Florida 2021

Just before the world shut down last March, we were busy planning and preparing for our annual Spring Break trip to Florida. Lists were being made, bathing suits were bought, and we were desperately needing our sunshine and beach time. To say that the cancelled trip (due to Covid) was a disappointment was an understatement. So, a year passed by, and we hoped and prayed that our annual trip could be resumed. Thank goodness for science and vaccines!

Our trip started on Friday. We drove part of the way and stopped at a hotel in Nashville for the night. We've learned that traffic through Alabama can be horrendous during Spring Break time, so we thought that breaking up the trip and getting an early start on Saturday would help. Much to our dismay, traffic was still as awful as always...perhaps because every single person in America was heading to Florida for Spring Break?!? We took the traffic jams and used it as an excuse to hit the side roads, which gave me the chance to fulfill a few bucket list items. We stopped in Birmingham and saw the 16th Street Baptist Church. We also headed to the town of Selma and walked the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The discussions it sparked about racial justice were great. The best quote of the day was by Joel when he said that he was going to go back to school and tell his teacher that he walked in the footsteps of Martin Luther King Jr.! We were so thankful for the chance to experience these things with our kids and hope that the memories will last a lifetime for them.

We finally arrived in Florida on Saturday evening and the kids immediately reunited with their favorite Florida pals, Emma and Cole, while we unpacked and got settled in. We made sure to stop unpacking for a bit and headed down to the beach to capture footage of Nyla's first time on the sand and in the ocean. Her love for Florida started at that moment and she definitely enjoyed her first Florida/Spring Break vacation!

We had an absolutely wonderful week with lots of sunshine and warm temps. The younger three loved getting to spend time with Emma and Cole, and we loved getting to hang out with their parents, Jeff and Joanna. There were also lots of memories made with Grandpa, Grandma, and TiTi. Ozzie even got to join us for this trip, and it was nice to have a dog with us to snuggle! The only major downfall of our trip was when Joel earned a trip to urgent care after a bad fall on a skim board. What was originally diagnosed as a break ended up only being a very bad sprain, so he bounced back after a few days and happily enjoyed what was left of our vacation!

All in all, the trip was as amazing as it always is. We truly enjoyed the time together as a family and were so thankful that Nyla got to finally enjoy our annual Florida trip with us!

 

Dear Caleb,

This is it. The teenage years are upon us. As our firstborn, you have always paved the way into uncharted waters. We've gotten a glimpse of the teen years with Nyla, but we didn't go through ALL of the teen years with her. So, here goes nothing! We will start at 13, and by the end, you'll be nearly a grown adult. We hope it doesn't all go as fast as the previous phases, but somehow it probably will. We haven't figured out how to slow time down just yet, so we're buckled up and ready for this wild ride.

Thankfully, this past year has given us somewhat of the slowdown that we always wished for. We have gained back hours and days and weeks of quality time with you that we would've never had if life had continued on at its previous pace. And while there have been a lot of really hard moments we have chosen to hold onto and cherish the good memories. We've watched you take on one challenge after the next with maturity and positivity that amazes us. Your birthday last year was a complete disappointment. Your friend party was cancelled. The lockdown had just begun, so we didn't even get to have Grandpa and Grandma over to celebrate. And, it was still early enough in the pandemic that birthday parades and other unique celebrations weren't even a "thing" yet. When all was said and done, you were totally content with the low key day that it was. A month into the pandemic, we still didn't see any signs of normal life, but you were quite content with the small bubble of friends here on our street. A shift started to occur where you wanted to spend more time with the older kids and less time with the younger. You've been so fortunate to have great role models in kids like Nikko and Nyla. You admire them and they do such a great job of making you feel included and important. Brighton and Ruby were your absolute best buds throughout the entire summer. You three were inseparable and did just about everything together. As parents, we couldn't ask for two better kids to walk with you through this crazy year. You three balance each other out and bring out the best in one another. 

This whole year has taught you a very valuable lesson about friendship and family. You've learned that it isn't the quantity of people you have in your life that matters, but the quality of the people. In turn, you've learned that the quality of your character matters as well. You've watched closely this year to what has happened in this world around you....from the handling of the pandemic to the BLM protests to the presidential debates/election and everything in between. Through it all, we are SO proud of the maturity and compassion that you've displayed. You definitely understand that the characteristics of kindness, grace, and selflessness should be at the core of all that we do. You've lived it out over and over again as you've watched so many others go against those core values. You've learned that you don't have to understand it all, but that you can still do your part to show understanding and love to others.

