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covid isolation

It has been a quiet month at our house.  I was the first to come down with the current covid virus, with Grandpa coming down the following week.  God granted us that timing so that we could take care of each other.  It isn’t very hard for 2 old people to lay around and watch tv while sick.  We were in our own home and had the help of our neighbors and nearby family.

The bigger challenge was for our kids and grands this last month.  They were “confined to quarters” for about 2 weeks when they were all healthy.  What do you do when isolated in 2 hotel rooms, away from home, with no room service, and you are not sick?  Fortunately, they were able to order take-out food.  They also had the internet, tv, and some books. But, they were “bouncing off the walls” mentally and physically.  They did crafts from the odds and ends of things found in hotel rooms and created games with materials that the take-out food was packed in.   Weekly devotions became daily devotions.  Exercise became jogging in place, pushups, and wrestling matches.

What have we learned?  First, it does take time to regain physical strength after covid.  Second, we can (and should!) be more adaptable than we want to be.  Third, we are very blessed to be able to grow through challenges.

What would you do if life as you know it was interrupted?  One of my favorite book series is “The Restoration Series” by Terri Blackstock.  It consists of 4 books: “The Last Light” – “Night Light” – “True Light” – “Dawn’s Light”.  These are not children’s books.  They are adult novels that challenge me as they deal with circumstances beyond our control that interrupt our pampered lifestyle.  For those of you who want more than that, you’ll also find some romance and murder mysteries in these books.



Corona Challenge #1

3/22/2020

We have now been through 12 weeks with our grandkids and the corona virus in China. So, we’ll share with you some of the things our friends have done to ease the burden and the boredom. Here’s one for this week – MAKE A FORT! Inside and/or outside, a fort can be a place of play and of comfort and it can be made out of an amazing variety of things. It can be changed every day to adapt to the needs of the family. Share pics of what you do with your friends and family to inspire and entertain them.



CORONA CHALLENGE #2

3/30/2020

MAKE A MASK

Is a mask helpful in reducing your chances of getting sick?  Yes!  But we have found most of the benefit comes from not touching your mouth or nose.  Our hands are constantly on things, including our faces, and it is often our hands that transfer germs.  Wearing a mask on a regular basis can help teach new physical habits.  Do you chew your pencil when you do your homework?  Or, do you chew your fingernails when you watch TV?  A mask can help with that.  If you wear a mask often enough, you may catch yourself trying to eat with it on.  That happened to Grandpa just a few days ago when we were finally able to eat out at the mall.

Grandpa trying to eat a cookie with his mask on.

Your family challenge is to make some kind of mask.  You can see from the photo below (yes, real people on the subway!) that people can get very creative when it comes to safety masks. 

Bottle mask in China on the subway.



CORONA CHALLENGE #3

4/5/2020

This video is a result of a family challenge activity that we did during our Corona Virus quarantine. The challenge was to do a 1 shot video commercial, no editing, approximately 1 minute long, and it could be on any topic. We found an OLD jar of bean paste in the refrigerator and wrote the script around it. We practiced before shooting 2 separate videos and voted as to which was the best one before sending it out to friends. Why not make your own family’s commercial to share with friends?

Click on the picture below view to our commercial on YouTube.

Bean Paste Commercial on YouTube

 

 



CORONA CHALLENGE #4

4/13/2020

PLAY “HOTEL BED”!
Either work on your own bed or choose names “out of a hat” to decide whose bed you work on.  Make that bed as creative and comfortable and neat as you can.  Do this once, or do it daily this week.  Each time you do it, offer a ribbon or a certificate or a small prize to the person who made the best bed.  Remember to share your results with family and friends!  Here are two samples for your inspiration:

Hotel Bed Challenge Example 1

Hotel Bed Challenge 2



CORONA CHALLENGE #5

4/19/2020

Write a song together. Here’s one from our family. It even has a dance you can do! Yours does not have to be about the virus. Remember to share your song with family and friends!

Click on the picture below view to our family’s song on YouTube.

Corona Challenge #5



CORONA VIRUS CHALLENGE #6

4/26/2020

This is a family challenge activity to do during your Corona Virus quarantine. The challenge is to find as many words as you can using the letters in CORONA VIRUS.  Here’s one way to do it:

Write out the letters in CORONA VIRUS.  Cut them into squares and place them in a spot where everyone can see and use them.  Place a sheet of paper and a pencil/pen next to the letters.  (Each person could have their own paper or you could share.)  As you have time, use the letters to make words then write those words on the paper.  How many different words can you find this week?  For a bonus challenge, see how many of the words that you find can be used in just one sentence or paragraph.

CORONA VIRUS



CORONA CHALLENGE #7

5/3/2020

The challenge this week is to do something that is amazing. Can you get your broom to balance by itself? Can you learn and do a magic trick? Can you do 50 pushups? Be sure to share your amazing feats with your friends and family!

Standing Broom



CORONA CHALLENGE #8

5/11/2020

The poetry below is a result of a family challenge activity that we did during our Corona Virus quarantine. The challenge was to express ourselves in poetry (Haiku form – 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables).  How do you feel about the virus?  How is it affecting your life?  Can you find both good and bad things that have happened as a result of this virus?  For this challenge, write your responses in either prose or poetry formats.  As an additional challenge, describe in 2 words what the inside of your mask smells like.  Of course, share your thoughts with friends and family!

Corona Challenge Poetry



CORONA CHALLENGE #9

5/17/2020

I pray that you have found the space and the heart to laugh and play during your virus adventure.  Your challenge this week is to find or make up jokes.  They do not have to be about the virus.  Here are some that we found:
What is the Corona Virus’s least favorite fabric?  Damask
What is the Corona Virus’s favorite part of a car?  The transmission
Which president’s name is the least favorite of the virus?  Washington
What happened when the Corona Virus was posted on Facebook?  It went viral
As a bonus challenge, what name would you give the virus?
Share your laughter with friends and family!



CORONA CHALLENGE FINAL

5/27/2020

So, you have been doing this “shelter in place” thing for quite some time now and I pray that you have figured out how to make each day and each week an adventure in togetherness.  May those habits continue to strengthen your relationships as you begin to venture out and as summertime begins.

Remember that you can ALWAYS clean out another drawer, make up a family dance, have a special dinner/dessert, challenge each other with a bake-off or a creative idea, read a book, or draw the longest picture in the world.  It takes work, planning, spontaneity, and an “eye for opportunity” to see the possibilities that are around you. As the adult, parent, or grandparent, make use of every tool you have to build the relationships around you.  You will be setting an example for generations to come!



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