Apple Pie & Quarantine: Five things the “stay at home” order has taught me.

There is nothing more American than apple pie, at least that is what they say.  I have only made apple pie twice in my entire life.  I first made it for Thanksgiving last year.  Because it turned out better than most of my pie attempts and because I had plenty of time on my hands, I decided to try it again.  This time it was to celebrate the return of my missionary son from Costa Rica.  This reunion was not supposed to happen until July but, like everything else recently, it did not go as planned!  None the less, we are excited to have him home!!!  Because he came from a foreign country and had to encounter a few airports on his way home, he was asked to self-quarantine for 14 days.  That’s right, I did not get a hug until this morning and yes, even after him being home for 14 days, I still cried!!!  So what have we done in the last 14 days?  Same thing most of you have done, I’m sure.  Go to work when we have to, fight over the devices used for online homework, cleaned house, (my kids have loved that one), played games, talked, ate three meals a day together, and stayed home as much as possible.  Here are a few things I have learned during this “stay at home” situation.

1.  It is impossible to keep the house clean when there is more than one child home all day every day.  Most of you are already well aware of this.  I list it only to make myself feel better and to remind you to be more like Elsa and “Let It Go!”
2.  I can no longer blame my neglect of certain tasks on my schedule.  Now that I do have all the time in the world, I am still not doing those things I said I would do if only I had more time.  Who knew!!!
3.  Grocery store attendants, health care professionals, and teachers are more important than professional athletes.  Some of you may still not agree with me on this one, but let us just revisit the facts.  Would you rather be stuck at home with no sports on tv or with no food, and no one to take care of you when you get sick?  Not to mention with no hope of ever returning the responsibility of your child’s education to someone else!!!  Now that’s scary, at least for my kids!!!
4.  Maybe we are all too busy!!!  Most of the things we normally put as top priority time zappers have now been cancelled or postponed.  Have we missed running around like chickens with our heads cut off???  Not really!!!  (Yes, I have seen a chicken with its head cut off, and it’s not pretty!) I don’t know about you, but I am going to think long and hard about fitting ALL of them back in my schedule.
5. Everyone should know how to cook.   When I say everyone, I mean the four other adults or semi-adults that live with me.  Providing food for six people three times per day is fun for about a minute.  I am so grateful for a husband that likes to cook, and actually has time now, and kids that have learned a few things in the kitchen along the way.  Don’t worry, I’m not the kind of mom that makes my family do all the cooking.  I MADE THE APPLE PIE!!!  🙂