Allen Wears the Crown of Iris

Allen tested positive for COVID-19 on Mollie's 13th birthday.  Dun dun DUN.

On one of our walks around the silica loop during Allen's quarantine

In my previous post, I wrote about how we called off our Halloween Party as soon as Allen knew he was sick.  It was a bummer, but we'll just have to make it bigger and better for next year!

I realized, during the week Allen was home from work, that I am a silver-linings kind of gal.  I was supposed to work the election, I was scheduled to substitute teach one day, and substitute in the high school library another day.  Since I quarantined with Allen, we were out about $300 for the week.  I also missed book club, (my favorite night of the month) and a friend's baby shower (a favorite friend from the aforementioned favorite night of the month).

But my thoughts of what I was missing were pretty fleeting . . . because Allen and I HAD THE BEST TIME TOGETHER.  He was pretty sick for two days, kind of sick for the next two days, and then 100% recovered.  But he still got paid for staying home from work for eleven straight days.  And they weren't just any eleven days: they were the most glorious Fall days I have ever seen: sunny, windless, blue-sky days with temperatures in the 60s.  We went walking every day, ate all three meals together, and played games and read books with Mollie and Calvin (who were also quarantining).  Allen finished framing the greenhouse, rewired our outside light pole so we can switch it on and off and added an outlet there (eeeeeee!), wired his garage TV to the Internet, and winterized the camper.  I cleaned and organized the whole garage, cleaned and organized Mollie's whole room, got rid of tons of stuff, and tried out new recipes I have been eying forever (pumpkin crepes, roast leg of lamb, and nutty-butter cookies). 

Calvin loved being home . . . but not doing homework

On the new silica loop bridge!  Yay!

Home-Improvement Hottie.

Liza Minnelli hatched all six of her eggs on Election Day!

My own chicks are pretty sweet.  I quickly snapped this picture
from where I was reading, too, because I couldn't stand it. 

I debated whether to write about this experience, because COVID-19 is not a holiday.  We have lost three members of our community to this virus so far, all people I know.  The Utah governor just declared a state of emergency this week, because hospitals are getting critically full . . . and Idaho has been following Utah's trend, a few weeks behind.  I don't want to or intend to be insensitive about the very real, often serious fallout from this global pandemic.  

Our family has been impacted financially, as well.  Back in March, when everything shut down, I no longer took care of Jacob after school, which was about $500 of income a month.  I also stopped substitute teaching: another $250 per month.  Having all four kids home from March-May really blew up our regular grocery budget . . . I think we were all eating for two in those early pandemic stages.

But even then, I was looking at silver linings.  We played so many board games together, we did crafts and went on hikes and talked more.  Truman decided to postpone his mission, so we got more time to spend with him.  We did family projects and went on family drives and had church together in our home every week.  It wasn't always a barrel of laughs . . . but maybe at least firkin of guffaws?

It's okay to appreciate the good that comes out of a bad situation.  It doesn't mean you wear rose-colored glasses, and ignore suffering and hardship around you.  But it also doesn't mean that your other kind of glasses are half-empty.  I choose to see them half-full!

In Bishop W. Christopher Waddell's recent conference talk "There Was Bread," he says:

"Jobs have been lost and incomes reduced as the opportunity to work has been affected by layoffs, and the ability to work has been impacted by health and legal challenges . . . We express understanding and concern for your situation, as well as a firm conviction that better days are ahead . . . The Lord does not expect us to do more than we can do, but He does expect us to do what we can do, when we can do it." (October, 2020)

I think one of the most important things I can do is look for those positives, accept blessings in whatever unlikely way they come, and prepare for the future with hope.

Some of the greatest blessings that have come during this whole year are more opportunities to serve others, and more opportunities to be served.  Brenda picked up some groceries for me, Julie dropped off some banana bread and Sprite, with a thoughtful note that said "Sprite was the only thing that tasted good to us when we had corona!" Melissa gave a a half-dozen delicious cinnamon rolls (most of which I ate myself). Susy delivered the most scrumptious homemade coffee cake.  So many people called and texted and offered help.  

The most touching service came from Georgia, who was in the middle of losing her dad to his long fight with multiple sclerosis.  She dropped off a mosquito repellant cocktail Diet Coke from Maverik, knowing I couldn't go there myself.  Crystalized lime is not a flavor I ever want to taste again . . . but my love for Georgia was forever crystalized by her thoughtful, simple act of kindness.  

Thanks to our wonderful neighbor Gloria Erickson, for giving
Mollie and Calvin some amaryllis bulbs and other goodies!
She didn't even know we were in quarantine!

It wasn't hard to enjoy my time with Allen, while he wore the crown of Iris (I wrote back in March about how Siri spelled "coronavirus" the first time I spoke that word into my phone).  He is my best friend, and I feel like a week at home together is the thing that we both want, more than anything.  Thankfully his case was so mild, and thankfully the rest of us were probably asymptomatic (*see below).  I am grateful in my prayers every night that he has such a good job--he worked without benefits for eight years, and I don't think I will ever stop appreciating the difference we have felt in the last four years, as full-fledged employees.  

Evening sunset walk to the reservoir

I only hope I can be as "quick to observe" silver linings when other hardships come, as they surely will.  I have learned that it is wrong of me to think "first hardship, then blessings" is how it always works.  Not every time, but almost every time, the blessings are there, right alongside the hardships--if I have eyes humble enough to see them.  

You know what?  Maybe it is actually every time.

* * * * * * * * * *

*Here are some interesting facts about flu vaccinations, compiled by the Center for Disease Control.  I was looking for a connection between getting a regular flu shot and reducing coronavirus symptoms: both are viral diseases that are transmitted in the same ways.  Only Allen and Truman tested positive for COVID-19, and they are also the only ones in our family who had not gotten a flu shot already.  I thought that was telling, but from everything I've read, it's probably just a coincidence (especially since none of the rest of got tested).  In the meantime, here is what the CDC recommends for this winter:

"It’s likely that flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 will both spread this fall and winter. Healthcare systems could be overwhelmed treating both patients with flu and patients with COVID-19. This means getting a flu vaccine during 2020-2021 is more important than ever.

"While getting a flu vaccine will not protect against COVID-19, there are many important benefits, such as:

"Flu vaccines have been shown to reduce the risk of flu illness, hospitalization, and death.

"Getting a flu vaccine can also save healthcare resources for the care of patients with COVID-19."