The Weird Quiet

Doesn't it seem like this panic is a weirdly quiet panic? 

We go out to get food or go to the park, and there are lots of people around, but they are all far apart from one another and just sort of quietly talking. I wish there was at least some loud music playing somewhere. Loud music is socially distant. Why is no one playing loud music?!

We had an ice cream picnic at Lady Bird Johnson Park. 

The playground was taped off, but there are a lot of beautiful grassy areas with trees and a little stream running down one side. 

The boys ran around. The girls walked and sat. I read a book and listened to a podcast and followed the stream until it left the park. I think it's part of Salado Creek Greenway. I've been wanting to bike that trail; we'll see if I get a chance this summer. 

Jonathan got in some driving practice and drove to see a couple of friends. He took a picture of their home and texted it to them. We got to wave to them from the window. Anything to go somewhere!

Liz can make a mean Whipped Coffee. 

It's very sweet so I don't think I'd choose it every day as a drink, but I sure enjoyed having the one she made for me. She and a friend also figured out how to make homemade Boba Tea. With the little tapioca balls and everything! Good going, girls. They've been exercising and learning piano and doing all kinds of good things to keep busy. 

So much toilet paper when I did my weekly shopping trip on Friday! It's not our usual brand and your purchase was limited to one, but there were no cops around this time and everyone was being calm in the store. The airport-sounding PSA's that interrupt the music weird me out a little. They now limit the number of people who can be in the store at a time, and they had a line for the eggs, and I could only get French style green beans instead of Cut green beans. Just a little shopping weirdness. Not earth shatteringly awful. 

Phillip and I have been going through drive through's for our date nights. If it's not rainy, we sit on the tailgate of the truck. That's fun. I prefer that to eating inside almost. It would be really fun to have other people around who are also tailgating, but there just aren't many people out. Come on, Texans! Tailgate already! And play your music loud!

We did an Art Contest for the kids to give them something to do besides be on their phone or fuss at each other. Harrison broke down on the last set we did. I said this was just a fun, lighthearted thing. He said we should call it something else then, instead of Art Contest. Something like Fun Drawing Art Thingy. So I guess that's what we did. A Fun Drawing Art Thingy.

The first set was to draw a llama surfing. Jon won first place for "Most Serene Scene."

The second set was to draw a food eating another food. Harrison won first place for "Most Expressive Pizza and Bacon" (and then he told me it was a hot dog; oops).

The third set was to draw a crayon crying. Phoebe won first place for "Most Completed Crayon" (Harrison had erased his and started crying and Jon was annoyed and said he was done). 

Anyway, some laughs, some tears, and some drawings for the fridge. 

For church today we went to our church's Drive-In service. You listen to the songs and sermon through the radio and take communion that you brought yourself. Short and sweet, and we're really glad they are doing what they can to keep church going during lock-down. It was good to see people from church, but it was a little sad too! You didn't get to talk to people. I mean, we did say hi through our window.  But it was the Weird Quiet again.

 I'm so grateful for the kids being at home. I'm thankful for the phone and internet. I'm loving podcasts right now. Nature is awesome ~ it's free and social-distancing friendly. 

I can't wait for public exuberance to return.

Covid-19 - Living History

The virus itself may not be unprecedented (hello, Spanish Flu), but the reaction to it around the world has indeed been unprecedented, certainly in recent history. And as Sonya said over at Simply Charlotte Mason, "You are living history right now." 

So the kids have put Covid-19 on their timelines and Book of Centuries, and I am leaving our family's little footprint on the blog, and the kids will have their memories to tell their kids and grandkids. 

What strange times. 

It seems like a crisis is happening because of everything that's shut down, but when you go out and about and talk to people, it's a very calm crisis. I have to say I've talked to more people in town than I've ever normally talked to. People are out on walks and out in their front yards or waiting in line with you at the grocery store. I'm finding it quite friendly and enjoyable. No one has sneezed or coughed on me yet. :-) 

Watching the church service from home. 

Alec and Martha came over today to watch with us. We had lunch together and played some games. Fun times.

I found a Pinterestey idea to try. 

Liz taped it up and Harrison and I chalked it in with our nubs of whatever school chalk we could find. 

These cuties were playing a game of telephone and were laughing it up so loud! They can be quite hilarious when they aren't fighting with each other. 

I got to HEB 15 minutes before they opened on my normal shopping day, and there were probably 75 people in front of me. 

But I still got in the store in time to get 1 package of TP! 

There was a policeman guarding it. I still don't understand why the run on paper products. 

I got everything I had on my list as long as I didn't mind different brands from my usual. 

Not too shabby. 

The food from the school lunches that my neighbor kids don't like makes it to my house. 

So we have a TON of fruits and vegetables. 

Liz is an experienced Juice Bar Maid (from working at Avocado Cafe), and she graciously made us juices with the bounty. The Sweet and Spicy was my favorite. It has some cayenne pepper that gives it a lovely zing. 

