Just Keep Swimming

It's official. As of yesterday at noon, our schools are closed for the remainder of the school year. I knew it was coming. How could it not? I was out walking the dog, taking a much needed break from homeschooling my little guy and working from home when I saw the message. Governor Murphy declares school will remained closed for the year. Like I said, I knew it was coming. But it stung. I cried. I cried because I knew my oldest son would never walk back into his high school to finish out his senior year. He wouldn't have those days of hanging out with his buddies, complaining about "how they couldn't wait to get out", laugh at stupid jokes, bond with his class and enjoy those last weeks of being a senior. My sophomore would rather be in school. He misses his friends, his girlfriend and most of all, working out in the weight room every day with his football team. My youngest is , 3rd grade. Not a huge fan of school. So he's not too upset. But what I do know, is he misses his cousin Shea so much. He was really down last weekend. I was worried. He didn't want to play outside. Didn't want to fish. Didn't want to help Grandpop. Freaked me out.

I offered to make bread for my friend, Paige. We took it over on Sunday and Dalton and Chase took a ride with me. Paige gave Chase one of her hammocks to borrow. Little did I know that this hammock would change Chase's mood! He has been in it every minute he can since it's been hung. He has done his school work there. I have had to put chair next to him to help him through his poetry lessons. As I sit at my desk working, I look out the window and there he is. My little guy, happy as can be, hanging between the trees.

I had my cry. A good ugly cry. But I'm better. It is what it is. We are healthy. We hope for the best. I trust the school to do everything they can to honor our seniors. I am thankful for our jobs. To work from home. To have more time to make nice dinners. To not be running to baseball fields, feeling like a crazy person barely keeping things together. Thankful for my lunchtime walks. Gathering chicken eggs, picking flowers. Making lunch for everyone. Seeing my kids find things to do. More time for knitting and reading. More time for watching tv together. Less stress about getting everything done over a lunch hour. I miss my friends. I miss hanging out with my sisters and parents. I miss my friend Amy's house. I miss seeing my coworkers. I miss going to Massutos for pizza, wine and guitar music. But we keep swimming. We are all doing what we need to do. I pray that people behave as things start to open up. Please follow the rules. I want nothing more than my son to have a freshman year of college on campus. If we all follow the guidelines, this may be possible. My gut says he will be online for the first semester. My gut is usually right....but I don't want to think about that today. Today I want to be happy. To be hopeful. We're all in this together. Just keep swimming.