The Wayback Machine

This gem of Sophie celebrating our return to in-person activities popped up in my Google Photos memories yesterday. I had no idea it existed before that. I can't believe it's already been two years that we've been back in person. It both feels like it hasn't been that long and that it's already been much longer. I'm so thankful for the inspired church leaders that gave us opportunities to watch church from home and had outside activities whenever possible. And I'm incredibly thankful that we kept to go to church in person now.

And this reminds me, it's time for us all to get our COVID booster shots.

From a Distance

My sister Paige and her daughter Emma drove out from Ohio to spend Thanksgiving with our brother Jordan and his family in Maryland. Because we're still isolating, we weren't able to go down to visit. Paige knew we'd been saving some clothes for Emma, so she made the drive up from our brother's house on Sunday to get the bag, knowing full well that we would need to stay outside and keep our distance.

I still managed to get some pictures of us together.

Round Two

These girls got their second dose of the COVID vaccine today! We are so thankful that the vaccine exists and that they are old enough to receive it!

Public Service Announcement: The Blog Is Safe

So here's something weird. I opened my blog tonight to respond to a comment and discovered it was blocked by the following message:

Maybe you saw this message as well. Baffled, I started doing some research. I've checked the security information on Google/Blogger and there are no security issues with my blog. The above warning can appear for two reasons: 1. if a Google scan detects it has been hacked, that it contains malware, or social engineering techniques; or 2. if someone reports the site for any of the above. 

I reported that my blog had been falsely flagged and finally found the tiny link that let me access my family record. Phoebe and Bryan also reported the false claim. It appears to have been returned to normal accessibility, except that as I started writing this it still had a small notice warning readers that my blog could be dangerous. These types of incidents can shut down a site permanently, which would erase a family record that I've kept since Cooper was two-months-old. That would be a devastating loss.

This has never happened in thirteen years of keeping this family history. It seems oddly coincidental that this appeared the day after I posted about Peter and Cooper getting vaccinated.

I hope this was an anomaly, that an automated Google scan flagged my blog for some reason. I really hope that my blog wasn't reported for being deceptive. There is a shocking amount of misinformation in the world about vaccines. I truly hope that I don't have to battle that misinformation here on my blog.

Just in case the blog was reported by a reader, let me give some insight into our choice to have them vaccinated (and our other children vaccinated when it becomes available to them). I shared this with a friend yesterday in a text and it seems an appropriate way to explain, so I'm quoting myself here:

They both got their first dose today. As soon as I saw appointments available for them, I signed them up. I'm in that part of the population that can't be immunized for something because of a reaction I had as a small child, so I understand your wariness. But I also know that I depend on herd immunity and every time I hear about a whooping cough outbreak, my anxiety increases because I know that I'm not protected against it. Since I know that stress, I decided it was important to get us all vaccinated to help those that can't be. And I read through the data from the advisory board's meeting yesterday. The vaccine was 100% effective in the trial group for this age range. That's amazing! Anyway, I'm not trying to sway you, just explain some of my thought process when deciding to get them vaccinated right away. Also, they haven't seen any friends in person in a very long time, and I'd like to give them that opportunity.

We understand that the youngest member of our family is at risk. There is a false belief that children can't get serious cases or die of COVID. I chatted with an old friend recently and learned that her mom, who is a nurse, watched a six-year-old die of COVID. That reinforced in my mind that we've made the right choice. We have done everything in our power to keep our family safe, and we will continue to do so. But, my goodness, it has been mind-bendingly hard. The vaccine is truly miraculous, an absolute gift from God, and we will count it as one of our blessings.

This blog has been a blessing to our family as well. We hope that we can continue to have access to it and use it to record our family history.

Vaccination Day, Teenager Edition!

After I got home from my vaccine appointment yesterday, I saw that the CDC was on the verge of approving the vaccine for 12-15 year-olds. In fact, one of our local hospitals had received extra doses in anticipation of the announcement. A friend shared a link to that hospital's vaccine appointment page, so I decided to see if I could get appointments for the two people at our house in this new age bracket. I figured if the approval didn't come, I could cancel the appointments.