A good wind for kite-flying.

The new routine adds a little stress to the week, but we made it through last week and with God's gracious help, we will make it through this one coming up. It's not super hard; it's mostly annoying in spots. But God gives us help when we ask, even if it is just for small annoying things. As a matter of fact, dealing with small annoying things with the patience and kindness and joy that a Christian should practice is what prepares you for the "big" crises that come. So, we are thanking God for this practice in a time of Covid and pray that you may "bear fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God."

"Love in the Time of Corona"

You will be the hero of this story if you supply us with TP!

Just kidding. Another neighbor has our backs. I suppose I could get up early and stand in line at a grocery store, but that is not a guarantee. Thank you, Lord, for kind neighbors.

We have been able to find everything else or close equivalents. I didn't find pork tenderloin, so we are going to try Pork Neck. I'm kind of excited! We get to try new things! 

Liz is on a baking kick, being stuck at home. She is a go-er but a lot of her plans have been cancelled (by the way, it can be spelt 'canceled' or 'cancelled.' I've noticed most Americans have been spelling it with one 'l,' but I tend to spell it with two. Two 'll's' is the British way, and I guess I've read a lot of AA Milne and CS Lewis. And Charlotte Mason.)

But I told Liz that she would need to limit the baked goods to boring, practical stuff. The croissants and pastries take too much butter and egg!

Liz Photography?

Our Pathos plant is really flourishing. 

I'm not sure who took this picture, but it's in Photos and it's pretty. 

We went to the mall to get out of the house and three stores were open and we saw ten people. It was a little freaky. But they have this new fun area in the hall.

Pandemic! The perfect board game for this weird time.

And in a time of quarantine, Liz still gets out. 

She found this old church in town and got some cool pictures with her friend. 

Spring Break 2020

Despite Coronavirus scares, we have had a wonderful Spring Break. 

Our church met today with lots of changes and at least half of the congregation staying home. I have not been able to find toilet paper. I usually buy in bulk, and we were at the end of the last purchase; but my neighbor is a major coupon-er, and she sold me some for normal price. We have all the other stuff that's been sold out, so hopefully the panic will settle down and TP will show up in stores again soon.

The schools around here are cancelled for a week (including our co-op), but we are going to keep homeschooling. We've got to do something to keep these kids busy around here!

Spring Break Roller Skating. 

Not terribly crowded and Harrison went out there by himself this time. 

Walking around Gruene, TX.

Okay, so I think Phoebe and I were the ones to enjoy this one the most. 

She had been wanting to go back to Gruene and spend time browsing the shops. It is really a beautiful place. We shared a plate of nachos, walked all around the touristy area, and went into a Lot of little shops.  

Phillip caught this picture of H and some of the neighbors. 

The boy to Harrison's left is a good friend of his. H told me the other day that the boy had a big imagination. He said, "I would like to have his imagination. Like, not what he imagines, but how big his imagination is." :-) They were drawing pictures the other day. Both drawing pictures of futuristic wars, and flags with Swastika-like symbols, and monsters and bombs. 

Phillip and I needed a picture for a homeschool bundle Flexible Homeschool App will be a part of. Liz is our go-to for pictures these days!

And lastly, Harrison entered a short story contest and won third prize! 

They'll be getting his picture and bio up soon, but you can find his story at Kids World Fun or read it here. We had been reading a lot about Fables, and he loves the ocean; his story is titled "The Crab and the Seashells."

Good work, Harrison!

Visiting a Neighborhood Church and Saturday Mornings

We also visited this park in Converse this afternoon. 

There are swans living on this little lake. Lots of fishermen out and about. Harrison is dying to go to the beach, but this lake gave him a little taste of the beach. It was very windy and it smelled like the beach, so it satisfied him a little. We walked all the way around the lake too, which satisfied me. Something about a little accomplishment like that makes me happy. We had to find a place to jump the creek leading to the lake, but we eventually did.

And because of the time change (lose an hour), we decided to go to a church close to home so we wouldn't have to get up early. We've been watching them build their new building as we drive by, so I've been wanting to visit and see it anyway. It's called Agape Christian Church, and boy, was it fun! 

This was a different experience for us, and I'm so glad we went. The people were very expressive, emotive, and interactive. It was communion Sunday (maybe they do it every Sunday, I'm not sure), and they passed out little pre-packaged cups of juice with a cracker sealed in on top. So your own little disposable communion set. They took communion toward the beginning of the service and spent some time talking about Jesus' death and resurrection and it being of First Importance. We sang two songs, but they took their time singing them. They had a small brass section as part of their instrument get-up. One of the songs was a calypso-type song, and it was just a lot of fun. Movement was encouraged. We are very stiff Mid-Western white folk, so it's hard to get us to move very much, but I enjoyed watching the congregation as they enjoyed the song. 