Naturally, we've hit some major rough patches throughout this tough year. And though it has been super challenging, we've seen you grow so much in your character that it's worth the headache and heartache of it all. It has been hard to adjust to life without tons of friends, sports, activities, and school. You are a child that thrives on routine and predictability. This year has been anything but that! The unknown is hard for you. And, while you've trusted our guidance through so much of this, you've still had a hard time adjusting to life being flipped upside down. Kids at your age are not meant to spend THIS much time without their friends, teachers, coaches, and so on. You're at the age where the influence of others is important. You need space from your parents and you do better when you get advice and counsel from other positive role models. It's all just part of this age. Naturally, that lack of space has led to a lot of head butting and conflict. It hasn't been easy, but it's provided countless opportunities for teachable moments. When the dust settles and the rollercoaster of emotions slows down, we are impressed by your willingness to apologize and own up to whatever wrongs need to be made right. This is a HUGE change that we've seen in you. As a younger child, your stubbornness kept you from ever admitting your wrongs. Oftentimes, it didn't seem to bother you if there was conflict or that you made someone upset. Your ability to show empathy and work through conflicts has grown by leaps and bounds. It's a work in progress, and you have a ways to go, but you've come SO far in the last year. 

It wasn't just the extra time with Dad and Mom that was challenging. Not having school in its normal environment was hard. You shifted between so many modalities of learning this year and still did so well. Doing all of this while entering a phase of school that has its own set of challenges...junior high...is no small feat. Whether remote or in person, you rocked it! You made such an impression right off the bat with your teachers that we heard nothing but positive things at our November conferences. You even got selected as the 7th grade Academic All Star in social studies for the first trimester! Not having sports/activities was also especially tough. You've always loved playing sports and missed being part of a team and having competition. Thankfully, however, we did our best to incorporate that where we could. You've played countless hours of basketball with the neighbors. We dusted off our tennis rackets last fall and you found a new love for that sport. Our summer family fun included a lot of evening volleyball matches right in the back field or at the local sand volleyball courts. You enjoyed that so much that you went out on a limb and tried out for the volleyball team a few weeks ago and made it...all while dealing with the shame of an 8th grade bully who told you during gym class that you were the worst volleyball player ever. You proved him wrong and we were so proud of you for not letting some punk kid keep you down. 

When you weren't spending time with sports, you were likely doing two of your other favorite things...video games or reading. Just to list those three as your favorite pastimes proves how well rounded of a kid you are. We absolutely love that about you! We've never wanted you to be a prodigy in any one area, but well rounded in many....and you certainly do that! It is such a joy to watch you find joy and passion in things. As you continue to grow, we know that those passions and your well rounded character will lead you to do great things. God is growing you into an amazing young man and we are so thankful that He entrusted us to guide you through this life. We will lean on Him through all of the ups and downs of these upcoming teen years and we pray that you will learn to lean on Him as well. We cannot wait to see how His plans for you unfold!

Love,

Dad and Mom

Snow Much Fun

Winter seemed to take forever to get here, but when it did, we were ready for it! Don't get me wrong, we had several months of cold, dreary weather to remind us that winter was here. It was the snow that we waited and waited and waited for. It finally came in February and everyone (including Chief) was thrilled! It felt like we had one snowstorm after the next in February. Just as soon as we had the driveway and sidewalks cleared, Mother Nature dumped another load. It was perfect for sledding, fort building, and (for Caleb) skiing. He was lucky enough to go skiing with our neighbors and learned that he really enjoyed it. By the end of the month, temps started to increase enough to leave us with the sloppy remnants of SO much snow. Chief learned that the leftover slop and mud can be just as fun as the snow itself....until, of course, he landed himself straight in the bathtub!

 

Dear Joel,

Every year that comes and goes is another reminder of the fact that our baby won't be a baby forever. No matter how much we wish for time to slow down, you continue to grow like crazy year after year. Everything grows. From your little hands that aren't so little to your little nose that's covered in more freckles with each passing year. But not just your physical body and mind keep growing. Your personality and heart continue to grow as well. It's bittersweet, but definitely more sweet than bitter.

