Pt. 3 - Blue skies are strange, today.

DAY ONE - March 15, 2020

     It's been beautifully sunny today. It reminds me of when people said that the blue skies on 9/11 didn't make sense. I know things haven't gotten to that level of tragic, but there's still a sense of danger looming in our community as people have started dying in our state. It seems odd that the atmosphere looks so cheerful.

     We've been doing a lot of prep today. I've folded a mountain of laundry, put up some St. Patrick's Day decorations for morale, made some lesson plans for the kids, and Matt picked up our last (for now) Instacart order. We've gotten word that schools are officially closed indefinitely. They're going to re-evaluate from week to week, but I'm not sure it'll be safe for a good month or more. I'm okay with that.

     Last night I had a moment - followed by fitful sleep. It just finally dawned on me that I likely won't escape this without knowing someone who is deeply effected. There's so much risk and unknown and it just feels impossible to prepare my heart for what could happen.

     I know I already mentioned this, but my Dad might have it. A co-worker of his traveled back from Germany last week and now he (my Dad) has all the symptoms. Matt traveled in planes earlier this moth and is coughing more everyday. My Grandma spent days in the hospital this week with complications of a (respiratory) illness - who knows if she was exposed, or maybe even had it. She didn't travel, so she wasn't tested. My cousin is a nurse in a hospital and will likely come in contact with it many times over. And there are an unfortunate number of people I know who are acting irresponsibly and saying things like they're "still going to live their lives" and comparing this to the flu. Also, one of the first 3 positives in the county came from Clarence. Clarence residents shop in the same stores we do, and we've taken so many trips lately. Not to mention the kids have been swapping germs in school as usual until Friday. We don't know exactly where it is or how each of us will respond to it, and it stands to reason that with all of the dangerous and fatal results across the globe, it can't go well for every person I know. This feels like one of those "before and after" moments in life.

     It's almost evening, and I'm going to make us a lasagna to feed us for a couple days. Them I'm going to shower and settle in with the family to watch Frozen 2. We decided to try and watch a movie most nights of isolation - hopefully there's a solid 50 movies we have yet to see!