The end of an era

One thing this "shelter in place" has done is forced my family (and everyone else) to stay home.  None of us have any plans which quite frankly has been kind of nice - once I finally accepted it.  It is freeing to know that when someone asks me to do something, I know I can do it because I have nothing planned.  Mike, the boys and I started the playground project this weekend.  The boys are home to help us which has been really nice.  Jay has a great eye for landscaping and came up with several ideas for us.

This is the idea Jay came up with.  We tore up this part of the yard because the dogs peed in this area constantly.  We could not keep grass growing.  We put down mulch and Jay came up with the barrel idea for planters.

We took the grass plants from the playground and replanted them along the house.

Here are my boys pulling up the plants to replant them elsewhere.  It's kind of sad to see this go but it's been an eye sore for years (after we got rid of the actual playground).

Here's another one of Jay's ideas.  We have a beautiful tree that we had in the playground.  It turns bright red in the fall.  Jay suggested we move it to this spot.  I love it here.  We can admire it from the patio!

Nick and his dog.  These two are tight any day but during this quarantine they have been inseparable.  I don't know what Nick would do with his Cole.
Everyday I look for the blessings and even in this very uncertain time there are many of them.  I love witnessing the four of us together each and every night.  Now that the weather is nice we've been able to work outside together and it's very satisfying.  I am thankful Mike and I are still working and we are healthy.
There is still so much uncertainty.  Other states are staring to open back up, slowly.  I don't have a lot of confidence that our governor will open things up in Illinois.  The mayor of Chicago said recently we may be in lockdown until June!  It's comments like that I try to push aside because quite honestly I panic.  Often times I wonder if we are headed into a depression we've never seen before and the problems that come with that will be felt for years.  I worry about the health factor in opening the country back up but I also believe there has to be an element of common sense and personal responsibility.
I have felt lately that my prayers are selfish, almost desperate.  God knows what I'm going to say and what I'm thinking before I say and think it but it's something I'm struggling with these days.