This year has come with its share of challenges. Most would say that 2020 was the worst year ever. Somehow, you'd probably manage to find only good things to say. But that's you. You're always looking on the bright side...unless, of course, it has to do with an argument involving your brother, but more on that later. When we spent the spring months isolated inside and away from all that we knew as normal, you loved the excuse to stay in your pjs all day and have more time for games, puzzles, and playing. When the weather lifted, and we were able to get outside more, you were the first one out and the last one in. It doesn't matter if it's blazing hot or freezing cold, you love to be outside. If you're not outside to play, you're most certainly out there helping with whatever tasks are being done. You are, without a doubt, Daddy's right hand man. When you blend your curiosity with your genuine desire to be helpful, it manifests into this incredible little shadow that follows Dad around everywhere.

Indeed, you are one of the most curious nine year olds we've ever known. You are ALWAYS asking the how and why questions. Our "Alexa" gets a workout when you're around, because you're always seeking more knowledge. If you had been a kid of the 80s, you would've had the whole encyclopedia read by now! If you're not asking questions, then you're in the thick of figuring it out yourself. You love to tinker and explore. You love to construct and deconstruct. For Christmas, you had a whole wish list, but one of the few gifts you got that wasn't on your list - a microscope from TiTi - was your favorite. Your mind never seems to shut off and neither does your wiggly body. One of the best parts about remote learning was being able to watch from a distance as you participated in school. Your teacher nicknamed you "Grandpa Joel" because you spent most of your day sitting in an old rocking chair moving back and forth all day long. It wasn't a distraction for you though. Your constant movement didn't stop you from staying engaged the entire time. You were always raising your hand, answering questions, and participating. This new way of learning didn't slow you down one bit! At first, we worried that there would be too much downtime and you'd lose focus or forget to check back in after breaks. Yet, after just a week or so into it, you were handling it all on your own. Whether it's school or just hanging out at home, you have the most amazing ability to keep yourself entertained and occupied for hours without needing the attention of anyone else. It's such a gift....especially in a year where we all needed each other to give a little extra space!

If you're not off on your own or following around a parent asking a million questions or lending a helping hand, you are spending time with your built-in friends for life - your siblings. As the baby of the family, you often just tag along with one of the other three. For the most part, you are completely okay with that and you rarely complain about not having much time with kids your own age. Nyla is surely your most favorite sibling. She just gets you and you just get her. There is a special bond between the two of you that is so unique and sweet that our hearts ache at the the thought of her leaving for college next year and leaving you devastated. She jokes about taking you with, and secretly, we think you really wish you could go. Caleb is a close second for favorite siblings, but he is also the one you butt heads with the most. You clearly look up to him and, sadly, he does not recognize how much you admire him. He shows zero mercy to you...whether it's playing sports, playing a game, or just having a conversation. He expects you to be at his level, and when you just can't hack it, things get ugly REAL fast! Usually he talks down to you and you end up in hysterical tears that are just proof that you aren't always cut out to hang with the big kids. That's where Leah usually becomes your shining star. She's always been your safety net...caring for you like you were her own baby from day one. And, when the moments come where you finally leave your brother behind and meander over to Leah's world, you have a blast! It's so sweet to watch you two together, because you pick up right where you left off years ago when you two were an inseparable duo.

No matter who it's with, or what it is you're doing, it's almost always going to be done with great joy and love for life. Your positivity radiates. This year, that's been more important than ever! You are a little piece of sunshine, and you thrive on your ability to bring brightness to those around you. When someone is sad, you instantly reach out to make them happy. When someone is frustrated, you instantly reach out to help. When someone is in need, you instantly reach out to give. Indeed, you might be the littlest one in our family, but you often do the best job of setting the example for how to live. Our hope is that you continue to grow, but never lose sight of the person God created you to be. So many of the qualities we love about you are ones that we saw in you from the very beginning. With each passing year, those amazing qualities grow right along with your little hands and freckled nose. It is an honor to call you our son and we thank God that He trusted us to be your parents. Happy Birthday buddy!

Love,

Dad and Mom

Winter Getaway

For quite a few years now, we've brought back my childhood tradition of going up to Lake Lawn Lodge (now called Lake Lawn Resort) over the MLK Holiday weekend. I have such fond memories of going there as a kid, and now my kids have great memories of being there. Sadly, this year we decided to not go. With Covid still spreading rapidly, we felt that it was safer to not venture to a resort with lots of people and shared spaces. We all accepted the fact that yet another tradition would be put on hold, like so many others this year.

