This post includes all of that. You'll see the fun that we are having. You'll see the ups and downs that we are feeling. You will also see screen shots of local and national events that are happening during this time, as well as screen shots of texts that have been shared among our family reflecting some of our thoughts and emotions...
So join us in reflecting back on the first 6 weeks or so of staying home! It's a time that we will remember for a very long time! It's a time that the world will remember forever!
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| The front page of the journal activity that the elementary students are engaging in,, |
Sunday, Feb. 23
A normal day and no idea of what was coming. Coronavirus was in Europe and Asia...not here.
Thursday, February 27
West coast has problems in Washington state...Don suggests we go shopping. But...why?
Tuesday, March 3
After lots of uncertainty, Katie heads to Hungary...the question is when and how will they return in 11 days?
Her first location in a suburb of Budapest. No worries and lots of fun!
Thursday, March 5
No worries turned into a positive case in the town that she was staying in...still having lots of fun and life in the Virginia is continuing as normal.
Friday, March 6
Wednesday, March 11
Got notice that Katie's trip was being cut short and everyone was coming home together on Thursday. Her teacher, Mr. Bailey, was able to reschedule their flights and get everyone on the same plane. This was done BEFORE the president's announcement.
I decided that this might be a real thing and was able to find the elusive paper products. Though we still had no idea of what was to come...tomorrow!
Thursday, March 12
We wake up at 5:00 am to a call from Loudoun County Public Schools that we are closed for then next 2 weeks! What happened? Why? Where's Katie? What is going on in our world?Got a text from my sister, Patty, at 5:30 am that morning...
Made contact with Katie during her layover in Frankfurt, Germany. All is well and they will be boarding their flight and arriving at Dulles this afternoon. ...Can't wait to have her on the ground in the United States! We are still unsure of what is going on and what this is going to look like for the next 2 weeks while we are at home!
Katie arrives at Dulles with her classmates and teacher. Little did she know that this would be the last time they would all be together during her senior year in high school.
Friday, March 13
The governor makes an announcement that schools are closed for 2 weeks throughout the state of Virginia. Katie begins her 2 week self-isolation as directed to do upon returning to the US from Europe.
No Coronavirus coming into our house from Hungary. Katie spends time disinfecting everything that came back from Europe including notebooks, souvenirs, luggage...
Carleigh begins to realize the enormity of what is happening in our world and starts figuring out what her second semester at UMW will look like.
UMW closes and classes move to online/virtual sessions. She and her friends have a last get together before they all head their separate ways. At the time, she did not realize that this last "party" in her apartment at UMW would be the last get together that any of them would have until...
Saturday, March 14
Carleigh is home! At this point we didn't know for how long. Coronavirus is a common term now and we are also learning about new terms like:
Social Distancing
Pandemic
Flatten the Curve
Self Quarantine
Respiratory Hygiene
Continuity of Education
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| Novel Coronavirus...an image that will become all to familiar to everyone |
We looked at this time as an opportunity to embrace the family togetherness and find some pockets of joy during this crazy time.
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| Car rides with Junior and family adventures |
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| Our first puzzles |
Monday, March 16
Loudoun County Public Schools rolled out their response to students being home and schools being closed. What would distance learning look like? How do we provide continuity of education?It is impressive how fast the school system came up with a well thought out plan to support our students during this crazy time.
Carleigh is continuing her online classes. Class discussions have turned to online discussion boards. Professor office hours have turned into texts, emails and face-time sessions. And what will exam week look like?
Wednesday, March 18
Fresh air, social distancing and family hike to Bear's Den on the Appalachian Trail.
Thursday, March 19
Carleigh needed to see UMW one more time and we made the trip to move her stuff out of her apartment. The announcement had been made that online classes would continue through the end of the semster.
Sunday, March 22
Carleigh turns 20! No concert with friends. No UMW celebrations. A quarantine birthday with a Pink Champagne cake made by Katie. A Zoom call with Rocky, Rina, Chrissy, Rosie, Gwen, Leo, Patty and Ev!
Loudoun County schools were still only closed through end of April...and then we see this:
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| Another puzzle |
Monday, March 23
2:00 jpm on March 23 all schools in the state of Virginia are closed through the end of the year!
No graduations. No end of year celebrations! No SOL tests! This is unprecedented and now LCPS changes gears and begins to plan out what the rest of the academic year might look like.
Katie has lost her graduation from LVHS and AET. She has lost the Regional Science Fair that she was invited to participate in. She has lost her Capstone opportunity to help teach computer science skills to elementary students at Waxpool Elementary school. She has lost the Hackathon at Academies of Loudoun that she organized and was excited about making bigger and better than last year. Most of all, she has lost the opportunity to walk the halls, sit in the classrooms, socialize with her friends and joke with her teachers at Loudoun Valley High School and the Academy of Engineering and Technology. Never again...she's resilient and we all know that this is what needs to happen for everyone to be safe and well. Nonetheless, it's heartbreaking that this last semester of her public education was taken away from her.
Thursday, March 26
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| Carliegh's message says it all! |
Katie's breaks free! Her 14 days of self-isolation is over and we head out of Purcellville!
