Quick! Someone Go Paint Your Garage Door Black!

I did a great job yesterday of staying out of the pollen.  A great job I tell ya.  The girls went outside, and I really wanted to go out with them, but I refrained,  I really wanted to go out, but I exhibited self control.  Plus, I did not want a repeat performance of my headache from the night before.

My Prince saw that someone had posted a scavenger hunt list online, and he thought it would be fun if we took the challenge and did the scavenger hunt as a family after the Young Prince got home from work.

Now that I had everything I needed, we had our fried chicken dinner, along with green beans, shells and cheese and rolls. It was very good, even if a day later than we had planned.

Just as we finished dinner, My Prince received a phone call.  The kids and I washed the dishes and cleaned the kitchen, while My Prince was on the phone talking about the churchy things.  We finished, and hovered around while he was finishing up his call so we could head out on our great quarantine scavenger hunt adventure.  We were on the front porch, and I couldn't help but pull a few more weeds from the flower bed.  What was I thinking?!?  Evidently I was NOT thinking.

My favorite niece called the Oldest Princess while My Prince was still talking churchy things, and we talked and then face timed with her for a while.  Meanwhile My Prince finished his call and was waiting on us.  When we finished the call, we all (including Pup) loaded up into the car.  We rolled the windows down and headed off...Here's how the first 30 seconds or so went...

OP: I've already found a house with three cars in the driveway.  It is Mrs. A's house.  (across the street from us).

YP:  I found a dog!  Pup! 

MP:  No it can't be our own dog.

Me:  There's a dog!  No wait, that is a cat!  Is that a cat or a dog?

MP:  It's a dog.  Or we can just pretend it's a dog.  Look there's a house with a small Christmas tree in the window.  That could pass as a plant right?  Sure it can!

Me:  (Wondering why there was a small Christmas tree in the window of that house) You can't just change all the rules like that or we will be done before we make the block!

Oh the fun!  Anyway, we slowed down and took it a little more seriously after that.  We stopped and talked out the window to several folks we knew and waved at those we didn't.  The Young Prince taught us how to play a new game called, "Hey Cow!"  And we surprised a church member who was on her porch talking on her phone at about dark.  After our last conversation, the Young Prince asked if we could go home because his allergies were going crazy.  We were done and ready to head home anyway.  

About the time we got  home, whatever was getting to the Young Prince attacked me with a vengeance.  We were trying to watch and movie, and I could not even watch it for sneezing my head off.  So I gave in and took a Zyrtec and a shower and headed for bed.  Still sneezing.  The Youngest Princess brought me a Benadryl, and that along with the Zyrtec I had already taken, finally seemed to help some.  The Young Prince was in the same boat I was in.  It is misery folks.  Pure misery.  Teach us to ride around in the spring with our windows down!  

Which brings me back to our scavenger hunt...There were three things we did not find.  Christmas lights, a recycle bin, and a house with a black garage door.  And I really hate to leave things unfinished.  So if you hang up your Christmas lights, buy or put out a recycle bin and paint your garage door black anytime soon, would you let me know?  We would love to drive by your house with our windows tightly shut and be able to check those things off of our list.

Seriously, we had fun, we got out of the house, and we made some great memories.  I definitely recommend doing it as long as you are not on total lock down that is.

This morning, after a good night's sleep away from any and all pollen, I woke up feeling better.  The Youngest Princess started school, and I worked on my Children's Ministry lesson.  My Prince, the Oldest Princess and I went to the church to record the children's skit and message.  While we were recording the skit, my phone rang.  It was one of our friends/church members.  She said that she wanted to drop something off at our house.  I told her that the Youngest Princess was at home.  So she said she would drop it off with her.  Before we got home the Youngest Princess was calling to see if we knew what it was.  We told her that we had no idea what it was, but that we were on our way home soon.  The surprise from our precious friend was a steak for each of us, as well as baked potatoes and bread.  Our friend had said that since My Prince is always bragging about how he can make a cheap steak taste good, that she thought she would treat us to good steaks.  How absolutely precious and thoughtful was that!!  We are blessed beyond measure many times over.  I love our people and I love how they love us and each other.  There is nothing like the family of God!  We called and thanked her, and we will be grilling steaks tonight!  Woo Hoo!

