Chalk and Tacos for Easter

Photo Credit:  The Kallus Gals

Sunshines, I hope you all had a Happy Easter!  I’m thinking this one was unlike any of the Easters you’ve experienced and celebrated before.  It was for us.  Like you, we were just at home, quarantined with our “peeps.”  Where should we celebrate?  Hmmm…the living room, kitchen, or hallway?  It was a “QuarantEaster.”

Last week, I was so impressed and inspired by all of the chalk mosaics I saw on Facebook.  Honestly, it’s been a few years since we’ve had sidewalk chalk in our house.  So, on Friday, I made a run to town for chalk, tape, and…toilet paper.  Seriously.  We had two rolls left.  No hoarding over here!  I promise.

My son was fishing for our supper on Friday, literally.  He was in his kayak trying to catch some fish for Friday’s meal.  Otherwise, he could have been chalking it up with us!  My girls and I embraced the chalk art idea and got busy.  We taped and then we colored and colored and colored our little hearts out, while inching around on our chalky knees.

The finished product was absolutely beautiful!  We were full of smiles, joy, and chalk dust.  I took some pictures and shared it with a few friends.  One of them asked me how long the colors would last.  Hmmmm…honestly, chalk probably won’t last too long with the wind and a little rain.  In no time, the chalk mosaic would only be a memory.  But...an amazing memory it would be!

Easter Sunday arrived and it was different.  It was full of memories, but definitely different.  We started the day off with an Easter Egg scavenger hunt with rhyming clues.  I love that part!  Awesome Aunt Kerri had also secretly hid some extra eggs outside, during the night, for a bonus hunt.  Her eggs had money, little papers with jokes written on them, or candy.  My ten-year-old daughter was initially a grumpy bunny when most of her eggs were light in weight.  She was sure that she only got the jokes in her eggs.  Much to her surprise, paper money doesn’t weigh much either.  She was the lucky one who walked away with the riches this hunt!  What a fun memory.  How quickly that frown turned upside down!

A couple of the little jokes are too cute not to share:  “What is the soft tissue between a shark’s teeth called?  A slow swimmer.”  Ha ha!  “A dentist tells his patient that she needs a crown and she replies, ‘Finally, someone understands me!’”  Hee hee! 

After the Egg Hunts, we were blessed to watch Easter Mass together on Facebook.  Then, I asked the kids what delicious Easter meal they thought we could enjoy.  Ham?  Tamales?  Potatoes?  Roasted Chicken?  Nope.  Guess again.

My children unanimously picked…wait for it…Taco Bell.  Yes sir!  That doesn’t really surprise me at all since I ate my weight in Taco Bell and Mexican food during each of their pregnancies.  It was a Taco Bell QuarantEaster!  No cooking?  No clean-up?  Okay!  I’m in!  We drove to town, picked up our $65.00 order and came home to savor it.  With a $65.00 order at Taco Bell, I think we made their day a little brighter.  That’s a whole lotta tacos, ya’ll!  I think they closed for the day after we left.  Ha ha!  What a memory!

After eating all the Taco Bell, I took a long walk…I mean waddle.  While walking, I thought about the chalk mosaic and how it probably wouldn’t last long on the concrete.  I wish we could enjoy it just a bit longer.

During our normal pre-quarantine days, we all moved pretty quickly, didn’t we?  We made memories, yes, but in a fairly fast-paced motion.  Maybe this slow-motion time we have now will allow us the opportunity to really soak in the memories we’re making.  Maybe.  Just maybe.

This Corona Craziness seems to be lasting FOREVER!  Seriously.  However, I think there’s a great chance that no one living during this time will ever forget how they felt, the memories they made, the struggles they had, what they missed, who they missed, and the Easter of 2020 they had without their extended families.  Over here, we missed our Mimi, Pops, Nanny, PoPo, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephew, and cousins!  A lot!  A whole lot!

