The Virus

 This year got weird.  March 12th marked the beginning of a quarantine lock down that lasted for months.  We didn't see anyone until late April or May.  We stayed inside, on orders from Governor Whitmer, schooled together, puzzled together, worked together, ate together, played together worked out in the living room together and walked together.  We tried our best to grocery shop safely, washing all of our groceries off after we returned home, and not letting Grammy and Gpa head to the store.  We did massive grocery shopping, hoping it would last us for a couple weeks at a time. We played lots of games, took lots of walks and watched lots of movies that we had not had time for in the past. As the weather got warmer, we found more options for seeing people outside, socially distancing from them at least 6 feet.  We had happy hours on decks, in garages and on zoom.  We visited local restaurants and got take out to try to support the local economy through these desperate times. We had family date nights and didn't get to see as many friends that we usually do during the summer. There were LOTS of canceled plans, lots of them, including our week with the Hoeksemas, Hawaii, and a 40th birthday trip to Savannah with the girls.  It devastated us all, but we tried to make up for it with weekly zoom calls where we all got together in our houses and tried to pretend like this was all ok.  Some people wore masks, others didn't and it became a political battle that is still raging on to this day.  I never saw this coming, not any of it.  I never dreamt that 2020 would bring with it so much heartache and disappointment.  I was looking forward to turning 40 this year, and celebrating with a bang.  

Now we don't really make plans.  We don't know what the future will hold, or what will be safe, or what will be available.  We just live day to day and hope that we don't get sick. 

School looks different and Izzy and I only do it virtually. Marcus and Lucy are in person, wearing masks, small classes, and trying to socially distance themselves.  

I read a book during quarantine that said, "We can do hard things." This is the hardest thing that I have ever had to do, and I see no end in sight. But I know that we can do hard things, and we have been doing hard things.  I just hope that things get a little easier, and a little less stressful. 

I am including some images that depict our time during quarantine for posterity. 

Socially distanced with friends that we have known since we were young. No hugs. 

We celebrated Grandma O's 101st birthday!

We visited lots of beautiful parks around the county. 

We wore masks in public places where we did not feel safe. 

We still picked berries!

We rode bikes, a lot!

We went to Manistee for a socially distanced get together with some of the Hoeksema family!

We played lots of games. 

We picked strawberries. 

We took lots of hikes and enjoyed the beautiful summer days!

We watched the world unravel when people got fed up with the inequality and started to protest. 

We read lots of books, even when the power went out. 

Joy and I spent the last year of our partnership teaching from home.

Izzy celebrated her 6th grade graduation through a zoom meeting. 

We took more bike rides. 

We had school outside.

We learned to bake pretzel bread. 

We had a socially distanced Mother's Day celebration.

We received funny cards and grew our hair out. 

We searched for sun on cool days in order to visit with the ones we love!

We walked the goats. 

We celebrated milestone birthdays with driveway meetings. 

We made paper maiche.

We had virtual art lessons with Great Aunt Dianne and Grammy and Miles. 

We donned masks made by friends.

We sat in the backyard on cool days to play with cousins. 

We watched owls inhabit our backyard.

Our dining room turned into a classroom. 

Izzy's birthday was celebrated distantly!

Happy hour zoom calls became a thing!

Easter was celebrated all by ourselves for the first time. 

We took many walks!

Easter egg hunts were done 6 feet apart. 

We did some baking challenges. 

Lucy made us dinner. 

We worked out in the front room to Lucy made work outs. 

We created a geodesic dome.

Lucy made fondue!

We created beautiful chalk art. 

We puzzled!

More chalk art. 

More workouts!

I taught from home and missed all my kiddos at school. 

Hoeksema family Facetime meetings. 

More goat walks!

More puzzles.

Lots of cozy beds set up in different places. 

School from the dining room. 

This was on March 13th. We had no idea that this would be the last time we would be with each other for a while.  We were here to tell people that school was cancelled until further notice.