What do you miss?

This is something I think about a lot. We’re 10 weeks into this and I’m no longer even considering things like soccer practice or our gym membership.

It occurred to me this week that the thing I miss is being in relationship without fear. Remember running into a friend at the grocery store and throwing your arms around them because that’s what instinct told you to do? Remember dancing at dancing at concerts? Pressed against perfect strangers, singing at the top of your longs? Once a complete stranger changed David’s diaper at a playground because I was overwhelmed-to-tears with infant Mary, and she jumped in to help. It’s one of the foundational stories of early motherhood for me — how the help of a stranger humbled me in the kindest way possible and by lovingly meeting my needs, she showed me that I have limits. And those limits are met in the generosity of others.

That’s what I miss. Moving among people without fear — the way we are created to do.

Virginia is starting to open up, and I’m finding that I don’t have an urge to go to a restaurant. Instead, I have an urge to go to a restaurant and not panic if I hear someone cough. I don’t have a desire to get my haircut. I have a desire to get my haircut and not wear a mask. I’m not longing to gather in groups of 10 or fewer. I’m longing to gather in groups and not count the people; not consider if the gathering is safe, or wise.

Week 10 was all about Thomas’s birthday. Turns out a birthday in quarantine isn’t so bad. Two of our neighbors brought him gifts, and one friend drove across town to drop off a giant bag of fun stuff.

Mary made him a Bakugan play set with clay.

Here Thomas is holding up the basketball hoop.

And here’s one of the characters resting on a sectional.

Thomas doesn’t love cake, so I asked him if he wanted Rice Krispies or a cake and he said, “Can I have a Rice Krispie treat that is a cake?”

David helped Thomas open all of his gifts. When I told him to let Thomas do it, Thomas got mad at me and said he wanted David to help.

This week one of our good friends made masks for our entire family. Tom and I had masks, but I didn’t get any for the kids because they don’t go anywhere.

For some reason this week it occurred to me that this is going to last a lot longer than I realize, and at some point they might have to go somewhere.

For example, to the orthopedist’s office!

David got his cast off this week. That’s how long quarantine has lasted: long enough for a bone to heal.

Mary and I were trying to take a photo of her blowing the seeds off this dandelion. Strangely, the seeds were well-attached and so I have several pictures of her that look like this — blowing but no seeds are flying.

Eventually she just took them off with her hands and said, “I hope my wish still comes true!”

These two have a special relationship. It’s easy to overlook in the busyness of our household, especially since the older two have been out of school. But the younger are good buddies. And look at how she’s looking at him.

Big news! Thomas found a frog! Take a picture, Mom!

We had another birthday celebration this weekend with cousins. Thomas wanted dinosaurs and Bakugan on his cake, and David set up a battle scene.

Happy birthday, kiddo.