Day 3…it was kinda boring.  We did our work in the morning then we all went as a family to help out at the barn where Char rides.  We spent 3 hours doing stalls, moving horses and bedding pellets and played with the barn cats.  We were tired and sore when we got home and my strategizing men are coming up with ways to make doing stalls easier (this involved using the 4-wheeler and cart, building a transitional poop pile closer to the barn to cut done on travel time to the big pile, and hot wiring a tractor with a big bucket).

“Blacky” headed back to the barn. I tried to get her to turn around – but she has a mouse in her mouth!!!

The poop is never ending!!!

When we got home, I sat on the porch with Cooper – he LOVES chillin’ on the porch and waiting for someone to come around so he can bound off the porch and greet them – including the mail person!  We have had to add a tie-up to the porch because at his old home he had a fence, so without physical boundaries, he thinks the world is a free for all!

The hubby and I watched The Curse of Oak Island (still waiting for some of the cast of LOST to come out of one of the holes) and are still suckers hoping they find treasure!  Char had a group hangout with a few friends and their laughter and antics made us laugh a lot!  We got to “see” Kelton’s girlfriend on his phone, and everyone enjoyed the day as much as we could.

This is hard for our teenagers – they are social beings – and do not understand the potential for harmful spreading of this virus to our loved ones who are at great risk.  Kelton’s girlfriend is a senior in HS and I feel for those kiddos especially – they will miss out on a “traditional” senior end of the year experience – prom, senior ball, senior skip day, senior pranks, graduation practice and graduation.  These are BIG EVENTS in these kids’ lives – ones that many have fought for 12+ years, and they are all but canceled.  Of course, they will get though it, but it makes them sad; it makes me sad for them.  It challenges their resolve to do what the adults are saying is the right thing.  It stresses their relationships and makes them uncomfortable.  I will be the first one to say that getting out of our comfort zone is what promotes growth, but tell that to a 17 year old who looked forward to being the kings and queens of the world.  My heart breaks for them.

Day 3 and counting….

We survived Day 2 with ease and even some laughs!  It was a rainy day, so we did not get outside much but everyone got to work early (Kelton doing his OSHA training, Char with music, Denise with travel and Kelly on conference calls with church staff).

Virtual flute lessons followed by group Google Hangout with friends!

A little art….

Kelton is always conniving ways to spend money.  The kid needs a well-paying job to fuel his imagination!  He has been trying to convince Kelly that he should lift the back end of his truck.  It is really our truck that we use for camping, but Kelton drives it a lot.  Anyway, he decided to build a Lego model to prove that lifting the truck wouldn’t cause it to be unstable.  Well, at 10:42am the 17year old came up the stairs and said, “Dad, you were right.”  Documented!!!

Char did some baking (made a Hawaiian birthday cake mix sent to me from my sister Becky, who lives in Hawaii!!) and we decided to order out for pick up to support one of our local restaurants in this tough time (Roger’s in Dover – it was yummy!!).  Kelly wanted to run to church to pick up his comfy desk chair (he tried to steal Kelton’s that he got for his birthday, but that didn’t go over well😊) so he got the take out and brought it home.

Meanwhile, some wonderful ladies from church lent Char some books for the weeks we will be home.  I remember some of these books myself (ahem…Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret) My neighbor was going for a food run and picked us up a few things and we got down to planning a She Shed for Char up on our play platform in the yard.

BOOKS!!!!!

Plans…on paper…we’ll see!!!

The “before”.

We watched a movie together last night (A Quiet Place…..not for little kids😊) and all went to bed early.  We are trying to devise a way to play Exploding Kittens online with friends!

The pets are faring rather well!!!!

Today was pretty low key.  That is not a complaint!  I still question the rational of our government.  I guess that is my nature – I can’t balance the potential sacrifice of our elderly and at-risk population for our economy.  Is there a happy medium?  I just don’t know!!!!!  Are we overreacting?  Can we afford to under react?  I know our economy is going to tank after this – all the government bailout situations amassing will cost us in the end.  But I have to rely on God in this and lean into Him more.  I need to focus on treasuring my time with my family and modeling a positive outlook to my kids.

Day 2 and counting….