The Oldest Princess is now working on some of her class work.  Home colleging is going well for her.  She has made 100's on her first two home college quizzes.  The Youngest Princess had to miss her riding lesson on Monday due to the weather, so she is doing a makeup lesson now.  I did not go with her even though I really wanted to, because I did not want another allergy attack.  My Prince went to the local grocery store to pick up a few things we needed, and he said while he was there, he felt led to pray with the owners.  They were very thankful for him doing that, and I am thankful that he is a man who follows the leading of the Lord.  As we are blessed by others, I pray that we continue to be a blessing to others as well.

Praying that you all are blessing and being blessed as well!  Until the next adventure...

Who Let the Dog Out?

One of the backyard dogs got out this morning.  My Prince was sitting at his desk doing his work, and he jumped up and yelled, "I need all hands on deck!  H is out!"  So the Youngest Princess and I sprang into action.  The Youngest Princess was in the middle of her first class of the day and still in her pajamas.  She ran upstairs to throw on some clothes.  I ran to make sure that Pup was where he could not get out of the house with the door open.  He had somehow gotten a small roll of toilet paper (Gasp!!! NO PUP!!!! NOT THE TOILET PAPER!!!!!! Here! Chew on my gold necklace instead!  It is less valuable!) and was having a good time tearing it up.  I as quickly (and I do mean as QUICKLY) as possible got it away from him, and made sure he could not get out of the living room.  We were also in the middle of fixing breakfast, and the timer on the oven chose that exact moment to go off.  I ran to check on the bacon.  The Youngest Princess, The Oldest Princess (who had been upstairs studying) and I then all ran out to help corral the dog back in.  Trust me when I tell you he is almost as big as a horse, and it would take us all to get him back in.  The Youngest Princess caught him on the neighbor's front porch.  We lured him as close as we could with food, and then finally My Prince just picked him up and hauled him to the backyard. Crisis averted. We are still not sure how he got out.  If you live close and see a HUGE black lab roaming the streets, he probably belongs to us.

That is how today started.  But yesterday well...

Yesterday was pretty much a "normal" day.  As far as normal days go these days.  The girls and I got up and got started with our work here.  Me doing my Bible study, and the girls doing their school work.

My Prince and the Young Prince were both off to work themselves.

The girls and I decided to go to one of our local fruit/veggie stands and get some strawberries.  We took Pup along for the ride.  When we got there, they were out of strawberries, but told me that they would have some first thing the next morning.  We were not ready to head home just yet, so we decided to ride around for a few minutes.  We played Left or Right.  And whenever we came to a choice in the road, one of us would call out left or right, and that is the way we would go.  We saw some places that we have not seen before, and it was good to enjoy some different scenery.

We came home and ate lunch.  Then we hung out on the porch.  I did a little work in the flower bed.  The girls read and studied.  My Prince came home and sat with the girls on the porch for a while.  Our friend/new neighbor pulled up with a load of big stuff, so My Prince and the Youngest Princess ran over to help.  I finished what I was doing in the flower bed and the Oldest Princess, Pup, and I headed over to see if we could help as well.  They were just finishing up, so we stood (at a good distance) and visited for a minute.

We came home and the Youngest Princess finished her History test.  I had a terrible headache - I know it was from all the pollen and being outside for a while - so I took a short nap.  I did not sleep well, and was not able to get rid of my headache.  But, it was time to fix dinner.  So I came down to do just that.  I realized that we were out of the spice I use on my chicken.  I used it all the last time I fried chicken.  I had a different kind that I could use and was planning on using that, when My Prince announced that we did not have enough cooking oil.  He had been to the store earlier and had forgotten to get some.  SOOOOOO...he said he would just run and get something for us to eat.  My head was still pounding, so I went back upstairs to lay down again.

My phone alerted me to the fact that My Prince left home.  I text him to let him know that I loved him and was praying for him.  The Youngest Princess came in to let me know that the Young Prince was going to pick up a pizza for us to eat for dinner.  The Young Prince called me from Walmart, but the connection was terrible.  He hung up and text me.  He wanted to know something about a spray fragrance for Pup. Y'all.  This is our first indoor dog, and he stinks!!!  If he is out in the yard for any length of time at all, he stinks!!  So we try to brush him and spray him with doggy perfume each time we have gone out and come back in.  Our first bottle of perfume was about empty and we are having a hard time ordering some online.  Thankfully the Young Prince found some.