Sunday, March 29
We venture over to Ashburn to see mom and Patty. This is the first time since the world decided to stay home. We had a nice 2 mile social distancing walk.
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| and another puzzle |
Monday, March 30
Another level is added to this new normal! A stay at home order has been issued for the whole state of Virginia until June 10! Businesses closed, restaurants only allowed curbside or takeout....
LCPS education has turned to Google Meet - staff meetings, teacher collaboration and students meeting with teachers turned into looking at each others faces on a giant grid. Microphones muted and just listening and looking at each other. Opportunities to speak and engage in conversations only happened in small online groups. This was becoming our new normal...
Tuesday, March 31
Our first virtual "storytime" with Leo. Don and Leo shared apples together and Don tried to read him a story through face-time.
Wednesday, April 1
Our first virtual family happy hour - Hats and Jokes! This new way of staying in touch without touching was starting to become strangely comfortable. Unfortuantely, we were become used to operating this way. It's been almost a month...
Thursday, April 2
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| another puzzle |
Friday, April 3
One of our many walks through the neighborhood! At least the weather is warm and we are not cooped up inside.
Saturday, April 4
I am grateful to the Loudoun County community for trying to find innovative ways to celebrate the high school seniors during this crazy time.
Sunday, April 5
Another visit to mom and another social distance walk.
Also an opportunity to trade/barter with Patty for Clorox wipes and toilet paper. Who would have thought that grocery shelves would be empty and items that you took for granted would no longer be easily available?
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| another puzzle |
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| and another puzzle |
Monday, April 6
An outdoor visit with Leo on face-time...and lots of giggles and fun
Thursday, April 9
Officially spring break week and time to do a project that has been on my list for a while - repainting the master bathroom!
Carleigh finds joy! She discovered a 20 year old pair of my roller blades in the garage - like new - and they fit! She perfects her roller blading skills and she's off with a new form of exercise and another way to enjoy the outdoors!
Friday, April 10
The daily emotions in our house are a roller coaster of unpredictability. Someone is laughing, someone is crying, someone is just accepting...so many unknowns and so many questions...
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| Carleigh doing school! |
Getting closer to Easter and another family Zoom happy hour - this time it was write an Easter acrostic poem and share during the call...Don won most creative:
Another family walk and Junior appreciated the roller blades - he definitely wanted to keep up with her!
An Instagram page was started to celebrate the LVHS seniors and their future plans.
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| Katie's contribution |
Saturday, April 11
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| Masks are now being encouraged when heading out...had to get creative |
Family time has been important during this time. We are supporting each other and finding ways to have fun inside the house. One way has been LOTS of baking! Another is finding silly games to entertain our selves with!
Sunday, April 12 - Happy Easter!
Another social distancing walk with mom this morning around her neighborhood. Even the yard gnomes are done with this!
Easter has always been a big family time at our house with big family easter egg hung and lots of togetherness and food. Not this year...the girls and I returned from our Ashburn visit and the Easter Bunny had come to Purcellville for Carleigh and Katie!
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| Junior appreciated the egg hunt also |
Monday, April 13
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| another puzzle |
Thursday, April 16
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| another puzzle |
Friday, April 17
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| another puzzle |
Saturday, April 18
Rina ventures out to our house this time. Social distance visit on the front porch.
I had the opportunity to dig out some fun pictures of the girls with all of the free time! Oh...the memories...
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| ,,,and another puzzle! |
Sunday, April 19
Another Ashburn social distance walk and we found kindness rocks sprinkled throughout the neighborhood. Just another reminder that we are all in this together!
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| 5 weeks together and they still like each other |
Monday, April 20
Yoga on the front porch, followed by a nap in the sunshine...
Wednesday, April 22
A surpising bit of joy was the opportunity for Katie to have her pictures taken with her Mason gear and also a cap and gown!
Thursday, April 23
Instead of spending a whole day at GMU with Katie exploring and getting excited about the future, it turned into a 3 hour virtual experience in front of a computer.
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| ...and another puzzle |
Friday, April 24
The end of April brought the beginning of the Leo, Uncle Don challenges. Leo sends us a picture and Uncle Don has to recreate it...another bit of joy while we are all staying at home!
Saturday, April 24
Success! Katie and I felt like we were venturing into the Apocalypse as we went out for a supply run and were determined not to return until we were successful. 4 stops later....
This post ends on Saturday, April 24. Lots has happened in the past week or so and will be updated in future posts. This time at home has allowed me to reflect on a lot of things...the importance of family, the importance of communication and trust, the importance of friendships and social interaction, and the importance of believing in the greater good.
A lot has been taken away from us and we are resilient and will come through this stronger, with new perspectives and different appreciation for things that we used to take for granted...like TOILET PAPER!
I can't wait to venture out without fear or concern for myself and others. I can't wait to plan a vacation that I "know" we will be able to take. I can't wait to wander the mall or Target just for fun. I can't wait to get together with my family and laugh and hug and be together without worrying about 6 feet.
Until then...we will find pockets of joy. We will support each other through the highs and lows. And we will be patient!
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