Glad April is over.

April was a tough tough month.

At the beginning of the month, grandma (great-grandma to the kids) passed.  Then, the boy from baseball had the accident on his bicycle and did not make it to the hospital.  A week later, our long-time friend from the City of Marietta passed away in her sleep.  None of these deaths were related to the Covid-19 virus, but they still take their toll on our emotions. 

Speaking of emotions, we actually have been having issues with Isabella's behavior (just before "spring break" in early April and - still - after break).  We're working with a professional to help us know what to do when she is feeling anxious due to the shelter-in-place order / lack of school structure... and to work with her directly on some calm-down strategies. 

Finally, at the end of the moth (April 30) the national Little League organization officially cancelled the Little League World Series and the state tournaments leading up to it.  This tournament celebrates 12 year old baseball players across the country.  Unfortunately,  this is "THE YEAR" for Mercer and his All-Star team to go to the World Series....if they could make it that far.  Last year's taste of the State tournament made the boys realize they were supposed to be there in the tournament and they could have a shot in 2020.  There are other opportunities for older kids, but it seems that - after 12 - the things sort of fall apart a bit. There is only 1 team for the older kids in our league instead of 4 for the 11/12 year olds, for instance.  We'll have to see.  (Maybe this will be history in the making where 12/13 year olds are playing next year in the Little League World Series instead?)  

So, it's May.  I have not updated the Covid dashboard in a week and a half.  I haven't looked at it... but WOW.  Things have really jumped up!  (Those testing positive have increased 800,000.  OK - so more tests are available.  The number that is so shocking: the death-toll across the world has risen by almost 60,000 in that week and a half.)  The number of deaths in the US is now just under 75,000.

Doctors and scientists are studying and suggesting that this disease was present in the US prior to the original reports of the first cases in Washington State (late January).  It is suspected to have been in other parts of the country prior to that.  Also, across the pond, France is reporting that they had a case prior to the report from Wuhan, China.  There are more reports of complications such as strokes...  there is a new condition in children - possibly as a result of exposure or recovery of Covid - that is popping up mainly in New York City as well as some places in Europe.  This disease is evolving and there is so much to learn.  There have even been cases reported in felines (tigers at NY Zoo and even some house cats)!   Unfortunately, we are also hearing about mental-illness related to the virus.  There is a widely-publicized case of an in-the-trenches doctor in NYC that contracted the disease... rested and recovered... went back to work but couldn't handle it anymore and took her own life.  Her family truly believes that the disease altered something in her brain. I have heard of others taking their lives for being in isolation or stress of the situation even if they do not the virus.  Maintaining self-care and strong mental health is so important.  There will be much to study.  

There aren't many photos of the family -- not much to report on from home.  (Just hunkered down and getting through school.)   We have about 2 more weeks......  but who's counting?  ha!  

Mercer is climbing the walls again.   


Also, here's a picture too where he has brushed back his hair.... rare shot.

Mercer is riding his bike like crazy every single afternoon.  He's getting more daring (trying to do little tricks).... but mainly, it seems that he likes the "freedom" to explore - be it only the 2 streets going around the block.  He makes more and more loops each day. I think yesterday he rode around the block 31 times?  Sometimes he reports what is going on up the street or on the street over.  He sees a friend every now and then and reports that.  He's come a long long way from where he used to be scared to ride!


Isabella is wanting to ride a bunch too, but it's more limited because we don't want her out there by herself.  She rides up and down between specific neighbors' houses.  She falls... and she gets back up.  She is determined to ride.  


One day, the three of us went for a ride... there was a chance of rain, but the new bike helmets came in for the kids, so they wanted to put them to the test.  As it turns out, we got caught in the rain!  Mercer took off and left us behind. Isabella kept a great attitude.  We eventually made it home - soaking wet... but it was memorable.

We aren't going out even though the state of Georgia was one of the first ones to "open" back up on a limited basis.  (There's a struggle to maintain social distancing and shelter-in-place VS help the failing economy.)  We were blasted nationally for opening bowling alleys, tattoo parlors, gyms, hair and nail salons on May 1.   I agree with the blasting.  Bowling alleys and gyms -- they're already full of germs from people touching common items.  

Tattoo parlors and hair / nail salons... how do you socially distance?)  There are some other things that seemed like they should have opened first.  Restaurants and movie theaters opened a few days later.  We'll see how the #s go.... people are predicting that the cases will spike and the death toll will creep back up again.   

This past weekend was gorgeous.  Our major "outing" was watching the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels fly over from a parking lot a couple of blocks from our house.  They flew over the hospital that's about a mile away from us then circled down to Atlanta.  Not to worry... there was about 15' between us and the cars on either side of us. Several of the kids were hanging out of sunroofs like Isabella is here.... I guess it's a way to keep the littles contained while watching the fly-over!

(This is not our photo of the fly-over... it happened way too quick to even capture!  They were only in the sky over us for a few seconds.  Thank goodness for the internet.)  

We also spent most of the day at our community garden doing overall yard maintenance and cleaning out our garden bed / taking care of the asparagus we can finally harvest this year!  Isabella "ate" honeysuckles the whole time!  

This week is national teacher appreciation week.  It went out with a dud / fizzle.... but - there all of these parents who are homeschooling who really are appreciating teachers these days!    It is also national nurses' appreciation week.    There has been way less of a focus on sports players and movie stars.... there has been more of a celebration of doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers, grocery store workers, deliver folks, teachers, police, hospital staff, etc.  Finally some priorities are being reorganized.  (I wonder how long it will last before all of the silly social-media pop star junk re-emerges?!)  

I just appreciate good health... and being able to celebrate our little family unit -- even though it's very very tough many days!  

Speaking of little family unit..... here's a recent picture of Lizzy the lizard -- she's shedding her skin (again).  That's the white stuff on her head.  It's been at least 5 or 6 times since we've had her that she's done this!  It's more often than once a month.  She pulls it off then she eats it, so it's rare that there's anything left.  Eew.

I got hermit crabs for my classroom earlier this year.  The day before closure -- I brought the cage home (and cleaned out the one that had just passed).  This one NEVER came out and buried in the sand all the time.  After more than a month, I thought he had passed like his buddy, but I noticed the water bowl (drink cap) was turned over or the moss was moved around.  Glad I didn't chuck the whole thing! Now he's coming out of the sand more and climbing on the driftwood.  I heard that they liked to climb but until a week ago... I never saw it.  Kind of interesting that he likes to climb on the underside of the driftwood and hang!  The first time I saw him on the driftwood and he saw me.... his little tentacles tucked in and he dropped to the sand!  :)  Maybe he's starting to trust us?  Other than these few sightings... it's not been a very exciting pet.  Oh well!  


One last animal related thing.... for Mercer's Boy Scout badge, we got an ant farm. It, however, was housed OUTSIDE on the front porch!  The top photo is from when we constructed it.... and the bottom photo is from the next day.  They made their tunnels and over time, they eventually buried the sticks and pebbles that we put in there.  He had to observe it for a period of time (along with raising butterflies from the caterpillar stage which was great for Isabella (and me).  He researched a bunch of bugs and presented last week... he's finished and he'll earn his merit badge whenever they're doing awards again.

Finally - Isabella lost another tooth!