I started to feel extra sad about the skipped trip, and decided to come up with a plan B. After a bit of researching and planning, we settled on taking a trip to Michigan for the weekend. We rented an adorable Airbnb that was nestled right into a little old neighborhood in Muskegon. The goal was just to relax, hang out, and sneak in an afternoon of snow tubing. All went well and according to plan...besides the horrendous pain that Tyler had the night before we left and throughout the whole weekend. He ended up at a quick care, where they weren't able to do much besides suggest that it could be a kidney stone. Regardless, he was able to keep the pain down some (thanks to Motrin) and we ended up having a great weekend. Some highlights were the walk along the frigid lakeshore, decorating a gingerbread house, lots of TV time (football playoffs, Love It or List It, and Hoarders were our most watched shows), yummy food, snow tubing at the Double J resort, and sledding on the awesome hills at Beachwood Park in Muskegon.

It wasn't our usual trip, but we still enjoyed it! We are so thankful to have found some fun and safe alternatives to the trips that were originally planned this year. Though we have definitely missed out on what we were going to do, we are grateful for the chance to experience so many other things that we otherwise would not have done. 

Dear Leah,

After quite a monumental year, the celebration of another birthday comes with the reminder that another year of life with you is truly a gift! When you turned 10 last year, we could've never imagined what the coming year would entail. Life was moving along at its insanely fast speed and you were continuing to grow and change right before our eyes. Sometimes it's hard to remember when you were our crankiest and chubbiest little baby. It's hard to remember when you were our "spirited" toddler or our energetic preschooler. You jumped into being a school-aged kid and we blinked. Suddenly, you were in intermediate school. You were growing, maturing, and changing...sometimes so quickly that we didn't even have a chance to notice it. Then came the infamous 2020. Life slowed down so much that we finally had a chance to pay closer attention to the things that matter the most. Sure, there were a lot of challenges that came with this year, but the biggest blessing was the chance to soak in more time with those we love, especially you!

This year, we watched you give up a lot of what you loved. Tumbling, softball, church, Girl Scouts, friends, and so much more were put on hold. The family road-trip for this year was one that you had been looking forward to for years...Washington DC. School, where you love to learn, but love to socialize even more, was nothing like you'd ever experienced. In true Leah fashion, however, you took it all in stride. You are a glass half-full-kid and find a way to see the positive in everything. Anytime others would find something to complain about, you would add in your two cents and see something to be thankful for. You outwardly expressed your appreciation for the simple things....more family dinners, taking more walks and bike rides, zoom calls with friends or your Girl Scout troop that would last for hours and were filled with constant giggles, revised travel plans like our awesome trip to the Smokey Mountains, and so much more. When so many others have claimed that 2020 was the worst year yet, you labeled many parts of it as the best ever!

And the truth is, you aren't too far off. Thankfully our family hasn't faced any terrible hardships this year. We would venture to say that we've gained more than we've lost. Having more time to watch you grow is a gift we didn't know we needed. We have always known that you are kind hearted to the core, but we've been able to witness countless examples of that this year. You loved going the extra mile to make cards or give gifts to people who were facing struggles. When we got involved with the local Black Lives Matter protest, you asked such deep and thought provoking questions...showing just how much of a passion you have for those living in the margins. When you saw anyone at home reaching their breaking point after days turned into weeks turned into months of living our new normal, you tried to step in and do whatever you could to help. You were the best person in our family at keeping connected to others...thanks mostly to the Messenger Kids app. You were constantly reaching out to friends, Grandma, Nana Pam, and anyone else that you could stay in touch with. And, after months of praying for our loved ones to stay safe and not get Covid, you watched both parents come down with this nasty virus. There was definitely a sense of worry, but you put that aside and became the best helper you could. A hundred times a day, you would walk past our room and ask how we were feeling. When we had to step out of the parental role for a bit, you stepped in...taking charge and keeping your brothers in line like a champ. You've always had motherly instincts, and this was your time to shine!

Indeed, your kindness and positivity are traits that you always had, but have only grown stronger in this year. Those traits have been such a blessing to us and to so many more. When our family was stuck at home on quarantine due to Covid hitting our house, your teachers expressed just how much they missed having you in class. To your teachers and classmates, you're known as a friend to all, a leader, and a hard worker. The example you set for others is one that makes your teachers (and us) proud. Sometimes you just don't see it in yourself, and your confidence is often lacking, but you are amazing. When school plans switched for what felt like the hundredth time, we felt that it was important for you too keep your same teachers, but that meant that your classmates would be changing. You had to be placed into the gifted class, and although your standardized test scores never allowed you to be in those classes, your work ethic has proven otherwise. Your teachers have all expressed their thoughts on how shocked they are that you weren't always in these classes. It is slowly becoming clearer to you that you are capable or more than you think, but more than anything, you're just thrilled to be in class with so many of your closest friends!

