He's a Champ

 Alex is such a champ. He went to work at 0500, worked 9 hours, came home, and helped Michael clear the snow.  Snow doesn't stop for Covid. 

Quarantine Photo of the Day 

We sure appreciate his help. 

An Update

Thanks for your continued prayers. Basically, covid symptoms seem to come and go....and some symptoms are lingering...

Look at this! I was at a fairly low point yesterday (the 1st) when there was a knock at our door. A delivery man. I told him we hadn't ordered anything. He insisted someone had called in an order for us and it was paid for....I told him we had Covid and he said, "That's probably why!"  What a sweet surprise. I haven't felt like eating, but I had been thinking, "I need to get up and get something for everyone to eat."  There were even 2 orders of breadsticks. 

Quarantine Photo of the Day 

That took care of everyone's meals for yesterday....and I ate a couple of breadsticks. THANK YOU to whomever ordered the variety of pizzas for us....Pizza Ria Delphi is Michael's favorite. 

Alex is back at work - and he feels fine. Remember, Alex TESTED POSITIVE and then later tested NEGATIVE. This indicates he is no longer contagious. He is lucky he also has no further symptoms. Some continue to feel rough past when they test negative. 

For those of us who seem incapable of getting a positive and ONLY test negative...we must quarantine 14 days beyond the last exposure to someone who was positive....there are a whole host of stipulations and we are letting the school nurse figure it out for us. LOL  BUT that is why Alex is free of quarantine even though we are still sick here at home....we just do what we're told to do.  BTW, if you have heard those with O Positve blood type don't test positive - both Krista and Michael are O Positive. 

Krista is house sitting - she can quarantine there as well as she can here. 

Michael still deals with exhaustion and from time to time headache and dizziness. 

Stacia continues to sore above all this. 

Dad is SLEEPY....and continues with rather wild GI issues. HOWEVER, his respiratory symptoms have been mild, he's had no fever and his oxygen is staying up. He DID get frustrated we couldn't keep an oral surgery appointment and pulled a tooth during his nap yesterday. Ugh. Never boring living with Dad. 

Nolan feels good and then Nolan feels terrible. He is having fever spikes and oxygen drops....random...odd. He tested on the 1st. I don't think he should go back to work regardless of the result, but he agreed to test. Again, the test will show if he is still contagious, it does NOT mean one feels symptom free and ready for life. LOL 

Nolan's Quarantine Look 

Me? It's been a rough couple of days. My typical fever is 97.2 and I'm finding it impossible to get my fever to normal. I am taking Tylenol and still at 102. Today, I began alternating Ibuprofen and Tylenol and am hanging out at 99 or 100. My oxygen level dips and it's not comfortable at all. I've been asked to quit describing it as an elephant sitting on my chest....it's an odd sensation...and I'm learning much about focusing and relaxing....saying no to anxiety...taking deep breaths....and then sometimes within minutes, sometimes within hours, I can breathe well again.  I AM monitoring my oxygen levels and will call in if it goes low and stays low. I've not stayed below 93 for much time at all; just forays into the lower numbers.  We DO have Dad's oxygen concentrator here at the house if needed. 

There you have it - an update....it's snowing beautifully outside now. I'm about to wrap my head around a grocery order. Michael went to pick up Alex from work (he doesn't leave the car), and Alex will run in and pick up a package for us. It's good to have a non-contagious member in the house. 

We continue to watch Marvel movies (there are SO many) interspersed with the random Christmas movie. 

We continue to thank God for our light cases of Covid and for how well Grandpa is weathering all this. It's not fun, but no one has had to be hospitalized. 

The Tablecloth

I was deep in the throes of Covid and 103 fever on the 1st, but found the photos and will capture this memory now. 

For two decades we have had guests sign this tablecloth at Thanksgiving. Various girls then embroider the signatures. We've fallen behind on the stitching. Krista motivated us to catch it up during our time of quarantine.  Through the week she, myself, Stacia and Nolan all stitched a bit on the cloth. 

We debated what to do about 2020. Krista came up with this idea...a big screen showing all the small screens and we just added names rather than signatures this year. It works. 

Quarantine Photo of the Day 

 As always, I took time to read names and recollect other years and the relationships built around the table through the years. 

A young Stacia learning cursive - and Alex was still Zander

Gotta love the confidence!

Mom G

Mom T

I got a kick out of the year that had Jared, Tamika, Fred III and Fred Jr.....because now Tamika is a commissioner in Juneau, Jared ran into her as he works in Juneau and Fred pastors a church we did pulpit fill for last year. One just never knows who is sitting at their table from year to year. 

Jesus - Day 1

Jesus - a common name, the transliteration of  the Hebrew name Joshua.  The name literally means "the LORD is salvation."

Tonight we compared the first Joshua - a courageous leader who fought battle after battle, leading thousands into the Promised Land...and Jesus - the second Joshua - who fought his epic battle alone, making way for us to enter God's presence. 

Jesus was born to save people from their sins.   

It wasn't the salvation Israel was looking for. Jesus' perspective is always bigger than mine. 

There are things about 2020 that have left me befuddled. I had expectations which have not be met. 

We were asked to consider what expectations we have of Jesus this Advent season. He may meet my expectations - he may not. But in all I am confident he SAVES....in every relationship, illness, financial woe...Jesus saves as we let Him be our savior in the midst of the right now moments of our lives. 

Unwrapping the Names of Jesus by Asheritah Ciuciu is the Advent Devotional our family is journeying through this month. 