I watched My Prince do church online.  I hate that we are having to do church this way, but I love that we have the ability to do it and that we are not missing church all together.  I love seeing who is watching with me, and I love it when friends from my past join in and watch as well.  We have lived lots of places, and it is like a mini reunion just knowing that friends from other states are watching My Prince with me.  I also love seeing and hearing stories of those who would never go to church but are watching online services and their lives are being changed.  It is extremely encouraging to me.

Speaking of church online, for kid's church, we were supposed to play a game where the kids do their best barnyard animal impressions, but since we can't all be together for them to do that, I asked the parents to record the kids doing their barnyard animal sounds so we could put them all together and show them after the recorded lesson for Sunday morning.  My kids and parents did not let me down.  I got videos of precious kiddos doing barnyard animal impressions all day long.  It made me smile and miss them all even more.  I can't wait to put it all together and see the finished product!  I think the kids will enjoy it.

The Oldest Princess found a box of VHS tapes.  Things like My Prince singing with his college ensemble, and some of me doing my student teaching, and of my high school Scarlet spring show.  She and My Prince worked hard to get our old VCR hooked up to our television so that we could watch them last night, but they never could figure out how to make it work.   We were all a little disappointed at not getting to watch them.  Maybe we can figure it out and watch them sometime soon.  It would be great for something to make us laugh for sure.

We watched a show about Disney weddings instead, and talked about our Disney memories.  The Youngest Princess does not remember going, because she was so young the last time we went.  She and the Oldest Princess started looking up prices and how we could save up and go.  Maybe one day, girls, maybe one day.

I woke up this morning with my head feeling MUCH better.  My Prince and I went back to the local fruit/veggie stand to get some strawberries, but they said that they did not have any and probably would not until Saturday.  Two strike outs on trying to get strawberries.  But I will be there Saturday morning in hopes of getting some then.  It gives me something to look forward to.

The girls have worked on school off and on again today.  I have worked on my Bible study on and off all morning.  The Oldest Princess and I have rearranged a few things so that she can have a desk area of her own.  She was feeling industrious and decided to wash her car and ours.  Woo Hoo!

I have tried to avoid going outside and being in all of the pollen that is everywhere right now.  And thankfully, my head has not started hurting today.  Allergies are for the birds.  I am thankful that when we get to heaven, we won't have to worry about allergies ANY MORE.

And that my friends, is what we have been up to.  I thought I would blog daily, but I'm afraid I will bore you all with the mundane things going on.  I will just say that I hope to blog again when something worth writing about happens.  Until then...

The First (Almost) Two Weeks

I had to look back, because I can't really remember the last time I went out, before all this began.  And I'm pretty sure that it was two weeks ago, tomorrow.  It was church on Wednesday night.  I was enjoying dinner with our church family and partying with my kiddos in kids church.  It was life.  And life was good.

Then all this Corona Virus craziness happened.  And life as we know it has drastically changed in some ways and hasn't changed at all in others.

The Oldest Princess is home from college.  Several months before her graduation ceremony.  Now we are home schooling the Youngest Princess and home college-ing the Oldest Princess.  It is an adjustment for all of us.  The Oldest Princess and the Youngest Princess have two TOTALLY different ways of studying.  One likes complete silence, the other likes to talk about everything.  One wants to be left alone, one wants to be in the middle of all the action and still try to study.  They drive each other crazy.  And me...I'm usually caught in the middle trying to keep the peace, and not lose my own sanity in the process.

The Young Prince is still working.  And we are thankful that he still has a job and can go to work.  But he is off a little more.  It is hard to get up and go to work when everyone else is home most of the time.  It is different having all five of us back in the house together, with two of the three kids now adults having lived out of the house and on their own for a while.  It makes for some really interesting dynamics, folks!  The Young Prince gets on the girls' nerves when he is here and they, in return, get on his.  And me...I'm usually caught in the middle trying to keep the peace, and not lose my own sanity in the process.

