Feeling Grateful
Today is day number 14 of our confinement, and day number 14 since we joined thousands of other travelers in Heathrow Airport and boarded a plane full of people heading to Salt Lake City Airport. We said goodbye to the rest of the senior missionaries we traveled with and took a plane to Phoenix.
In some ways it has been a very long time since that day two weeks ago. I'll never quite forget the feeling of sitting there in the Phoenix Airport feeling so lost. We didn't even have a phone to research hotels, which we were thinking about doing.
Through all of this is the horrifying idea that we could be spreading a deadly virus to those we love. I also was shrinking at the thought of being a burden on one of our children and their family. We had detailed instructions about how to self-isolate..... and isolate means ISOLATE. But how do you do that in a home with active children and active parents? How do meals work?....using dishes, touching dishes that everyone else uses and touches....bathrooms....using showers that everyone else use? It all seemed overwhelming.
I should have been more trusting, should have listened to the small voice that whispered, "It will be alright."
It has been more than all right. What Erin, Ethan, Melissa and Derek T. have done for us has been nothing less than miraculous. This large basement apartment with fairly high ceilings is spacious and well-lit. We are alone with no worries about how we are impacting anyone else. It is such a blessing.
Erin and Ethan took our phones to Verizon this week and got new sim cards and activated them. Another huge blessing. I am unsure how we came to this point - but cell phones are quite a necessity it would seem, and I am so grateful to have them.
Derek T. called this week to say they can get by without the extra car, and are letting us take it. We don't anticipate doing much at all that requires transportation, but just knowing we can go for a ride every once in awhile is truly a blessing.
Visits at least every other day from the Taylors and Allens bearing gifts of food or other supplies are a treat on so many levels.
Today, Melisa came by and asked us to follow her to the car. We did, and there was another car behind hers. As we neared Melissa's car, the one behind slowly pulled up and past waving British flags and honking. It was a family from our Gilbert Ward...followed by at least a dozen other cars waving and waving welcome home signs and shouting out warm messages to us. They honked as they drove by, did a u-turn and then drove home. We both stood in tears. It was such a sweet thing. The last car was Derek and Heather and their children, on the last day of their quarantine....they are all well too.
Most of all, even with these marvelous things that our daughters have done for us, is the fact that we are healthy. Somehow, we made it through all of the activities - hugs, handshakes and crowds, and have not gotten sick. For that we are so very thankful.
We will continue to isolate as much as possible, just going out once in a great while for a drive. In the meantime, our children have said they will get whatever we need so that we don't have to be out near anyone who might transmit the virus to us.
We feel profoundly blessed.
In some ways it has been a very long time since that day two weeks ago. I'll never quite forget the feeling of sitting there in the Phoenix Airport feeling so lost. We didn't even have a phone to research hotels, which we were thinking about doing.
Through all of this is the horrifying idea that we could be spreading a deadly virus to those we love. I also was shrinking at the thought of being a burden on one of our children and their family. We had detailed instructions about how to self-isolate..... and isolate means ISOLATE. But how do you do that in a home with active children and active parents? How do meals work?....using dishes, touching dishes that everyone else uses and touches....bathrooms....using showers that everyone else use? It all seemed overwhelming.
I should have been more trusting, should have listened to the small voice that whispered, "It will be alright."
It has been more than all right. What Erin, Ethan, Melissa and Derek T. have done for us has been nothing less than miraculous. This large basement apartment with fairly high ceilings is spacious and well-lit. We are alone with no worries about how we are impacting anyone else. It is such a blessing.
Erin and Ethan took our phones to Verizon this week and got new sim cards and activated them. Another huge blessing. I am unsure how we came to this point - but cell phones are quite a necessity it would seem, and I am so grateful to have them.
Derek T. called this week to say they can get by without the extra car, and are letting us take it. We don't anticipate doing much at all that requires transportation, but just knowing we can go for a ride every once in awhile is truly a blessing.
Visits at least every other day from the Taylors and Allens bearing gifts of food or other supplies are a treat on so many levels.
Today, Melisa came by and asked us to follow her to the car. We did, and there was another car behind hers. As we neared Melissa's car, the one behind slowly pulled up and past waving British flags and honking. It was a family from our Gilbert Ward...followed by at least a dozen other cars waving and waving welcome home signs and shouting out warm messages to us. They honked as they drove by, did a u-turn and then drove home. We both stood in tears. It was such a sweet thing. The last car was Derek and Heather and their children, on the last day of their quarantine....they are all well too.
Most of all, even with these marvelous things that our daughters have done for us, is the fact that we are healthy. Somehow, we made it through all of the activities - hugs, handshakes and crowds, and have not gotten sick. For that we are so very thankful.
We will continue to isolate as much as possible, just going out once in a great while for a drive. In the meantime, our children have said they will get whatever we need so that we don't have to be out near anyone who might transmit the virus to us.
We feel profoundly blessed.
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