It will be the Easter where we had the theme… “Come as you are and worship from afar.” Some families watched their church services on Facebook in their pajamas.  Other families got all dressed up in their Sunday best to watch it online.  Some families had their traditional Easter dinner on a beautifully decorated table.  Other families had Taco Bell on paper plates.  Some families dyed Easter eggs and had Easter hunts.  Other families didn’t have much time together because they had to work on Easter Sunday.  We’re all handling this Rona Time in our own way and that’s okay.  We’re going to be okay.  I keep reminding myself.

It is the Easter where we could be superheroes just by staying home.  Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that we’d play a part in saving others by sitting at home.  Are you kidding me?!  I never read a book like that in my life!  This is not an ordinary superhero story.

Sometimes, I wonder where God is.  Hello?  God?  Are you there?  I got an extra taco for you!  Maybe even two!  Hello?  But, then, I remember that the teacher is always quiet during a test.  Okay, Lord.  I’ll be patient.  While I wait, I’ll try to be thankful and I’ll say Alleluia, for our Lord has still risen!  Thank you for the QuarantEaster and the time to really soak in the memories. 

I will always remember the Easter of 2020 for chalk and tacos.  The tacos were delish, but they are long gone.  And, the colors in our chalk mosaic won’t last long either.  But, the memories we made will last. 

Make some memories, Sunshines!  One day FAR, FAR, FAR down the road, we might even say, “I wish we could have enjoyed that time just a bit longer.”  Maybe.  Bye for now!

More Than Germs Can Be Hidden

Photo Credit:  hurley_gurlie182 from morgueFile.com

Well, hello there, Sunshines!  Yes, it’s been awhile.  I wrote my last Sips of Sunshine in November of 2018 to be exact.  My 13-year-old daughter said, “Uh, Mom, maybe you should write a Sips now.  With the quarantine, you have tons of time, ya know?”

So…here I am!  It’s Blurryday, the 50^th of Mapril, I believe.  Is it still 2020?  Because THIS 2020 is definitely not the 20/20 where I can see clearly!  Seriously.  Wow.

How is everyone doing out there?  Hello?  Hello?  Anyone there?  This is certainly new territory for all of us.  We haven’t been here before.  Boy, this terrain is rough!  The waters here are uncharted.  These paths are unbelievably bumpy, with so many unexpected twists and turns.  Welcome to the Corona Region.  We’re the first explorers to set foot here.  Yikes!  Can we go back…to ANYWHERE but here?!

Coronavirus, COVID-19, The Rona, CV, C-19, Corona…whatever we want to call it…it’s affecting everyone in some way.  For the first time in my life, I’ve seen a type of storm that every single person is having to weather.  Different places all over our world deal with hurricanes, tornadoes, drought, earthquakes, tsunamis, blizzards, floods, cyclones, and wildfires.  But THIS!  This Corona Storm has impacted us all.  No one is exempt.  No one.

What I have seen is a whole bunch of humans just trying to do their best.  I do know that.  There is not one right way or wrong way to do “The Corona Dance.”  We just dance the only way we know how.  We actually just make up the dance moves as we go along.  It’s freestyle.  We weren’t taught the moves beforehand.  Nope.  Not at all.

So, how exactly are some of us trying to dance “The Corona Dance?”

Some send funny Corona jokes and memes to cope with the stress.  Others watch the news non-stop.  Some gals put on make-up to feel halfway normal.  Others don’t even know where their make-up is.  Some ladies are still tweezing those random hairs on their face.  Others now have eyebrows that connect into a unibrow.  Some men shave like they always do.  Other men will be able to donate their beard to make a wig after this is over.

Some people shower each day and change their clothes.  Others stay in their pajamas for days at a time.  Some can’t stay at home with their families because they’re working the front lines to protect our families.  Others don’t have a job to go to anymore.  Some have toilet paper to last until the year 2030.  Others literally have one roll left in the cabinet for their family of four.  Some are learning to cook.  Others don’t have food to cook.  Some sleep all the time.  Others can’t seem to sleep at all.  Some have sanitized everything and everyone in their home.  Others can’t find any sanitizer on the supermarket shelves.