My Prince.  Bless his heart!  And the hearts of every other pastor out there who is trying to keep doing ministry in the middle of all of this!  It is a whole lot of learning all kinds of tech type stuff, and trying to add bandwidth and trying to learn how to be in front of a camera and look as natural as possible, and trying new apps and new websites to see which one would be the best to host small groups like Sunday School classes and Discipleship groups, so that all of the momentum they had going before is not lost in the shuffle.  And just about the time that they find something that they think is going to work and get the instructions out to everyone in the groups, they learn that it won't quite work after all and they are back at square one.  It is learning how to pour your heart out to a blinking light on a camera, with no human feed back.  And y'all, when people are your passion, THAT is HARD.  It is a lot of trying to connect with people over the phone and a lot of making sure people are okay and have what they need.  It is a lot of maneuvering of troops to get food and supplies to those who need them.  It is a lot of changing schedules and making sure that everyone gets the time they need with the equipment so that they can stay connected with their groups.  It is a WHOLE LOT of praying, and making decisions, looking to church leadership to help make decisions, second guessing those decisions, being accused by some people of making the wrong decisions, third guessing decisions, losing sleep over decisions, fourth guessing decisions, etc.  It is never ending.  And me...I'm usually caught in the middle.  Trying to help him, trying to encourage him, cheering him on, reassuring him, and not lose my own sanity in the process.

We are continuing with school as normal.  I think it is best to keep the routine as much as possible with the things that we CAN control.  I have been thankful for mostly great weather, so we can be outside as much as possible.  We have used our crafting supplies to be creative.  We have blown bubbles, picked flowers, made homemade bird feeders, gone for walks, and bike rides, we have read books, we have played with our new puppy (we got him last November), we have watched TV, we have experimented in the kitchen, we have helped a friend clean her new house, we have passed out food at church, we have eaten in a lot, and we have done take out a few times, we have cleaned out cabinets and have some closets to go.  AND we had a parade for the Youngest Princess for her 14th birthday.  Which was a total blast.  I can not thank all those who came enough.  You all are the BEST!

I have recorded a couple of terrible kids lessons for my church kids.  It is really hard to do a kid's video!  My full respect to those who do it on a regular basis.  It is certainly not my favorite thing to do, but I love my church kids, and I want them to know it, so I will do them until we are able to meet in person again.  My Prince and the Oldest Princess have agreed to do the skits for me for this four week series, and that helps to make the videos a little more bearable.

So far, I've been handling things mostly okay.  I'm a homebody anyway, and love being at home.  But today I have been feeling a little stir crazy.  I did take a few minutes to take the Youngest Princess to the barn, and while she did "horsey" things, I looked over my children's lesson, and tried to think of some things that can help it to be more interesting and interactive for the kids.  And I read some of my book.  I decided to read Anne Frank The Diary of a Young Girl.  Probably not the best choice of books right now.  Maybe it is helping to contribute to my stir craziness.  I am about 1/4 of the way through.  I have started it, so I must finish it.

Grammy and Poppy have safely arrived back from the D.R. We are glad that they were able to make it before any bans on travel.  They came by this evening and we sat out in the front yard to visit, to keep in line with social distancing. 

I waffle back and forth between not being concerned at all about the Corona Virus, and being scared to death.  I can't let myself think about it too much, or my fears can run away with me.  I do my best to control the things I can, and not totally stress out over the things I can not control.  I am just doing my best to use common sense and follow the suggestions of those who know far more about it than I and most importantly putting my trust in God who is not surprised by any of this and knows what tomorrow holds.  I know that I can trust the One who loves me enough to die for me and that whatever happens, He is in control, and that it will be for my best (Romans 8:28). 

And that my friends is our last two weeks in a nutshell.  I plan to try to blog daily for a while, so Lord willing, I will see you all tomorrow.

Why not?

Hey everyone!  It has been “a hot minute”, as the Youngest Princess would say.  I figure that since we are stuck at home, with not a lot to do, I would brush the cobwebs out of the writing room in my brain, and throw the windows wide and let some fresh air blow through.  Why not, right?  So I am going g to make an attempt to share life as a quarantined wife/mother/pastor’s wife/children’s minister/disciple group leader.  If ya enjoy it, keep checking back.  If ya hate it, you are free to never return!  Just trying to break up some of the monotony of these long days.  Love to you all, and see ya soon!