The greeting time was 3 minutes and they had visitors stand up right before greeting time so that members would come say hello. There were more visitors than I expected. This could have been awkward, but everyone was so friendly and outgoing that the time went by quickly. One lady asked if she could pray for me about anything and then she prayed over me. Everyone was talking around us and I could see several other groups praying, so it all flowed naturally.

Then we went into the sermon; but, as Liz said, a person could show up at any point in the service and get a good sermon. There was quite a bit of sharing from the stage, what with communion time and worship leaders and what-not. At some point the preacher or someone had said that their service goes for an hour and a half max. Well, we were out of there after two hours. :-) 

The sermon was very good. He quoted Scripture quite often and naturally, some of it was planned as evidenced by the slides on the screen, but a lot of it just came out as he was speaking. It was on the Woman at the Well and how we need to repent of our sin and share our story. He was not afraid to call out sins, and he called out the perfectionists who act like they have it all together (those are my toes he was steppin' on). 

After participating in this congregation, I have to say I understand some of the kids in my neighborhood a lot better. Also the kids I worked with at a mission in inner city St. Louis who I was so frustrated with when I was in college. Here in San Antonio, we've been to an hispanic service, a liturgical service and now a predominantly black service, and it is so enlightening and encouraging to worship with believers who do it differently than you do. I wish Agape CC all the best as they minister in our neighborhood.

And this is our house most Saturday mornings. Computer time, sometimes with friends, sometimes just siblings.  When I was a kid, we would go to a neighbor's house sometimes and watch Saturday morning cartoons. We never had a TV ourselves, but if we were around one, we were glued! Good memories though, of junk cereal and cartoons.

Harrison has been reading a lot more. He's working his way through the Penderwick series, my complete set of Calvin and Hobbes, and he just started a book I enjoyed as a kid: A Dog Called Kitty. He loves stories. He says he might want to write when he gets older. 

Beauty in February

Harrison is outside with friends, Liz is out, Phoebe is working on a sewing project, Jon is at driver's ed, Phillip is working on the homeschool app, and I'm cozying up to the computer with a cup of hot mint tea beside me. 

It is a beautiful day in February.

February is a hard month for homeschoolers ~ for all teachers, I imagine. The after-holiday let-down has set in. It's cold. Someone is usually sick. And you just have to keep going with school. We do have spring break coming up in two weeks, but the new school term and new projects from co-op and new math concepts just keep bombarding us! February feels like it won't let up.

BUT! We are almost to March. And truly, time is moving all too quickly. Liz will have her graduation party in just a few months, and I haven't really started preparing for it. 

Deep cleansing breath.

It's a beautiful day in February. 

These are some of the books I've been reading. I love the time in the evening. I get ready and get in bed around 9 pm and spend time relaxing and reading. The kids pass in and out to say goodnight, to tell me about the story they just listened to, to have a little conversation. Bedtime is one of the joys of my life right now. 

I'm doing the 20 in 2020 reading challenge. The Susanna Wesley book is my chosen Biography and the top book, The African Triology, is my Non-Western Book.  I meet with a group of homeschool moms and go through selections of The Great Tradition, so that one is an on-going read.

Liz took senior pictures for a friend of hers, and I absolutely loved the creativity in this one. 

I found this blog periodical last night. I'm loving it. It's part of the beauty of this February. Seasonally they present things of truth, beauty and goodness that employ most of your senses. I'm listening to their Winter playlist right now. They have a delightful looking Winter Berry Cobbler recipe. Gorgeous photography. Many articles and resources to read coming from many different minds. The founder loves CS Lewis, Tolkien and George MacDonald, so she is a kindred spirit. 

If you need a winter pick-me-up, go on over to Cultivate. 

Planetarium and Tanglewood Camp

We went to the late night show at Scobee Planetarium last night. The show was a Mission to Mars ~ a very insightful look at the hazards and possibilities that the actual Mars journey could encounter in a few years. It's crazy to think that we could actually go to Mars. But we went to the Moon; that was crazy at the time too. We all decided we definitely are not cut out to be explorers of this kind. But I can't wait to find out what they discover. 

After the show they let us look through the telescope on the observation deck. It was trained on the nebulae in Orion. And the Club on the ground floor let us look through their telescopes, one of which was focused on the moon. They took a picture with my phone, and it is so awesome looking! 

A few weeks ago, the older kids all went to Mid-Winter Camp at Tanglewood. It was just Harrison at home with us for the weekend. He loved it. Although you come to realize how much the older kids entertain him. When they aren't around, he is right there beside you every step of the way. At least at 9 years old, he is. 

Phoebe on the camp swings.

I finished! Now to figure out what to do with it.  What to do, what to do?

Harrison enjoying Calvin and Hobbes. 

He's really loving them ~ makes me happy. I enjoyed them so much as a kid.