were very mild.  It was just as if he had a cold.  He had been exposed at work and they sent him for a test.  Low and behold he was positive.  So that caused the rest of us in the house to be quarantined.  We have been locked in the house since last week.  Mid-week last week my husband's test results came back positive.  UGH!  His symptoms have been a little more than Andrew.  He has had a low grade fever on and off, lost his sense of smell, headache and a cough.  Today he seems a bit better and was able to sit outside today in the sunshine.  

I am fortunate that I am able to work from home.  I usually work in the city.  I cannot say I am missing my commute, but I do miss the people I work with.  My boss and his wife (Owners of the company) are the best around.  They have called and / or emailed me daily checking on us.  They even sent supper to us on Friday.  We are so blessed!

In February we lost my grandmother to this horrible virus!  So as you can imagine we are all on edge when it comes to COVID.  One thing this horrible ordeal has taught us is that no matter what we are going through God is always in control.  He is right there walking alongside of us, protecting us, and just watching out for us.  He has placed us in a fantastic church that has been SO loving and caring on us.  We have been filled by them not only physically, but spiritually as well.  All of the food and groceries they have brought us has been such a blessing!

Psalm 46 has been a comfort to me.  Especially when I start to let the human side of me take over.  I start to become overwhelmed and fearful of what might be coming.  Yesterday was a big meltdown day for me!  I have been struggling trying to do it all!  Make sure the family is cared for, the house is clean (More than ever now with the germs) and work was complete.  I just hit my breaking point yesterday.  I needed to let go and let God take over.  Otherwise, I was going to have a nervous breakdown.

Throughout the "lock-down" we have been able to get some much needed work done around the house.  Thankfully all of this happened or was schedule pre covid diagnosis.  First up was the walnut tree that needed to come down.  Sadly, much of it was already dead we couldn't salvage any of the wood.  Just a few scraps for a fun project coming up.  This tree has been a PAIN in my backside since I was a kid! Every fall having to go out and pick up the hundreds of walnuts that had fallen.  We are still little by little getting the tree cleaned up.  What a mess!  But OH the dreams and plans I have for our backyard!! I am already giddy over getting things cleaned up!  I have gardens and fruit trees and vines planned!

My kids are doing pretty good.  My eldest Katrina is now living on her own with her Fiancé right here in town.  Her birthday is this Thursday.  But for the first time since she was born we will not be together at all for her birthday. I am so sad about this, since we are in quarantine.  Hannah was in quarantine with us until today.  She was cleared to return to her programs at ARC.  She was thrilled to be able to leave the house today.  HAHA! Andrew is fully recovered and headed back to work this morning.  He has finally landed the job of his dreams.  The company he works for has treated him so wonderfully with all of this COVID stuff.  I am so proud of each of my kids.  They have all turned out to be fantastic young adults.

 

With all of life coming to a screeching halt I found myself yearning for a return to a simple life.  We used our quarantine time to reconnect with each other.  We played board games, put our phones away and just talked around the supper table.  Sad that it took a quarantine to make us do this.  But sometimes God has to go to extreme measures to get our attention.

We joked this past weekend, that we are going to need a wider door when we are finally "released".  I got my cookbooks out and have picked a few fun recipes I want to try.  I am going to make myself slow down and enjoy every moment God allows me to have.  I now know why people often say, "Stop and smell the roses".  They bloom for a moment then wither away.  As I type this the sunshine is coming through my office window, birds are singing and spring is making its appearance.

What has everyone been up to this past year?  I am hoping to reconnect with many of you again.  I am anxious to share things the Lord lays on my heart each day.  Even if it is just a photo or a thought. Stay safe everyone!