The Upside Down!

Little did we all know, a few short weeks ago, that our entire world would get turned upside down and inside out.  We read about plagues and diseases that wiped out entire populations as a thing of the past.  Well, it's not the past anymore.  It's the present, and we are living through a pandemic the likes of which has never been seen before.  During the Black Plague and various diseases of the Dark Ages, the little buggers were confined to wherever the filthy, rat-ridden European sailing ships could go.  Now, you can get in an airplane and fly across the world in a few hours and cheerfully infect a whole new country without even realizing you're a carrier.

Coronavirus has been around for a while but the pandemic originated in China this time, spread around to Italy and finally made it to the USA a couple months ago.  I didn't pay any attention to the news--I didn't have the slightest clue that somebody sick thousands of miles away could actually affect my life.  Perhaps I should pay more attention to tidbits like that in the future!  Anyway I'd been dealing with enough in my own life--in the end of February I caught a cold that turned into a sort of walking pneumonia, and was perfectly miserable with it for five weeks.  March 12 I experienced my third miscarriage in a row, which of course completely distracted me from what was going on in the world.  I went shopping that weekend and decided to stock up on non perishable items because I really didn't want to go shopping again for a while, and Monday the panic hit.  I was so grateful I could hole up happily at home as the world went crazy and people fought in the aisles over toilet paper and hand sanitizer!

The day before yesterday the mayors of Amarillo and Canyon issued an emergency shelter in place order for two weeks.  We have a few cases (that we know of--there could be lots more who aren't tested yet) and they are trying to forestall a perfect holocaust of sickness by making people stay home instead of spreading it around.  Churches and schools are closed for the foreseeable future, and all non-essential jobs have been put on hold, creating stress and hardship everywhere.  It has been a blessing to see people come together as a community and help each other out!  We ourselves are extremely grateful that TJ is considered essential to national defense and so our family won't be losing income at this time.  We are the fortunate ones--I don't know how others will make it during this time.  Pray for our country!

I already sent in an email resigning from my job as a preschool teacher and I feel so free!  Our foray into the world of school and teaching has been a wonderful learning experience for me and the girls, but I have been feeling more and more torn with the stress of trying to maintain my home and my goals with the education of Bella and Lizzy.  My relationship with them was suffering as well.  I was so exhausted by the end of the day that I would come home and collapse on the sofa and turn the TV on, and I was noticing the negative effects and disciplinary issues that not spending enough time with them was causing.  TJ also complained daily that I was too tired to spend time with him, and he was right.  Going to part time work helped a lot, but I still had the issue of an unstable schedule.  I never knew if I'd be called in to work or not, plus the disciplinary issues with the girls continued.  Now, I can focus on the things that are most important to me--my husband, my children, and my home.

It is now day 20 of our staying at home adventure, and we are all loving it so far.  The girls are
progressing extremely well with their school work--Bella is actually beginning to sight read--their favorite studies are human anatomy and botany.  We are learning the names of all the weeds in the yard, and practicing counting, adding and subtracting.  It's all fun and no pressure!  I did buy some preschool work books for them and Bella has been racing through them.  She complained that they are too easy, but it keeps her busy for a while every day. :-D  Yesterday I made a hammock with an old sheet and some rope, and I kid you not they spent hours in it, I had to make them come in for their bath in the evening!  Right before the sh*t hit the fan we bought four baby chicks and Bella especially loves to hold them and pamper them within an inch of their fuzzy lives.  Building a chicken pen, expanding our garden, cleaning out closets, and working on long neglected projects keeps me more or less out of trouble.  Oh, and I have time to write in my blog again. :-D

We, the Greer family, are trusting God and sitting tight.  Only He knows what the future holds!  Psalm 4 has been powerfully comforting to me lately.

Answer me when I call to you,
    my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
    have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

2 How long will you people turn my glory into shame?
    How long will you love delusions and seek false gods[b]?[c]
3 Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself;
    the Lord hears when I call to him.

4 Tremble and[d] do not sin;
    when you are on your beds,
    search your hearts and be silent.
5 Offer the sacrifices of the righteous
    and trust in the Lord.

6 Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
    Let the light of your face shine on us.
7 Fill my heart with joy
    when their grain and new wine abound.

8 In peace I will lie down and sleep,
    for you alone, Lord,
    make me dwell in safety.