Well, on Friday night I was trying to do some last minute prep for Conference, and write down the things I was pondering about. But before I could do that I needed to catch up my journal and write out all the things that had happened in the preceding few weeks. That took a long time. Maybe I'll just open my journal and copy all that into here. Ha!
So I started my journal by talking about the virus and how there's no toilet paper.
Carnival cancelled our cruise three days before we were to board. We started paying for that cruise last July and were supposed to go Monday, March 16. We are so sad. It was going to be so fun for our family. All we could do was fill out forms online and wait for them to be processed. I tried calling Carnival and also Orbitz, who we booked flights with, but the phone lines were so jammed with people calling we couldn't get through. I tried online chat, and they said someone would answer me int 10 hours! So I think we may have officially lost thousands of dollars. I don't think we'll get anything back from Orbitz. And who knows what will happen to Carnival. Will they go bankrupt trying to reimburse people?
The stinger for me is that I poured most of my earnings from my work into that trip. It kills. And there's nothing I can do. But I still feel like we're supposed to try to go on that trip. I hope we can someday.
So Jeremy went to work when we should have been on that cruise. And then things started to get even more crazy.
I didn't have work that week because it was spring break. That week the governor announced that all schools would be closed for an extra week. Prenda wouldn't really be affected because our classes are so small. Then he announced that they'd be closed until April 10. I figured, fine, I'd just try to do remote school until then. Now, the rest of the school year is cancelled, but teachers are still supposed to teach remotely however they can. I miss my students, but week 1 of remote school is in the books. Hopefully any of my students did anything so I can get paid. I really worked hard on the lessons I made trying to make things easier for the parents, but at the end of the day, they're still parents and have other things to do and multiple students.
And in the middle of all that school nonsense the Church announced that it was sending home any missionaries with health problems, along with all missionaries serving in Africa, India, Thailand, and a few other Asian places. Well, the ones in South Africa stay, but everyone else is going home. Also, South America and Mexico. All the missionaries are supposed to be reassigned to their home country to serve there.
So yes, this means Hyrum was sent home, but not without drama! (Not drama on Hyrum's part. He's been happy and upbeat through the whole thing.) So he was told in the middle of spring break (like the 18th) that he'd be going home. A few days later they were told to just stay home and be ready to be called to the mission home at a moment's notice to start the journey home. Eventually, he got an itinerary. He was supposed to go from Accra to London to Denver to Phoenix, I think arriving March 25. Then a few days later those plans were out the window because Ghana closed its airport and borders. So basically everyone was stuck. But then the US was able to do something diplomatic and arrange to get all US citizens to Washington, DC. He boarded a plane, which took off 3 hours late, on March 25. They were told to wear civilian clothes and no name tags so it didn't look like they were protesting the borders being closed or that the US was "saving" them. Gotta keep good diplomatic relations.
Anyway, they landed March 25 at Dulles in Washington, DC, too late to catch the flight out that night. The church put Hyrum and like 300 other missionaries in a nearby hotel. He called us from the hotel and was SO happy about carpet on the floor and a hot shower. Also, they fed them a LOT of pizza.
In the meantime, we had no idea when he'd fly out or when he'd get to Phoenix. Nobody knew. Nobody was getting updated travel plans from the church or the mission. The moms were frantic. At one point I had to turn off notifications from two of those four Facebook Messenger groups people added me to because those moms were too frantic and crazy, and they were me making me feel that way! (I should add, that, though it got crazy there for a while, I've been so grateful to have those ladies in my life. They're good people, and it's bee such a comfort to have someone who I could relate to. I don't know what I'd have done without them.)
Benji built a bunk bed in the 3 little boys' room all by himself, and we moved Jill back in with them, so now we have enough beds.
And ya know, even though it was all scary and frustrating, I cans see how God blessed us. Because I work for Prenda I got a paycheck just in time to pay for a new bed and mattress, which got here just in time. Hyrum was safe and happy. We had money to get to Phoenix to get him, and to have food for the next week.
So on the morning of March 26 after a second sleepless night filled with Messenger dings from Hyrum and crazy moms, we got on the road before 7:30. We drove to Susie's house and dropped all our children off there. All this "social distancing" is going on, trying to slow the virus so they can find a cure. And for that reason, it's not a good idea to bring lots of people to a crowded place. So just Jeremy and I drove to the airport. His plane arrived around noon. We waited with some of the crazy moms. Ha ha!
