Straight outta quarantine

Emma had close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID.  She had a test, but it was negative.   (They both were wearing masks; mask wearing works.)  Still, she was supposed to quarantine for 14 days.  Now, my girl is an introvert and likes being home where the people aren't.

Nevertheless.

It was hard on her.

She was starting to get a little stir crazy by the end of the second week.  So she wrote a song.  Who does that?  Emma.  It is maybe one of my favorite songs she's written. Angsty Emma writes well.

We invited her over for Taco Tuesday, then we extended the invitation to Braeden and Anna (with the ulterior motive of having Braeden help Adam and Mark move the new mattress out).  But the saga continues with the mattress and we're hanging onto it for a few more days until the new one arrives which we ordered online.  It's been a regular roller coaster.

Anna ended up not coming because she was drowning in work.  So relatable.  I set the table for five and it felt weird because despite the many years of setting the table for five, we are a family of six now.  We missed Anna.

I left work feeling stressed and overwhelmed.  I have what feels like more than I can do in the next two weeks.  We're going on a trip and before that I need to prepare for parent teacher conferences and make sub plans and plan for the week that we return.  I have an online student who is struggling to understand and I need to make time to address that.  Oh, yeah.  Also all the regular stuff....

Sitting around the table on the deck in the lovely warm but not too warm evening with our children was the perfect antidote for my stress.  They are all just a little bit funnier when they are together.  We laughed a lot and at one point I had to leave the table or spew my mouthful of Crystal Light all over.  When will I learn not to take drinks around these people?  They make me laugh, but will I survive it?  If you've ever heard Mark sing Garth Brooks' song Mr. Midnight (inexplicably one of Mark's favorite songs--no one has eclectic taste in music like Mark) while doing an impression of Kermit the Frog, you'll see why this life is a regular choking hazard.

After dinner Braeden filled air in his tires.  He said to Mark, "Want to help me, mate?"  And of course Mark did.  Braeden then hurried home to Anna because he is in love and that makes me happy.

I went to bed at peace with the world, grateful for a little respite with people I love.

Of course, I was awake again at 1:00 AM, my preferred time to fret and stew about life.  So I got a few more hours of anxiety in.  It's all about balance....