In Preparation

Ten minutes.

I stood at the wall mounted corded phone for ten minutes.

In between listening to a recording detailing the hotels amenities I heard clicks; the only consolation I had that someone would be with me soon.

The email finally came: SOCCER TOURNAMENT CANCELED.

It was with great relief I picked the phone up to cancel our hotel.  Apparently, everyone else got the same email about the soccer tournament and were doing the same thing. 

I crossed off the items on my “To Do” list as I no longer had to do them.  I unpacked what was packed and moved three jugs of water to the garage for later travels. 

The emails kept coming.  Bobby’s weekend long basketball tournament: CANCELED.  Practices for the next two weeks: CANCELED.  We even got an email from the school alerting us to be prepared for the schools to close in the coming days.  All learning will be completed independently online.  And although homework is a nightmare to Declan (to him, all schoolwork is done AT SCHOOL, and when he is home, he gets to do HOME stuff), at this point, I’ll take it.

I’m not sure if it was that all the professional sports teams are suspended, the kids schedules being canceled, all the COVID-19 emails, that there is no March Madness this year, that Tom Hanks tested positive for CV – maybe the combination of it all – but now Bob is taking the virus more seriously.

Not only is he washing his hands every hour, he is also taking the kids to the sinks every hour for a good washing.  Again, I’ll take it.

Of the three kids, Bobby is the one most affected by the virus.  He is somber, quiet with each new cancelation or someone testing positive.  And although he says he’s okay after each one of our talks, I still sense his concern.

In the midst of all the cancelation emails yesterday, I, along with everyone else in my town, went to the grocery store.  Whole shelves emptied.  Freezers emptied.  I was able to purchase the items I needed, but still feel that I am missing something that I didn’t know I needed because it wasn’t there to remind me.  Although, I have no idea what it could be.

The county next to ours is currently shut down with 13 confirmed cases of COVID-19, numerous others in their county in quarantine.  It’s just a matter of time until we will do the same.  And that’s okay.  We will be in our disinfected house, washing our hands until they fall off.

The one thing I can count on when it comes to a big event, is that someone somewhere out there is going to make a funny meme about it.  So far in our house, Bob and I have had the fun of sharing them back and forth.  I imagine in the weeks to come, as we sit in our house as a family, this is how we will be spending our time.  Staying healthy, not spreading germs, laughing at the memes.