In many ways, this is the Best of Times

Now, I'll admit. I am fortunate. I have a full house of interesting people to love me and interact with me while we are locked away.  Just down the street is my parents. We have considered our houses as one and do not stay away from each other. But almost all other contacts, except the occasional doctor or grocery shop is gone.

And yet, it has not been all that bad.

I got my son back. My 19-year-old came home from college, moved his computer back to the living room. He has been cooking and being the driver for events. He has been there to help things run smooth, even as I spend hours a day helping him finish his college classes. He won't listen to the on-line lectures- so I get to step in and work with him on those items he misses. He is dedicated to maintaining his 3.8 GPA.

So we have all 8 kids home all day, every day. They spend a lot of time playing games together (many video/computer games). The little ones play hide and go seek and other games. We spend time every day playing fetch with dogs and pushing the littles on the swing.

We spend time every day watching something humorous together- laughing together. Our house wasn't built for a large family, so all 10 of us spend most of our waking hours sitting in the same room.- and we talk, we laugh, we confer together. What do we make for dinner? What groceries do we need? What do we name the baby?

Yes, we are expecting #9. And things shut down the week I called in sleepy to work on Monday and by Thursday I went to work and came home less than 1 hour later as news spread that we were social distancing at work. However, I haven't really worked from home. I have played. I have slept, helped with homework, scrubbed my own bathroom (our housekeeper is social distancing too). We made cookies together, popcorn balls, dinners (I think Nailed-It should have families goofing up together).

As church shut down, we started holding it at home; discussing the lessons, the readings. My boys who are too shy to participate in the sacrament at church, do so at home. My 9-year-old has learned to read- his tutoring went on-line. I am so glad we only have 3 kids with any on-line classes to try to balance. The first 10 minutes of every Zoom meeting is getting the technology to work.

Now my new reader sits on the couch reading some of the day. I can see his mouth sounding out some words.

When we do go out, it is more challenging, besides the normal struggle of finding shoes, we have to find masks. Everyone has their own. So far the only place the littles have gone have been to the chiropractor. We have kept our monthly visits, even as the dentist had to cancel all of theirs.

My parents have been an Angel for us. On Saturdays, they will often take the kids and we get a few hours of quiet to regain our sanity.

Yes, there are lots of big world problems to worry about, and I live a charmed little life. But I am so enjoying the time at home. Family time is the most precious thing we have in the world.