For the past 11 years, our lives have been so much better and brighter with you in it. God knew just what he was doing when he placed you in our family. On the day you were born, He probably smiled as He thought ahead to the year 2020, knowing that your greatest qualities would be exactly what our family needed to get through this year. We've always been thankful for the gift of your life, but even more so this year! We cannot wait to see what new adventures will come your way this year. One thing is for sure...you will live each day to the fullest, with more gratitude than most, like you have every single day since the day you were born!

Love,

Dad and Mom

Covid

Well, it wouldn't be right to make it through the year 2020 without some sort of blog post about Covid. The first time I heard about Covid-19 was way back in January. At the time, it was being referred to as Coronavirus and I honestly found it funny that it partially shared a name with a beer. January and February moved along at their normal pace. Our family had its share of sicknesses come and go...normal colds, a nasty 24 hour stomach bug...the usual suspects. March started out like any other March. The hope of another long winter fading away and dreams of an upcoming trip to Florida for our annual spring break getaway were the main focus. Then, suddenly, everything changed.

The end of March, all of April, and most of May were lived with great amounts of confusion, isolation, and uncertainty. We managed to find a groove with our new normal and learned to find joy in the simplicity of life at home with the six of us here ALL.THE.TIME!

Summer came and went. We tried to keep it as normal as possible. Trips to the lake were a reminder that not everything in the world was different. Longer days at home reminded us of the fact that we are so thankful for our pool, wonderful neighbors, and small amounts of friends that helped keep our "bubble" small and safe.

School started with great amounts of chaos. Choosing between in-person learning and the remote learning option felt like a no-win situation. We went with in-person only to experience a last minute switch to remote learning for all kids. The fear of a repeat of Spring's horrendous e-learning was real. However, we were blown away by how phenomenal our teachers did with implementing a remote learning option that was as good as it possibly could be. We found a new groove and began to enjoy yet another new normal in 2020. 

A few weeks into remote learning, the talks began about how and when they would finally be able to get kids back into school. Mid-October became the goal, and on October 13, all four of our kids were back to school (at the high school, Nyla started a couple weeks prior). There were so many changes to what school used to be like, but 2020 has made children more resilient than ever and the kids handled the changes like champs. It was amazing to think that kids could wear masks all day at school, and yet there are grown adults who refuse to wear them for a 30 minute trip to the grocery store!

All seemed well until just a few days into it. I got a call around 11:00 on Monday morning. After only four days of being back at school, Joel was being sent home to quarantine due to an exposure at school. It turned out that his whole class was considered exposed because his teacher was the unlucky one that had gotten sick. Joel was expected to go back to remote learning with his class. Unfortunately, this time his remote learning was being provided by a substitute while his teacher was home recovering. It wasn't ideal, but it was better than nothing. Like I said, these kids have learned to be insanely resilient in 2020!

Our family took the necessary precautions. Nobody came into our house besides the six who live here. Joel didn't interact with anyone besides the people in our immediate family. Our safe, seemingly secure little bubble shrunk back to the small size it was last spring. As we have always said, we wanted to do our part to make sure we didn't spread Covid. Just in case Joel was an asymptomatic spreader, we wanted to be careful. Doctors didn't recommend for him to be tested if he didn't show symptoms, so we just kept an eye on him and kept our circle small. We could handle 14 days of this if it meant keeping others safe.

About a week after Joel was sent home to quarantine, Tyler started to show some mild symptoms. However, they were so mild that we didn't even pay close attention to them. It wasn't until Wednesday, the 28th, when he woke up feeling quite sick, that we finally put the pieces together. Tyler was lucky enough to get into a testing facility (after nearly five hours of waiting) and by 3:00 that afternoon, we found out that he was positive for Covid. Aside from the initial panicked feelings that come with recognizing that this awful virus is now hitting this close to home, there was now a logistical nightmare to tackle.

