Strange Days

For the past week it seems all any one is talking about is Corona Virus. This includes myself...social media, the news, everywhere you go, it's the main topic of conversation. In my 41 years I've never seen anything like it. I will have to go back ten years ago in the blog and see if I wrote about H1N1. I was pregnant with Kiersten at the peak of the H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic. I remember being terrified of getting the vaccine...I was probably 6-7  months pregnant. But my OBGYN insisted. Even more terrifying, my pediatrician was insistent on Leah getting the vaccine. She was around 18-19 months old. I was panicked...but it was for the best. So here we are, 10 years later. Just waiting for the United States to hit its peak for Corona Virus. And here is my run down of the past few days.

On Thursday I was at school, with my staff friends waiting for Governor Pritzker to address the state. We had heard it was rumored he was going to shut down the schools. Instead he declared that no more than 250 people in a place at one time. On Friday we all showed up for school as normal...meanwhile our administrators were meeting behind closed doors trying to determine the best way to proceed. Friday afternoon about an hour after school dismissed the Governor addressed the state and announced that all public school would be closed until March 31st. In the meantime, President Trump had declared a National Emergency and was suspending all International Travel. Come Friday he was asking people to "Social distance" and not travel unless absolutely necessary. Did I mention Mitch was supposed to be leaving for Europe for two weeks? Thankfully ADM had cancelled the trip, they closed the company gym, and they went to a 50% work force. Meaning that half of the work force will work one week at home and then switch with their counterpart and work a week at the office.

We were supposed to be traveling to Arizona for our spring break. But with Air Travel considered unsafe, and with Mitch working from home we decided to scrap our air travel plans. On Saturday morning we jumped in the car and drove straight through to Tucson. What was supposed to be a 24 hour drive, ended up being a 23 hour drive as Mitch and I took shifts through the night. Sundays forecast in Tucson looked amazing and with Mitch needing to work during daytime hours, he wanted a day at the pool. Sunday at the Omni did not disappoint! Sunshine and splashing in the pool did our spirits some good. Social distancing wasn't too difficult with hardly anyone else at the resort.

Then Sunday afternoon Governor Pritzker made the call. All restaurants and bars in Illinois are closed effective March 17-31st. Drive-thrus can still operate and restaurants can deliver. In no time, several other states followed and closed their bars and restaurants. While we were at the pool this afternoon President Trump addressed the nation again. This is not going away anytime soon. If we can continue to social distance it should peak in the next month or so.

I'm heartbroken for so many. Could you imagine if you were planning a wedding that would take place in the next month or two. What about all the seniors...high school students anticipating their Senior Prom, their NHS inductions, the chance to walk across the stage as graduates. Same for the college students who have worked so hard. What a long strange trip this will be, while we wait for this to pass. Until then we will be in prayer. I believe now more than ever, that God is holding us in his hands. He's trying to tell us something, and I will hope and pray that we can be open to the message. I will hope and pray that we can remain healthy and come together as family and friends, to protect our vulnerable populations...be well my friends.