Social Distancing

I don't know about you, but it's been a crazy week in the Vance household!

I had been been mildly following the Corona virus news as it swept through Asia, but when Walt Disney World said it was going to close down, I knew things were serious. Thankfully I was able to take my regular shopping trip a week ahead of schedule on friday the 13th, and after a bonfire (to say goodbye to Thomas's hospital coworkers) we've been under self-quarantine at the Vance house. 

Thomas was supposed to start his new job on Monday the 16th by flying off to Milwaukee for an intense week of training, but instead the company decided to do virtual training. It makes details a bit more difficult, but Thomas was able to stay home with us almost all week! AND he still has a job, which is a huge blessing. 

For the most part, our lives are very much the same as they were before Covid-19 disrupted the US. We're still homeschooling, but are taking advantage of all the extra supplements
 that companies are putting out to help with all the other homeschoolers out there. Meggy was very excited when I told her that almost every other kid in America is also homeschooling right now!

The biggest difference is that Thomas gets to spent the mornings with us (he's on central time during training) and that we're not going out at ALL. I'm a pretty big homebody, but I've been surprised at how often we left the house, whether it was for groceries or appointments or something else. 

Something we're doing a LOT of right now is art. Everything from drawing tutorials to story prompts, and just letting imagination flow! Meggy has illustrated 7 books (which she binds together with a glue stick) and made sweet little crafts like the frame on the family picture below. The popcorn was a drawing tutorial of a popcorn box, but she added the faces all on her own!

Of course we are spending as much time outside as possible, but it is March in Virginia, which means lots of wind and rain! We've had a few nice days though, where the kids go out in the rainboots so they don't get too muddy. Thomas also been building a lot of bonfires, burning up all the little trees we cut down last year. Meggy and Wren were excited to roast marshmallows and so was I, until I realized that neither of them like toasted marshmallows. If there is any sort of brown on it, they won't eat it! So now they just have regular marshmallows for dessert, and we enjoy the bonfires without roasting anything. 

The girls really want to be able to help - one of the first things Meggy did when I explained to her about the Corona virus was "How can we help people?" I told her that staying home is the very best way our family can help right now... and also keeping things clean! I made up a little vinegar/hydrogen peroxide cleaner for them to use, and they've been wiping down the doorknobs and light switches for me!

Things are so very unknown right now - we have no idea if our house will sell in this environment, or if Thomas will be able to travel for work, and our spring/summer looks very different than what we had planned. But we just keep trusting and praying and enjoying this gift of time we've been given.