Well, it came, and Peter and Cooper both got their first dose of the vaccine today.

Their arms are sore, and Cooper said he felt tired soon after, but that passed quickly. Cooper was so pleased with the sticker he got that he announced he was going to laminate it and make it into a pin that he could wear all the time.

Phoebe wished she was eligible for her first dose as well. She's still got to wait for a bit, but her chance is coming soon.

Vaccination Day, Part 2!

I received my second dose of the Pfizer vaccine today. I went to the same location where I got the first dose, at the same time of day. For the first shot there was no wait and there were only a few people there. This time there was a massive crowd of people and a thirty-minute wait. There was a traffic jam just to get into the parking lot and then a very long line once we were inside the building.

But I got through the line and got the shot, and that's the most important thing.

A wise friend counseled that I should drink lots of water and keep moving my arm to help prevent soreness. I've been doing both of those things and I feel okay so far. My arm is a little sore, but it's barely noticeable. We'll see how I feel tomorrow.

Being Brave

The girls and I braved the outside world and attended their first in-person Primary activity in over a year. On Saturday morning we wore our masks and took our box of chalk to the church parking lot. There were only two other girls, plus two leaders, there. The plan was to draw beautiful chalk pictures on the back sidewalk and parking lot of the church building for the members to enjoy the following day.

I decided to take the girls for two reasons: I was going to be there and could help them keep a reasonable distance from others that were attending (this was important since one little girl kept running over near where we were and the others at the activity weren't social distancing from each other at all) and because there is an unfortunate belief among some of the members of our ward that we are inactive and don't want contact. This is so completely untrue, we have attended nearly every virtual meeting that has been held. I wanted to show up to something in person to try and squash that rumor.

Phoebe and Sophie were both really anxious and uncomfortable about going. I had to give them pep talks on the drive there. Every time one of the leaders or other girls came over to see what Phoebe and Sophie were drawing, Sophie would back way up. I was glad she was being careful, but I also took a few minutes to show her how far away six feet was, rather than the twelve to fifteen she was moving.

There were stressful moments for our girls, like watching the others sit right next to each other in camp chairs at the beginning of the activity. But there were good moments too, like getting to see a good friend in person and at a good distance. And they did have fun being outside and drawing. Also, it was unseasonably cold for May 1st, so we were bundled up.

Sophie said this was a picture of Jesus, teaching in heaven.

Phoebe drew this moon and star-catching fishing pole for kids to lie on for a photo-op.

Sophie drew this picture of Jesus holding a Book of Mormon.

Just above Sophie's drawing, Phoebe drew a pathway with footprints on it and with an iron rod to one side. She wrote Stay on the Covenant Path on one side and Hold to the Rod on the other. The path ended at the Temple.

Sophie drew herself wearing the armor of God.

In the end, the girls were glad to have gone. 

After it was discovered we would be attending, one of the leaders texted me and said she was so glad we would be there and asked if it was okay if they didn't wear masks. I was so taken aback at the request that I didn't respond until the next day. After a year of not seeing us in person, and knowing how careful we've been and what a struggle it was to agree to come, I was kind of shocked that that would be their response. 

I greatly dislike feeling like I'm imposing on anyone, and I knew that by saying yes to wearing masks, that's exactly what I would be doing. But I finally worked up the courage to do it anyway. I said that I was under the impression that masks were required on church property and that that was in part why we said yes, but if that had changed we could sit out this activity as well. The individual replied that they would wear masks, and so we went. I had the impression that they were not pleased with my answer. I don't know what the mask situation will be like the next time they meet in person.

Awkward

Tonight I attended an outdoor Young Women activity (I'm the advisor for the younger class). As I awkwardly tried to participate from the periphery, they painted pumpkins and generally behaved as if there was not a global pandemic currently going on, mine the only mask in sight. Did I mention it was awkward?

When the painting was finished, they all gathered around a fire pit and talked. Some of the Young Women started complaining about how their backs and knees were so tired and sore. One of them said, "I know! Technically I'm 17, but my knees are old, like 40 or something!"

And that's when I called out from my socially distant spot on the darkened lawn, "Yay 40!"

It was awkward.