I immediately called the schools and had to arrange for the kids to all be home for the next two weeks. We had to try to think back on anyone we had interacted with in recent days, and needed to do the right thing and let them know that they were potentially exposed. The silver lining with that is the fact that we had majorly scaled back our circle due to Joel's exposure and Tyler had also spent the past few days working from home. There were tons of calls made to doctors, health departments, testing facilities, and school nurses. All of which were a desperate attempt at getting enough information to decide how to handle the situation in the safest way. Unfortunately, every expert had different advice. Nobody seemed to know the right answer. Do we get everyone tested in our house? If so, when? And where? And what type of test? And how much will that cost (have I ever mentioned how much I loathe phone calls with insurance people)? And when can my kids go back to school? And how will they learn over the next two weeks? Oh wait, there's no option for remote learning when I child is home on quarantine? Unless, of course, they are in junior high, where the superhero teachers are livestreaming their classes all day. What about the other kids? I was thrusted into single parenting and was caring (from a distance) for a sick husband who was going downhill FAST. I moved myself out of our room and shut the door behind me....praying that he would be okay. I couldn't afford to get sick as well. Thank God I'm "only a stay-at-home-mom" and didn't have to also deal with my own work/career obligations.

I don't know if it was the rather hectic and stressful Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday....or if it was the fact that I share a bed with a person who was coughing all night on Tuesday (just hours before testing positive for Covid)...or a combination of the two, but on Saturday morning, I woke up knowing that it was my turn to go down with the ship. My headache was brutal, I was achy everywhere, and simply walking up the stairs left me exhausted. It was, however, October 31, and my mama heart wanted to make the most of a disappointing, cancelled Halloween. We were going to carve pumpkins, make cupcakes, play games, and enjoy our quarantined Halloween. I tried my best, but by noon, I was laying in my makeshift bedroom (the basement futon) and couldn't even make it upstairs to check in on Tyler (who, by the way, was doing WAY worse by this point). I was torn between just going upstairs and joining him, or hanging onto the hope that this was just a fluke and I'd be fine the next day. Needless to say, I needed to get tested. And that is easier said than done. I was lucky enough to get a reserved testing slot the following day, so I drove my weak and feverish self 30 minutes to the one testing facility that I could get into. I was positive.

I drove home, walked in with my mask on and faced the harsh reality that I wouldn't be hugging or interacting with my kids for the next ten days. I was heartbroken and anxious. How on earth could two parents isolate themselves in a house with four kids and a dog that need to be cared for? Under any normal circumstances, we would LOVE an excuse to check out of the parenting game for a couple weeks and spend time with just the two of us. This, however, was anything but normal. I immediately packed up my makeshift room and headed back upstairs. Though sick, weak, and battling the worst headache of my life, I mustered up the strength to do as much disinfecting and cleaning as I could. I felt terrible knowing that I had been walking around exposing the kids for well over 24 hours before I tested positive.

I finally made it to our room and closed the door behind me. Our angel of a teenager assured me that she had things under control, but I still felt awful leaving her with that burden. She took on this nightmare like a champ, and the simple joy of hearing my four kids laughing downstairs was enough to brighten the darkest moments of our struggles with this nasty virus. Added to that joy was the blessing of so many friends who brought meals or sent texts on a daily basis to check in. My mom and sister were saints for making grocery runs and leaving things on the front porch for us. There was so much goodness amidst the endless days of feeling awful. Thankfully, my battle was much easier than Tyler's. I had about four days of a low, but relentless fever. I had the most excruciating headache and back pain that I've ever experienced and I was EXHAUSTED. I also had a loss of taste, which was so odd, but completely normal with this virus. Tyler seemed to be on an endless rollercoaster. At some points, he seemed to be on the mend, but at other points, I felt like we were minutes away from going to the hospital. After almost a week, he ended up with what appeared to be a secondary infection (possibly an ear infection). Once he got meds for that, he seemed to slowly bounce back and get on the path to healing completely.

The entire experience was one that I do not wish upon anyone. Aside from the obvious part....being super sick....there was so much more that had to be dealt with. Like I said, I'm incredibly thankful for the blessing of so many people that we could rely on to get us through. We were able to focus on getting better and (we think) were able to keep anyone else from getting it. Tyler and I did come out of our "isolation" periodically to get food, throw some laundry in, explain a math problem or check a piece of writing (from a distance), etc., etc.....but, for the most part, we made sure we were keeping as far from our kids as possible. The last thing we would've wanted was for us to be left caring for a sick kid while feeling sick ourselves. We also wanted to do whatever we could to avoid adding more days onto what already felt like endless weeks of quarantining! By the time we were finally all in the clear, it felt so good to just hug our kids, sit down and eat a meal together, and even to be the mediator of a sibling squabble!