Some are quarantined with their family.  Others are in lock-down-mode all alone.  Some aren’t able to hold their new grandbaby.  Others aren’t able to hold the hand of a dying loved one.  Some are learning how to teach their kids at home.  Others aren’t able to stay at home to teach them.  Some long to be back in church to pray.  Others have said a prayer for the first time in awhile.  Some get a tingle in their throat and are frozen with fear that it’s Corona.  Others work in healthcare and are exposed everyday to Corona and every other hidden germ.

I could go on and on, but through this time of fear, loss, and the unknown; it appears that more than Corona germs can be hidden in all of this.  It seems to me that blessings are hidden alongside the germs.  Some of the blessings are easy to spot and others require a deeper look.  Let me just list a handful of the blessings:

• Store employees are working endless hours to keep shelves stocked for us and they’re allowing the elderly to shop first.
• Teachers and administrators are thinking outside the box to ensure their precious students have lessons and lunches.
• Priests and spiritual leaders are making sure our souls are still fed with live church services and Masses on Facebook and church websites.
• Health professionals are tirelessly caring for their patients, while putting their own lives at risk.
• Families are spending more time together and praying more, I believe.
• More conversations are taking place while sitting around a family dinner table.
• We’re realizing what we need and what we can do without.
• We’re slowing down, living a bit more simply, and leaning on God a little more.
• We’re making use of our God-given talents because we have the gift of time.  We’re sewing, making music, painting walls, doing woodwork, baking, and landscaping.
• We’re realizing the value of the wonderful people in our lives that we miss terribly and can’t wait to see and hug again!

Maybe the hidden blessing is that we’re finding new ways to show love, while being our perfectly imperfect selves.  We’re making what used to seem impossible…possible.  We’re trying to do small things with great love, but we’re just having to do them a bit differently than we’re used to.

An interesting thought comes to my mind.  Corona is the Latin word for crown. Hmmmm.  I read how the scientists named this virus for the way it resembles a crown under a microscope.  But, a crown also symbolizes victory, triumph, glory, and Resurrection.  Yes, Easter is coming up…The Resurrection of Jesus Christ!  I have a good feeling that Jesus has some beautiful plans that will come out of this Corona chapter of our lives.  I don’t know exactly what those plans are, but let’s keep looking for the hidden blessings…right alongside those hidden germs. 

More than germs can be hidden.

Hang in there, Sunshines!  I’ll pray for you.  Please pray for me.  Bye for now.

Dreams Are Meant To Be Shared

Dreams are meant to be shared,

Then, we won’t be as scared.

Some dreams are big and some are small,

Don’t be afraid to share them all.

God sends special people on our way,

For encouraging words; they will say.

When stumbling blocks slow us down,

Their smile can quickly change our frown.

Obstacles and problems will certainly come,

They’ll challenge us in ways we can learn from.

Those who love us want what’s best,

Negative vibes may come from the rest.

Take it step by step and follow that dream,

The journey can be long; it may seem.

Dreams may be old ones or maybe brand-new,

But, never give up; that’s not what we do.

If the dream’s not scary…is it really big enough?

Our adventure can be smooth and also can be rough.

Hope and trust that God will lovingly provide,

The people and strength we’ll need for the ride.

Shared is what dreams are meant to be,

Try sharing those dreams; it’s amazing, you’ll see!

Last week, I shared a dream of mine on Facebook.  This particular dream had come true and it was time to spread the news!  My dream came in the form of paper…8 inches by 10 inches to be exact.  Yes, I published my second children’s book, “Thank You, Hurricane Harvey.”  Woohoo!  Yippee!  Yeah!  

The outpouring of support, encouragement, and love fills my heart with joy.  Family and friends from near and far congratulated me and even passed along my great news to their friends.  I’m truly humbled by the generous amount of praise!  Wow!

So, Sunshines, if you have a dream, old or new; I encourage you to go for it!  You’ll be surprised and blessed by the people God sends to you when you need them…how you need them…and exactly where you need them on your path.

If you’re looking at sharing the gift of reading with your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, godchild, neighbor, or friend…then, please click on over to Amazon and order my new book for Christmas!  It’s available in both hard cover and paperback formats. Thanks so much!

Remember to share your dreams and have a wonderful week, Sunshines!  Bye for now.