A Strange Couple Weeks

The past few weeks have had some crazy moments. Distance learning was winding down, and so was our motivation.

Doesn't everyone jump in the trampoline with ice cubes?

We focused on our last couple weeks of school as best we could.

In between all the zoom meetings and tears over school assignments, there has been plenty of creative playtime.

We've had some crazy storms, but that didn't stop us from getting out for hikes and bike rides. My Dad has been great about coming over most days to do PE with the kids, social-distancing style.

 We finished reading Charlotte's Web and Pollyanna for school. (Lots of reading in the trampoline!)

And we joined the cousins for a "Fun Friday" picnic at the Sunset Whitney golf course trail.

 It was the afternoon after I got home from the picnic with the kids that Adam's back started hurting. At first he thought he had pulled a muscle, but he quickly realized it was kidney pain. Another kidney stone was traveling down from his kidney, and he was in tremendous pain. (I believe this was his 4th or 5th over the last 10 years or so). That Friday night the pain got so bad we ended up in the ER.

Adam was released, and back in the ER Saturday evening. Released and then back on Sunday. Released and then back in the ER for a 4th time on Monday. He was in some serious pain. Seeing him like that made me feel so helpless. I'm guessing the pain was comparable to labor, but without the breaks in between contractions. It was just constant agony, and the morphine, dilaudid, norco, and other strong pain medicines they gave him barely did anything to help. On Monday evening he was finally admitted to the hospital for a potential surgical procedure to remove the kidney stone (and the other 8 or 9 in his kidneys).

Adam ended up coming home from the hospital on Wednesday and not needing surgery....for now. He passed 2 stones that week! I spent many hours sitting in my car in the Kaiser parking lot, because I was not allowed to go inside with him. The whole experience was pretty awful, but I have to give a big thank you to all the grandparents for helping out with the kids, their schoolwork, and sometimes in the middle of the night when we had to rush to the ER.

Life at home continued on as usual (quarantine style).

 Jenna officially graduated from Pre-K!

 As well as homeschool TK!

 Swimming season began in style.....

 And we've been spending a TON of time in our backyard.

We put up some shade sails to prevent the plum cherries from falling on our beautiful handmade deck.

On Friday I decided we needed a fun family day to celebrate the start of summer, so we headed over to the American River.

We found a beautiful trail to walk along in Folsom, and it almost felt jungle-like underneath all the trees.

Okay, not so jungle-like under the overpass.

We then went to Beals Point at Folsom Lake for a picnic.

It was absolutely beautiful!

A nice breeze, fresh air, and a break from all the madness of the world.

We spent a solid two hours throwing rocks into the water. I'm not sure what these boys were talking about, but they spent a lot of time out on this rock.

Grandma Jan came along, and we all agreed it was a great day.

And then this weekend it just felt like the world spiraled out of control again. So much violence and injustice and sadness in our country right now. I'm trusting that God is still in control, even in the midst of all the chaos. I'll close with this beautiful video of local Bay Area churches singing "The Blessing": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLPDcqwdcto