Thanksgiving 2020

Thanksgiving looked a lot different this year. We’re in quarantine, so it was just the 7 of us. Originally we were going to pick up food, but Jas knows me well enough that that wasn’t going to fly. Especially since I was starting to feel better AND because Keaton was really excited to have a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Enter Smith’s pickup Wed night. They had everything except the turkey breast😂 Jas & Jude scrambled to Lee’s-only 20 lbs turkeys. Pivoted to ham. Jude, Thad & Jas made scalloped potatoes in the Traegar along w the ham. I made my mom’s rolls, homemade cranberry sauce. Keat made the shrimp cocktail. We had my usual veggie tray, green beans & crackers w Cream cheese & jalapeño jelly. It was perfect & delicious!

2 hours later, T started hurting again😢 He threw up several times. It breaks my heart 

This kid is amazing though. He had a hot shower & was temporarily feeling better. While he was watching a show, the rest of us went hot tubbing. We played games-spoons, Connect 4, Battleship. 

That night in bed, Thad’s stomach was cramping again. I asked how I could help him. If  I could read a story to him or tell some would you rathers. My sweetheart asked if I’d read the scriptures to him. So I did. Ether 12:27-the Lord will make weak things become strong. Thad then said he really liked that scripture. He’s such an example, even in his pain. We ended w some silly Would You Rathers before Jas took the next time. Memorable Thanksgiving indeed. 

Covid 19 positive

Covid has been a nuisance in just about every aspect of our life up to this point without making us sick. Well, that has changed. My perma-headache and missing smell and taste is a good reminder of that. Thad is impacted differently than Jenn and I. He gets nausea at night and he throws up. It’s late now and he’s in the shower again hoping his stomach will stop hurting. I just gave him a blessing. Keat’s stomach was hurting some and he felt the aches and fatigue too. Jude also is impacted in his gut, but for the most part, he’s doing pretty well. Poor baby Ollie!  You can tell his stomach has been really hurting him. He won’t eat or sleep when it does.  That makes for some exhausting nights.  Fortunately he is starting to get long windows of relief now. Jonas is not sick at all. Which isn’t unusual for him. We hope he is at least building antibodies, but a little sickness may do this teenager well.  

When you stop and think about it, it’s a bit surreal. 12 months ago in the Wuhan Province of China some dude got sick from eating a bat he got in a wet market (allegedly). Now, 6700 miles away across the largest ocean on the planet in the little town of Pleasant View, we somehow managed to get that same dudes bat virus.  Looking at this whole cluster through a different lens, it’s really incredible how connected we all are. And to shine more light on the positive, my body just cracked the SARS Covid-19 viral code and I tested positive for antibodies. Looking through that same positive lens, I’m super grateful this virus, although deadly for many, almost universally is not deadly for children.  I’m ok with getting crushed with sickness if my kids get a smaller dose. I cannot even imagine how the parents of the past endured the tragedy of plagues where children were the most vulnerable. Although I wish I had my smell and taste back, I’m really grateful this pandemic behaves how it does. 

Jude 6 years

It’s a big year for Jude-turning 6 & going to Kindergarten! He’s doing so well w reading, becoming a fast bike rider, first time mowing, & finished off his first season of Fall soccer. He’s lightning  fast in the game & starting to connect it all w 3 goals in the last few games!

Ollie 2 months

Oh my! Ollie is 2 months! When he hit 6 weeks, things just clicked-he started to smile much more & laugh to our delight