I am sure after reading the previous post about the "Covid-19 Pandemic of 2020" that you've been itching for more information. I probably use the statement that is the title about 20 times per week. We are living in such strange times. When I say strange times it actually seems like a gross understatement. Last week we participated in a "Teacher Parade." Now, a month ago, I didn't know what that was. You most likely won't forget what a Teacher Parade was. Out whole staff got together at the school and drove around the communities of Piedmont to wave to the families from our school. No one could approach us and we could not approach them either. We could wave and honk, we did a lot of both. We jammed out to music and I cried. I was overwhelmed with emotion because in 20 years of teaching I've never had anything like this happen before. If you would have told me my first year of teaching that in the year 2020 the school-year would go to distance learning in the middle of March and would remain distance learning for the rest of the year I would have laughed my head off. Even when we were told that school was closing for the week of 3/16 I did not have one bit of belief that we would be gone for two-weeks let alone over two-months. I was completely shocked when school was called until 5/1 and pretty devastated when school was cancelled for the remainder of the year. In fact we were all pretty upset by the news.
It has been a real adjustment to accept that I will not finish the end of the year with my students. It has been a bigger adjustment to accept that you are all missing the end of second-grade and kindergarten. No Rally Day, no field trip, and no normal end of the year rituals. Baby Waider, this is likely the only year when you will be in the grade that I teach. It has been so much fun watching you learn and interact with all of the things that I've taught for years. It all makes me very sad. The only comfort I get is that we're all safe at home. It is just surreal to think that we are indefinitely here at home. Just the four of us.
There have been a lot of bright spots during this time even though countless events have been missed Birthday parties, recitals, rehearsals, programs, baseball season, church, Sunday School, First Communion, and who knows what else. It has been hard. BUT we've been making the best out of our situation. One of the best things we've done was the Teacher Parade. It was so special and fun. You both loved seeing your teachers, and Mrs. K., Baby Waider's teacher even stood up out of her moon roof and yelled at Baby Waider. You lit up when you saw her. Little Brother finally got to see Mrs. Christman at the end of the parade. It was so nice to see familiar faces even if we couldn't talk.
The next thing we've been doing are lots and lots of Zoom meetings. We've Zoomed our classes, cousins, grandparents, and friends. It really has been the hit of quarantine and most likely one of the things you will look back upon fondly during this time. Grandma Halter even taught us how to bake her infamous chocolate chip cookie bars via Zoom! We also did a Palm Sunday reading/ prayer service and art projects with your cousins. You are both very sad that you can't see your cousins and your grandparents. In fact, Little Brother was giving the prompt in his social studies book to write or draw about a place he'd like to visit. He said he wanted to go to his Grandma's house. I expected the beach, mountains, a store, or even Jump Craze. But, his picture was his Grandma surrounded by all of his cousins. Devastatingly accurate, buddy. In summary I feel that Zoom should win the Nobel Peace Prize when this is all over.
We've also mastered (using that term loosely) doing school at home. We completed *almost* all of our work last week and it was just four days. To say that working from home, teaching my own kids, while having a second job has been overwhelming has been an understatement. Teaching your own kids is no joke. You basically think I have less knowledge than a kindergartner and have NO IDEA how your teacher does it. Which I don't because they weren't my teacher. I digress.
I have vowed to try to be more "fun" during this time as well. We have enjoyed walks with Mavis which surprisingly is very enjoyable. The two of you ever-hungry for the academics make me think of math equations for you nearly the ENTIRE 3 miles. Today we did multiplication and addition and then when we'd turn a corner we switched to subtraction and division. It is equal parts amazing and exhausting. Today I was basically glowing with how much mental math you can both do. The way you crank-out reasoning for your answers makes my math teacher heart so proud. Sometimes I have a difficult time challenging you and that is just so exciting. We have been baking more. I even let you bake AND decorate cupcakes with homemade buttercream frosting!!! Woot! Woot! We did have to celebrate Brook's 21st birthday and Franks 6th birthday via Zoom so we had to have a treat. We also did a parade for Frank's birthday party and it was AMAZING and ADORABLE. Frank is such a fun cousin that it just really made everyone's day.
Along with parades goes mini road trips or drives. Having a convertible makes any drive a road trip. With this being a fairly mild spring we've been able to take lots of drives with the top down. They may not be the typical "road trips" we've grown accustomed to, but they have been no less enjoyable and the views have been pretty phenomenal.
I've personally enjoyed having all day long to cuddle, love, and terrorize our cats. I think as strange as it may sound they are starting to adjust? to us being home. Maybe they aren't adjusting. Accepting? Tolerating. That sounds better. The cats are tolerating us at home. Super Kitty MIGHT even be enjoying having her Baby Waider home.
One of my favorite lines in the movie Christmas Vacation is when Clark asked his dad how he got through all of the family's holidays and his response is, "I had a lotta help from Jack Daniels." My response to getting through this pandemic might be I had a little help from Mich Ultra. Kidding. Kind-of. My point is that this time is stressful. I want more than anything for you to look back on this time as something you enjoyed. A time where you had your parents with you at all times and got to be outside and we became a closer family. Some days it feels like we come out limping with a kid crying and work incomplete. The pressure of making this a positive experience is real and challenging. Paired with it being difficult to find resources, fairly dangerous to go to the store, and all parks closed it is just really, well, strange.
Also, I know that I'm coming at this from an extreme amount of privilege. My kids are fed, safe, and for the foreseeable future their parents are being paid. I ache for those who are less fortunate and feel badly there isn't more I can do to help them. Yes, I am juggling working from home and teaching my kids, but I am still WORKING. I have a job. My kids have resources they need to learn. I find myself angry because we are still being faced with members of our community who fail to take this seriously. We still have people who don't believe it is even real. Worse yet we have people who believe it was CREATED to hurt our president and economy. The Western part of South Dakota has had very limited testing even available.
I jokingly (kind-of)say that I already had Covid-19 and so did both of you. I had some of the symptoms and quite a cough for about ten days. I called Urgent Care on a Sunday because I felt like I was having a hard time breathing. Truthfully, it could have been anxiety, but I also had a temp. When I called Urgent Care they told me I wouldn't be tested even if I came in and had all the symptoms because I hadn't been out of state or country. But...The president said anyone who needed a test would get a test. So much for that... Ultimately, I am so interested to see how history explains this time. I have lots of my own opinions, but it is likely that you already know them. It is probably prudent to also mention that I was fairly certain I had the bird flue, swine flue, and SARS. It seems funny to type that because back then it was unfathomable to think that a pandemic would ever impact the United States, yet here we are.
My hope from all of this is that we learn something. The other day I was getting ready to teach you and I came upon this picture I printed from the internet on New Year's Day. I wrote #2020 GOALS on it and hung it up on our picture/art line. It had somehow fallen down and I can't help but believe that it was meant to fall down.
If you read this list NONE of those things that I wanted to do were impacted by being quarantined. I think what I wanted to do on that New Year's Day is slow down a little. Relish in the little things. While I don't feel like I've had a moment to relax or slow down...I have had more hugs, creating, laugher, long walks, books, road trips, sunsets, music, and LOVE. I have a feeling as time goes on we're going to round out that list even more. I remember telling Auntie before this whole thing happened that I was so sad that Baby Waider was almost out of second-grade because it is my FAVORITE age and I don' want it to go too fast. One #silver lining of this is that I am getting to be with the two of you all day every day. Time that we didn't even know we wanted. While it is more stressful than I'd like at times I do want you to know that it will be a time I look back and cherish more than I even realize this minute. I will try to continue to update about this crazy time.
Love Always,
Mom
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