Kris's Covid Pandemic Blog

 Job interviews are strange animals in the best of times. Job interviews by Zoom are beyond weird. I wore a skirt and a nice shirt. Josh laughed at me. But somehow it put me in a better mood and made me feel better prepared even though I know they couldn't see it. There was a 4 person interview team. At least 2 of them looked like they were doing it from home. No one was wearing a mask so maybe they all were. I admitted to doing my research by peeking into library windows when it was closed. I'm sure they found that amusing. It was harder than it even normally is for me to keep from talking over them. It was day 1 of their interviews so I don't even know if I was the first person or what. They seemed to have their act together. Of course, I'm sure they do this a lot. They expect at least one more round of interviews, probably more, so we'll just have to see. I knew it would be competitive. I was emotional after...I don't know why. It's been a long time since

 One of our favorite road trip destinations and we haven't been there in such a long time. It was good weather for it. The back road into Bellingham takes you from absolute farm country to stunning ocean vistas to small town and quaint in about 20 minutes. We didn't even have to do much when we were there...pop in an antique store, wander in the park. Just being on a road trip with my family to one of our favorite destinations was so close to normal...and also not. I did some spying on the library with whom I have an interview tomorrow. Hard to know how to feel about that one but I'm mostly excited. Very early in their hiring process so we must not put the cart before the horse. Media consumption: I finished King and the Dragonflies and wish it was a little better, although it was quite good it had more potential. Started the author's newest YA book Felix Ever After...so far it feels pretentious but I have high hopes for it going forward. Today I'm grateful for view

 Finding new ways to fill the days is very hard. I adore my kids for their creativity. Despite the fact that I spend my days fighting with James over picking up Legos, there are worse things than creative kids. Josh rearranged the basement and we have one of those new easy pickup Lego bins now so those two things should help. I'm getting cards in the mail from church people about the talk I gave the other day. I'm so glad it speaks to them. I wish I was good at taking my own advice. Tomorrow I get to go on a kid free walk and have a book group. That pretty much feels like a week in Aruba in this current climate. People from around the country are starting school and reports are it is somehow harder this year than last. I need to sit down and spend some time looking at the info the school has sent and also take James on a back to school supply shopping trip. Those things should help both of us feel more prepared. Josh is still interviewing like crazy and is going to have to make

 I gotta go to bed so this will be as advertised. Having a toddler who is iffy on sleep means mom gets to choose between time to herself to do things like blog and reflect...or sleep. Because the day starts at 7 regardless of when I go to bed. I'm popping on here because I want to record an image that I saw today on our Take a Mini Road Trip Because the Baby Needs a Nap and Daddy Has a Job Interview drive (patent pending, thank goodness for big kid audiobooks.) We were driving through a fairly small town not incredibly far from here and there's a dirt and sometimes paved trail running next to a river running next to the road. Gorgeous late afternoon, this week's heat wave has lifted and I saw something I want to keep in my head because I want to do some writing about it. Across the road from an old farmhouse, sitting on the trail were a couple in wheelchairs. Just sitting, side by side, watching the old house and the field behind it and the cars going by...more than usual b

 Well, in the church Zoom meeting, anyway. I agreed to do the reflection on the Lord's Prayer for Sunday. Having just gotten to preparing it now, I have lost the directions so I'm not entirely sure what I'm supposed to do, just the passage I am supposed to reflect on. I believe they call that winging it. So I'm gonna write my draft here and see how it goes. It will also tell you about my day, how convenient. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm afraid of heights. I used to think I was afraid of flying, but I confirmed this week that I am, in fact, afraid of heights. I confirmed this while riding in the passenger seat of our Subaru Forester climbing a dirt Forest Service road up a mountain. Here's a tip: if you are trying to find the Snoqualmie Tunnel, don't ask Google Maps. It doesn't know. I found myself holding onto the little plastic handle above the car door.

 I'm exhausted...too much sugar, too much everything, so I plan on this being short. Max's birthday was so fun. A social distanced baby class reunion, then Grandpa came up to see him (he adores Grandpa,) then he napped for like 3 hours (which is why he's still awake, Daddy has him now,) he got bookish presents including bath toys for the bath he so desperately needed (mama knows her stuff,) and he loves cookies so instead of a cake I made a giant cookie for dessert (it is for real huge.) But all of that is not the thing I want to most remember. The thing I want to most remember about today was a moment when Josh was finishing up making dinner and I was outside with the kids. James has been happy today but also a bit of a jealous monster, you know, this will happen, but in that moment when he didn't think I was watching he leaned over and said very quietly to his brother, "Max, happy birthday, buddy." Jealousy happens but that little moment of love between my b

 Wow, it has been a bit since I posted and I missed it. Apparently, the last 2 weeks were the busiest of the summer. Busiest of the quarantine. Busiest of the pandemic to date. And I think we won't be nearly as busy for awhile. I was reading through what I last wrote so I can give you a quick update of what's happened since then. My sister and I did in fact watch Hamilton and it was much more fun than I was expecting. It won't win as my favorite musical ever but I liked the West Wing shoutouts and the characters, if not always historically accurate, were a lot of fun. The family left as scheduled Sunday morning and they arrived home to Denver Tuesday night. Other than being on the tired side, no one to date seems much the worse for wear, knock on wood. I haven't seen my dad since they left, hoping to see him tomorrow for Max's birthday. I'm sure he needed time to rest as well. Tuesday morning I left for a little mini vacay with a couple of my best friends. We ha