Day 90 in 2020 (day 14 of isolation)

That's two full weeks of isolation, though now I realize my math is off because it was actually two weeks as of Saturday. But who's counting?

Today begins our school district's scheduled spring break, which even for Calvin means a significantly lightened work load. We'll be spending the week practicing geography drawings, taking daily art classes live online, practicing dance to the videos sent by his teachers, and attending virtual choir. In all the extra free time there will be some reading, some getting outside with the dog, and some playing Animal Crossing. It's a week for being gentle with ourselves. 

Pictured here—sitting down to our live art class online only to be interrupted. Can't blame this on the pandemic, this is what homeschooling parents face on a regular basis.

Day 76 in 2020

In times of trouble...remind oneself of all there is to be thankful for. We are all home, Jon can continue working from here, and modern technology allows him to continue all aspects of his job, including teaching, from here, where we are safe and where we are helping others be safe, for the foreseeable future.

That being said...We. Are. All. Home. Eek.

Health professionals recommend maintaining some semblance of routine in the face of hardship, and we struggled a little to do that today. Sleeping in was too enticing, and without external time pressures, everything we did seemed to get later and later in the day compared to our usual. I've actually made out a schedule to see if we can get back on track tomorrow, but there is at least one thing we did right today. We enjoyed ourselves. That extra time we took for everything was enjoyed. And I got back something I've been missing for years—our full at-home homeschool day. 

Something else we did right today? We discovered our community. It wasn't long after the schools closed that neighbors invited us to join a facebook group aimed at connecting those with needs with those who could help. And even beyond needs, the group has risen to the challenge of connecting people while maintaining careful social distance, from community chats, to puzzle and game exchanges in boxes at the end of people's driveways, to happy birthday messages sent to kids now isolated at home, it is truly warming to see how we help each other, both physically and emotionally.

And that kind of assistance isn't limited to local community, either. Our homeschooling community has reached out with resources, suggestions, and support for parents who are newly finding themselves in shoes we've filled for years. And so many organizations once dependent on crowds are now turning to social media to fill the hole left by closed classrooms. Today Calvin and I tuned into an art lesson provided via facebook live, where we learned not only how to draw faces, but also how to learn along with thousands of people all across the country, not to mention some of our own friends right here in town. 

Distance learning, distance friendship, these are the key words (and lessons) of 2020 so far.

Day 56 in 2020

Day 37 in 2020

Day 301 in 2019