2020, March 1-15

The first two weeks of March were the last "normal" weeks of the year. The weather finally started getting warm enough for Eliza to ride outdoors.

Eliza competed at the Epic Invitational in Draper, Utah. We sat with most of the parents from her ream and her old Coach Marissa.

After Eliza's meet Mike headed back to Provo to teach and Hallie took the kids to the Ogden Fairgrounds to Landon's State Meet. As the day progressed Hallie was feeling worse and it felt like the longest day. Landon's meet was two days and so Mike took the kids the second day so Hallie could rest. 

By Sunday, Landon was feeling sick. Mike took Eliza to church to give her talk. Turns out this was also our last week at church due to the stay-at-home measures that started getting implemented the following week.

Granny O. sent cards for St. Paddy's Day, adding to the greenery in our window sill.

Grandpa O. sent some Trump-themed building sets. The kids built a wall and a border guard set.

After Hallie and Landon got sick, Mike also came down with whatever they had along with the same ear ache he'd had since back in February, which a third doctor diagnosed as a collapsed Eustachian tube requiring yet different medication. Was what the illness that got the three of us at the end here? Was it Corona? A cold? Allergies? Who knows? Regardless, by Friday, March 13, we were well into the nation-wide drama around the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of February, Hallie reported that people had started hoarding toilet paper and water from local stores. By March 6, Governor Herbert had declared a state of emergency, and confirmed cases were being reported. Church meetings were canceled on March 12, and March 13 was the kids' last day at school preceding a "soft closure" of indeterminate length.