Phase 3: Slowly re-entering the world

On May 29, Illinois started Phase 3, which means a few more things are open (non essential stores), people can gather in groups of 10 or less, restaurants are open for outdoor dining, and we are slowly re-entering the world.

This girl has really taken to reading, which you know I love.

We've been out in the yard a lot.

I got to go to Mass last Thursday, which I was so very excited about. Only 10 people per Mass were allowed, but this coming Sunday we can have mass with 30% of the capacity, so Vivian and I are going at one time and Elisabeth and Julia are going at another time. We're going to wait a bit to try all going together, probably once we hit Phase 4.

We're playing with neighborhood friends again. Strictly outside, but it's been nice for the kids.

We watched the SpaceX and Nasa launch which was exciting!

We now have some space enthusiasts in the house.

On that same day as the space launch, we had our driveway resurfaced, and, quite honestly, the boys couldn't decide which was the most exciting thing to watch.

This weekend our neighbor turned 7 and he had an outdoor party with the neighborhood kids in attendance. David is a bit of an introvert and enjoyed the party from our front step.

Thomas decided to color on the new driveway before he was really supposed to and was FURIOUS that we dared to tell him to stop.

Sunday Dinner Party last Sunday:

Watching the neighbor use a power washer and wishing we had one, too.

We the Lewises over for an outdoor play date, which I needed so much.

Mainly because I miss seeing my Godson weekly.

But, what has really been on our hearts and minds, what we can't stop talking about and praying about, is the civil unrest. The grotesque police brutality that has led to protesting and rioting. The black people crying out for the racism in this country to end, to be heard, to quit silencing them, killing them.

I'm not sure how to talk about it in this space without sounding trite or stupid. I'm not sure how to document this time. 

What I do know is that in our house, when I feel like I don't know enough or am ill-equipped to teach my kids truths that I need to be teaching them, I turn to books. I've pulled books off of our shelves I already own to re-read, to give to Elisabeth to read, to loan to anyone who asks. I'm pulling books off the shelves for the younger kids to read, to look at, to absorb. I'm checking out books at the library, ordering books being recommended, buying books I've been meaning to buy that have been on my list for years and I've just never bothered to actually buy.

2020 is already a historic year, and we're not even truly half way through it yet, with an election coming in November, the first election my oldest will get to cast her vote in, and I am sure as hell not going to keep make it so my kids don't remember where we stood on matters of humanity. That I'm putting my money where my mouth is when I talk about being Christ like, about helping others, about growing our empathy, about standing up for others. How I do it may not be by protesting in the streets or writing empowering words, but it will be by starting in my home and modeling love. 

Here is my current read:

I have a whole stack of books that I feel led to consume and consume quickly so that I can have conversations and have some knowledge in my head when I have conversations with my kids about racism, about revolutions, about making a change. Growing is hard, both physically and mentally. It's uncomfortable. But, as I always tell my kids, words I read a long time ago that have led me to keep learning, to parent better every year I am a parent, "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, you do better." -Maya Angelou