Week Eight, Phase Two

Makenna went to bed Friday night with instructions to wake her when quarantine is over.

Saturday, we spent the morning enjoying the gorgeous weather on the deck until it was time to head over to Erin's condo to wrap up some final projects. The results are beautiful. Sister has style.

She is having the kitchen cabinets resurfaced in the same light grey as the bathroom vanity.

One of two walk-in closets is being used as an office.

She plans to paint the door the same charcoal grey used in the feature wall in the living room.

Saturday evening we pulled the ultimate kid approved clean-up. Because of covid 19, garbage men are unwilling to pick up large trash (insert eye roll here) so we tossed all the old deck boards underneath the new deck. It was a lot like a kid cleaning his room by shoving everything under his bed. And then made smores like responsible adults.

Sunday, my mom visited. It's been four months since we last had her over and so we used Kentucky's mask mandate as an excuse to get together. My sister and parents will be required to wear them but they were unable to purchase any. I have two friends who offered to make them and given Mom's inability to locate a sewing machine or elastic, it was an excellent excuse to spend a gorgeous Sunday together.

Monday the kids had their annual physicals. Kate is now my height but I pointed out I weigh ten pounds more than her so I am still bigger. Miss Sass looked me in the eye and declared she wanted milkshakes for lunch. Other than that, things went really well. Both kids are relatively healthy and are cleared for sports participation should the world ever deem outside activity valuable again. This was huge for Kate, who has been ready to flip and tumble for months.

Kate needed this. Her best friend and her sister visited for the first time with a very literal six feet between them. Please note the tape measure required to appease Grace's mom. It was worth the stipulation.

I had a momentary lapse in judgment. Thank God one of us is essential and able to keep a level head right now. (Level head(ish) based on that puppy comment).

Ty's imagination has taken a strange turn. He has a box with a hole cut out of it and "needs" colorful locks with keys, plastic chains and additional nerf guns that will fit into the box. He has created clues to mate locks with keys and full size deck boards. He has friends on standby for whatever this game is that he has concocted but his mother is reluctant, to say the least. Call me crazy, but I imagine this going all kinds of wrong. Oh! And he really wants electric blue hair. Add that to his schooling on Tuesday completed while standing on a hoverboard and I wonder how challenging traditional school will be for him when he returns.

Makenna and Noah have been enjoying fishing and kayaking the last few weeks. She says she is a fisherwoman. He says she is a city slicker who won't touch bait or fish but she's cute.

Some blessings counted this week include the Curious George soundtrack, video chat with Kindergarten, a walk with a friend from church, 423 "crystals" discovered in the driveway with a hammer and safety glasses, Italian food for Cinco de Mayo because it's a weird year so we are embracing it, chicken in the freezer, no-bake cookies, Layla eating yogurt, tea on the deck, fresh salad, friend receiving chemo after a frightening hiatus, reminder God redeems through brokenness and nothing is a surprise to Him and video chats with Austin.

Greg had a down moment in the warehouse at work so he answered a google duo call from Austin and immediately responded to pleas for Cookie Monster reenactments. Lauren then called me howling because she hadn't realized the time when she let Austin call but loved how Pops didn't care one bit about an audience when it came to making that baby laugh. Have I mentioned we are big fans?

Two hours before dinner time, Layla started begging. Her persistence increased until she literally laid at my feet and rested her head on my shoe, quietly demanding I pay attention to her. A few moments later, I wish I'd been recording her as she sighed deeply and fell over flat as if sitting up had become too much for our dramatic girl.

Greg worked a site near our house so we had a tailgate picnic for lunch with him Thursday. He loves his job and we love a happy dad and husband. God was good mandating this move despite how uncomfortable it felt at the time. Life is often like that, it seems.

On my way to work Friday, I had to stop for a quick photo in my neighborhood. These really are confusing times.