Five Months Later

Five months ago our state went into lockdown due to Covid-19.  It seems a little surreal thinking back to March.

This was our last photo before things changed.  It's weird thinking back to that Thursday.  There were already a couple of cases in Michigan but they were in Detroit.  We had a family day - both Nate and Darryl had a doctor's appointment with the same ENT so we all went together, all went into the waiting room, and all went into the same exam room.  We joked about the nurse who was sick with a cold (the same symptoms we were checked for and told we couldn't come if we had them!).  From there, we went to lunch at Wolfgang''s - which was full of people.  (Including one guy who was coughing up a lung at the table next to us).  We also drove all around downtown Grand Rapids enjoying all the sights around us.  We got home in time for Darryl and the boys to all take Dash to the vet for his annual check up.  They all went, all went inside, and all went into the exam room.  We had our plans ready for Friday school the next day - the last day of the semester.  It was a very, very, normal day. 

By midnight, everything had changed.  Schools were closed, our Co-op was cancelled, store hours changed, it was just surreal.  If you would have asked me then if I thought we'd still be facing this battle 5 months later, I probably would have told you no.  Like most of us, I thought that by summer the virus would be gone and we'd be good to go but instead, things are just as tough as they were 5 months ago.  I've learned to move through it easier but it is still there. 

* We wear masks into any building and when space is crowded

* We avoid indoor activities or outdoor activities with crowds

* We do not eat at sit down restaurants

* We haven't been back to in person church since March 
* Our Co-Op is cancelled for the fall

There have been TP shortages, Lysol shortages and lack of hand sanitizer.  Shelves at the grocery store have come up empty and gas prices dropped super low at one point.

Sometimes it starts to feel like things won't go back to normal but in studying past pandemics guess what?  Eventually things return to normal.  So for now, we just do the best we can to stay healthy and, well, stay sane :-)