Easter Sunday 2020: Self-Isolation Day #30

Easter Sunday, Self-Isolation Day #30

Please continue to pray for my husband's mother D. who has been on a ventilator in ICU with confirmed COVID-19 for 14 days. We very much appreciate it, even though we are choosing not to give detailed, blow-by-blow health updates in this public forum.


Happy Easter! He is risen!

All last week, I was working on taking spring photos of the children, which I share now. I'd like to have them printed into a framed montage.

John (13)

Mary (11)

Margaret (9)

Joseph (7)

Thomas (4)

David (2)

We were extremely blessed on Easter day that our parish allowed for Holy Communion Outside of Mass for groups of ten all day long. We all signed up via a SignUp Genius page, which made available 9 slots for communicants, with the last spot remaining for the priest or deacon who would perform the liturgy. The gym and the cafeteria (with separate doors) were set up in the parish and liturgy slots lasted 15 minutes each, so that the parish could accommodate as many as possible over the morning without violating governmental guidelines. More churches need to be getting creative, such as events like this or car Masses/services.

Easter 2020

Yesterday all of our irises were closed tight, but the first one bloomed for us on Easter morning!

We came home and I hid Easter eggs (before the deluge of rain was to begin) while Chris cooked our breakfast.

Kids ready to burst out of the front door!

Breakfast was served!

• Sr. Shubert cinnamon rolls
• Sr. Shubert sausage rolls
• Bacon and sausage
• Eggs (fried and hard boiled)
• Toast
• Strawberries and blueberries with homemade whipped cream

Then the children got to open their Easter gifts. Exceedingly poignant and precious was that Grandmom (currently on Day 14 of being on a ventilator with COVID-19) sent the children chocolate bunnies and an Easter card about three to four weeks ago (for me to save), so today she was still here with us, in a warm sense, even during this very trying time.

I am always moved to tears by the homemade gifts the children make for us parents and for each other.

One child made fabric on a loom to create bookmarks for both mom and dad . . .

One child spent two whole days stitching in the word "MAMA" (in various pastel colors) on this piece of fabric, then accented with a heart picture taped on. Melt my heart!

Another child wrote an absolutely excellent story for me called "Sofia's Easter Surprise" 8 pages long, double-spaced. The plot line actually made me cry, for real.

One bigger sibling gifted to David an old baby doll and sewed for the baby boy clothing. David is walking around, cradling it and kissing his baby doll.

One sibling made potholders and then sewed them into a purse for a sister and a pouch for a brother so they all have bags to take with them on their adventures.

Thomas (4) had been asking daily for me to teach him how to sew and I had said (daily) that we needed to buy fat plastic needles and "plastic canvas" (that's the Amazon search term--ask me how long it took me to figure that out!), so the boy was thrilled to find these in his Easter basket. "It's just what I always wanted, Mama!" He and I spent today's Quiet Time learning how to sew, painstaking stitch by painstaking stitch, requiring the patience of Job. I love this boy so much.

Mary (11) has been teaching herself German all school year, so she was given The Great Course on German (30 lectures and accompanying textbook/workbook) and she was so thrilled, she ran off and listened to her first lecture then and there. John was given professional juggling balls (one has to be precise picking size and weight), for which I think he has just the right kind of physical energy and comedic presence, and sent off to YouTube to start learning from videos. Margaret (9) and I are going to cross-stitch a floral triptych together (her gift) and Joseph (7) and I already spent time today having him read to me from his new set of Easy Reader books. David (2) and I together have assembled his new turtle puzzle about three times already. The turtle's eyeball is already missing.

Whole family gifts were pool noodles and goggles for the upcoming swim season, a new, recommended board game (Ticket to Ride), fantastic Dover coloring books, and new stationery since all the kids are writing letters feverishly to all their friends during this quarantine.

"Ticket to Ride"

Dover coloring books are the best.

Dover coloring books are the best.

Dinner was purchased this year due to uncertainties about Chris' mom and whether Chris would be needed in Atlanta at any time. Therefore, it was a much more relaxing Easter than some.

While different than from years past, it was a beautiful Easter and we are very grateful for our family, our children, our marriage, our brave priests, our stalwart bishop, and Jesus Himself.