BTW our countdown only has 24 days on it...and Advent begins before Dec 1st...so we're camping out in the first spot for a few nights. LOL 

 

Advent in Quarantine

I have been reading through the New Testament in these final 3 months of 2020. I am challenged in Hebrews to "Consider Jesus." I want to stop, ponder and think deeply about Jesus. I've begun a list of all Hebrews shows about Jesus.  And so it is with  a heart primed to contemplate Jesus we enter this Advent season.

Quarantine Photo of the Day 

Stacia and I plan to work through this little book for the next four weeks. Asheritah's heart is to focus on facets of Jesus as expressed in his names...creating, and enhancing, a heart to worship Jesus.  It's almost like "someone" orchestrated this focus for us. 

 As we're all currently home, it was fitting for us to embark on the journey as a family. This first night we contemplated soul amnesia - our tendency to forget the awe of Jesus. We talked about God always having a plan, how that looks different than we expect but we can confidently rest in His plan. We talked about the patience of God and how no detail escapes His notice. 

We sang Silent Night together - we may need to find music to support our voices in the future. ::snort:: 

I am thankful on this slow, cooped-up, day  quarantine plays a role in family's  celebration of Advent 2020. It is good to slow down. It is good to be bored. In the silence, we think, we listen, we are renewed and restored. Covid certainly cannot stop a heart from Celebrating Christmas. 

This sweet family has recovered from Covid. They know the quarantine gig...Krista has diligently checked to see if we need anything from Walmart, Fred Myers - wherever she is going. Today, they went to our church for service and stopped by afterwards with chocolate oranges and kale. Possibly even more important to me, Krista gave me my first "other than Michael" hug in months! She no longer has to worry about Covid. I look forward to that freedom. 

I also look forward to seeing this snuggable, kissable face in person before the end of December. The girls are faithfully sending  us photos of the grandblessings. Here is Danny - look at how he's grown - I am thinking he's 2 1/2 weeks old here. 

Daniel Michael - CoRielle's 

Look what showed up in our mailbox. It did my heart GOOD and my eyes leak a bit. Nozomi means hope in Japanese.  Jewelry is made from broken pieces of pottery which washed up after the Quake Tsunami of 2011.  

I meant to pick up a piece before we left Japan - and never did.  I've since had two of "my girls" (Air Force spouses from women's ministries) be assigned to Japan. Both have sent me lovely necklaces...beauty in brokenness....such a profound truth. I treasure these pieces, for the meaning, the memories and the lovely relationships represented by the gifts.  

As I scan over the entry before posting - it hits me once again. It's always the people. Always. 

In Covid news: Michael took Alex to retest. Grandpa stayed in bed most the day and is very confused when he is awake.  His oxygen stays at 98 - 99.  We're all incredibly tired and enjoying our Marvel Marathon - not sure we'll finish it before our release. I can still not taste - though my sense of smell is returning and my oxygen is hovering between 93 - 95.  Other symptoms have abated. Krista's oxygen is 93-94. 

Quarantine Visitors

We're still here. Most still feel pretty worn out.  Dad is sleeping - a lot - and I get it because all I want to to do is sleep.  

He commented, "And NOW I get a cold on top of COVID 19." We explained this WAS still all a part of Covid. 

The doorbell rang in the early afternoon. I could tell how stir crazy folks are getting because everyone ran to the door - except Grandpa who was sleeping. We had a nice visit from the driveway/porch. Cy, Carrie and Olivia went ice fishing this morning. Olivia caught her first fish. I think Michael is jealous. 

Quarantine Photo of the Day 

Look what they brought! There is great rejoicing in our home. These coupled with the ones Danny and Krista picked up will make enough for one in every Christmas stocking. LOL Those Happy Hippos are awfully cute. 

They went on to visit BreZaak. Josiah sent the following photo. We are looking forward to when WE will get to see Danny and JoJo face to face. Meanwhile Josiah and Jamin are working towards favored uncle status with the new crop of nephews. 

Josiah Michal & Josiah Eric Grant

We've begun a Marvel Movie Marathon. The goal is to watch them all in a chronological order. I believe this is a worthy goal. I missed the first day and so I am still clueless. ::snort:: 

Today, NOLAN received a call from the state contact nurse. ALEX (who tested first) hasn't, neither has Dad. It was pretty silly as we're so far into the quarantine and illness. She was upset we aren't all staying in our own little rooms. I'm betting she hasn't caught it yet...because in a home with everyone exhibiting symptoms, it makes NO SENSE to stay isolated in your own room....we quit that when Grandpa got sick. That was the ONLY reason that practice made sense to us.  The way the state's rules for those who don't test positive work it seems easiest to catch it at once and be done with it, rather than draw it out longer and longer.  They wanted to be sure we had groceries. 

She admitted there are quite a few people who simply won't test positive. They have symptoms, have been exposed, and still test negative. This confirms our thoughts on Krista specifically, and the test generally. 

Final One to Succumb

Welp...

I'm thankful most all are feeling better before I was laid low. All the A, C, D3, Zinc, sanitizer, soap, and immunity tea didn't keep me from my very own date with Covid. 

I woke up with a fever. I am typically 97.4...I was 100.5. Breathing is a bit difficult, I have a cough and headache and spent most the day sleeping. On the positive side the GI symptoms subsided. 

I'm not sure how everyone else spent the day. I went to bed when Michael was up....Grandpa is doing well. He is tired, but having no respiratory distress. 

I know several movies were watched....

The highlight of the day was a text from Danny and Krista G. They were heading to Walmart and picked up CHOCOLATE ORANGES for us. A silly thing, but I can rest easier knowing this year's oranges have been purchased.  

We're guessing I'm the final one to succumb to Covid. Stacia had that bad cold and we suspect that was this; she fought it off like a rock star. She woke up today and said, "I feel like eating for the first time in a long time."