Lots of things going on even as we observe social distancing

What is going on here??  I haven't blogged for ten days??  And I can't even say it's because I've been too busy.  The crazy thing is, I had it on my list for this past weekend, and at some point I crossed it off because I thought I had done it.  Is that pathetic or what?

So, because I use this as my diary, I will try to go back to the first weekend of April and figure out what I've been doing since then.   

But first a collage of pictures of our house in Spring.  I'm thankful that this quarantine is in Spring instead of Winter.  At least we have beautiful weather some of the time and the beauty of new life all around.

And here are the sky pictures I have taken in the past week or so. 

On Saturday, April 4th, something very exciting was taking place in Columbia, PA.  Destiny and Alex are expecting a baby at the end of August, and they had a Facebook Live gender reveal.  Of course, originally it was not going to be an online event, but Coronavirus has forced almost everything to be online, as you all know.  It was fun to be watching.  She had patched me and Frank and Lauren in with Google Duo so we could actually talk with her instead of just texting like everyone else.  And it's a boy!  

On Sunday morning, April 5, I woke up feeling very sad and actually a little bit mad.  I took some Snapchat shots for my Facebook post that day, lol!  I just missed being with grandchildren SO BADLY!!  And I could hardly stand it that Grandma Mary and Dad and Arlene can't have visitors except outside the window. 

We had our two online worship services that morning, but I really needed to get out of the house.  It was an absolutely beautiful day.  So first of all we walked through the Penn State arboretum.  There were very few people there, but at least it wasn't closed.  Not too much to see, but it felt good to walk in the sunshine anyway. 

The fountain pool was empty, but there were trees and a few flowers blooming. 

Then we drove over to Anthony and Lori's.  We stayed down on the patio and talked with them up in the screened porch.  It was really fun.  Dick and I walked around and then sat on the bench at the far end of the pond for a while.  The sun was so warm and therapeutic.  

Looks like we were "social distancing" lol!!  

Last Wednesday was another beautiful day and we went for a walk around our community after Dick got home from work.  

And then on Friday we woke up to this!!  It was really cold and windy that day.  I had to go for groceries and it truly felt like the wind chill was colder than it had been all winter!

Of course, just like everyone else, I'm not sure what to do about my hair.  It's past time to get more of the "brown" trimmed off.  It's not even brown anymore, but sort of reddish blonde.  My roots in the front are very white, but in the back I'm gray.  Did I say that last time?  I feel like I just wrote that somewhere, haha!  Here's a collage I made one day last week.  The brown haired picture was taken on December 28th.  I'm actually glad I started this journey to natural before the quarantine hit.  I would be having fits by now about my roots!  

GBRV had a Maundy Thursday service and also a Good Friday service, both online of course.  I play piano here at home, Pastor Calvin puts the lyrics on the screen, and everyone can sing along at their homes.  It's not a perfect system.  We use Google Hangouts and deal with constant feedback issues.  We try to advise everyone to turn their microphones off except for when they are speaking, but it's hard for some to figure out or to remember.  During one of the services I started playing the piano, but had forgotten to turn my mic on!  When I realized it I turned it on and we started the song all over again.  

One day I decided to reinstall the Acapella app on my phone so I could do a better job of "mixing" my vocal parts.   This was my first and only project so far.  It was actually pretty fun to do. 

On Saturday I painted a dozen eggs all by myself.  I was feeling sad to not have any children to do it with.  Dick took a picture of me, and I put it on Facebook.  WELL!!!  I could never have dreamed the conversation that picture would start.  Apparently at a quick glance, the white shoulder strap of my apron must have looked like a cigarette hanging out of my mouth - to a lot of people.  Oh, the comments and jokes!  They just got funnier and funnier as the day went on.  In the end I didn't feel sad at all because I laughed so much!  

On Easter Sunday morning we were up and ready for sunrise service at 6:30.  Using Google Hangouts means that we can see each other, so I couldn't really stay in my pj's!  

Afterward I said to Dick, "Hey!  We have a tradition of posting a picture of ourselves on the way to church on Easter Sunday wearing matching clothes!"  Well, he wasn't thrilled about changing.  He said, "I was about ready to take a twenty-minute nap."  I told him to go ahead and take his nap because it would take me at least that long to figure out what we would wear.  I had not thought at all about Easter clothes this year.  I decided that it was appropriate to do a more dressed down version of Easter this year.  Getting our selfie took about ten tries at least, but here we are.

At 9:30 we had our regular worship service, and then at 11:00 Calvary's service was on CalvaryLive.  We had to leave before that was over, because at GBRV we had a 12 noon appointment!  A lot of churches in the area were planning to ring their church bells for five minutes.  We were invited to come hear the bells and to at least see each other in the parking lot.  Dick and I parked in the cemetery across the road so I could get a better view for pictures and video.  It was beautiful outside!  And so fun to at least be able to call out and wave to others who were there.  

  

Then we drove to Mt. Nittany Hospital to see the signs that some ladies from church had put along the access road into the hospital.  

My big mission of the day was to safely deliver some Easter eggs to grandchildren!  In addition to the ones I painted, I also had put candy and dollar bills inside a bunch of plastic eggs.  

First of all we went over to Anthony and Lori's and once again talked with them from the patio.  Hunter is always ready for a conversation and kept bringing toys out to show us!  He told us he'll come to our house after the Corony virus!  I miss him so much!!

And here are both boys.  Did I say how much I miss them???

From there we drove to Duncannon.  I told Sam to make sure the kids understood that we would not be staying long and that we would be staying in the van.  It was so much fun, but hard.   I'm sure Sammy and Bianca have both gotten taller in the four weeks since they were last here.  Oh how I miss having them at our house!!!

Are they adorable or what???

And then we drove back home.  I felt so happy.  Every part of our Easter day was different than normal, but all of it was good.

From Portand we got this precious picture of Lincoln and Daniel.

Later in the evening I saw on Facebook that Anthony and Lori and the boys had dressed up for an Easter photo shoot.  Melt.  My.  Heart.  

And then to top off the day, we had a FaceTime chat with them which also included Lisa, George, and Sophie.  It was a perfect way to end the day!  

And now I'm finally caught up here!  I hope all of you are finding things to do and ways to connect.  I PRAY that we are going to be able to gradually get back to being together and doing business as we progress toward summer!  Lord, hear our cries!!!