And there came Hyrum with his fugu (a sleeveless Ghanaian shirt with pockets) over his white shirt and tie, and his big straw hat. I gave him a big hug. And cried, ya know. It was so great. And then we grabbed his luggage and off we went. we went to In-N-Out to get burgers and fries, and Hyrum commented on how clean everything is in the US, and how un-crazy the drivers are. And it was cold to him. Yummy lunch! Then we got our kiddos and went home, but first a few of the boys helped Chaz, Susie's boyfriend, get ready to sell his house. He's selling and moving back with his parents. And then eventually, he'll marry Susie and move in with her. It doesn't make sense to have two houses. ;) That's the plan. (I like Chaz. He's a really good guy.)
We stopped at Grandma Burk's house on the way home for dinner. (Yeah, I know. Social distancing out the window. Jeremy set all this up, and I was grateful to not have to worry about what we were going to do. I felt bad not seeing Jennifer too, but they probably are smarter than us and would prefer to keep their distance.)
And then we came home. I made Hyrum's bed, and then we put him in it and went to bed ourselves.
It's been so nice having my family together again.
My parents were released from their mission to Independence, Missouri as records preservation specialists and are now in limbo, unsure of when they can go back. Hyrum was released on Wednesday night (April 1) over the phone. He will eventually be sent out again. He actually arrived home right as he was finishing his first year. Lots of missionaries in the US who have been out 18 months or more are being released as well. But right now missionaries all over the US are in quarantine. Hyrum and thousands of others like him are in limbo for now.
Also, because he traveled he has been doing a two-week quarantine. We're all just doing it with him. Jeremy's been working at home. He'll go back to work next Thursday when the quarantine ends if he can. I think he can.
Grandma Burk took this picture of Joshua.
Yeah, he's been growing his hair out. He thinks that since I bought him a brush that's authorization for him to keep at it. No. It's just that I wanted him to stop using my brush. Ha ha!
The little guys ran upstairs and grabbed every blanket they could find and wrapped Benji up in them, rolling him back and forth. He got so wrapped up he couldn't roll himself anymore. Ha ha!
We went for a walk on St. Patrick's Day.
Jill brought her scooter, and the little boys took turns with it.
My new dress arrived. My mirror is terribly dirty. I ordered this one from eShakti for Emily's wedding, but now that's postponed. I've had fun wearing the dress, though, but I do wish I were a smaller size, and that the gym was open so I could work on that on the treadmill. ;)
Hyrum asked for this picture. Some of my pictures are missing, and I don't know why. :(
New peach tree
Jeremy bought me daffodils. I love daffodils! I was having a hard day, and he bought these to brighten my day. :)
Henry got mud on his feet, so he kept trying to kick the water as Jeremy watered. XD
Bubby pulled weeds. We have a lot of weeds right now. Jeremy kind of likes the diversity of plants we have, though. ;)
Jeremy dug up some of the grass that was growing pretty sparsely anyway and planted corn. The kiddos put some of clumps of grass in cups and then left them to die. Ha! I'm sure that wasn't the original idea, but that's what happened.
This is an old Burk campout shirt. It was Benji's, and then Michael's, and then Timmy's, and then Bubby's. Now it's too holy and stained to keep. So I took a picture and threw it away.
Joshua turned 18. He asked for banana cake (Yum!) with chocolate frosting. I smacked it all over to make it look fancy. It doesn't look as fancy with the candle holes in it. ;)
Birthday shirt - it's a Dark Souls shirt (his favorite video game).
That's a little speaker on top of that pile. Since then I've had to listen to all sorts of strange music. ;)
Who doesn't need nun-chucks?
New sweat pants
Sketchbook
I don't remember what this was, but my favorite thing that I got him arrived a few days late. It's a kalimba. I love hearing him play it! He plays that and the dulcimer now, and I like it.
Bubby's bed head on a Sunday morning
Benji making beef with broccoli
This boy loves to cook.
New bunkbed
Social distancing and still posing for a picture at the airport. Kristine Maddock in the middle and Lorena Seeley on the right. We were all just barely tall enough for this flag. Ha!
Here he comes!
Elder Burk with Elder Maddock (from Prescott)
Got my hug.
It was "cold." ;)
They opened the door at Susie's house and attacked him with hugs. ;)
Benji actually got a sore back from this demonstration of manliness. ;)
Benji wins. (He's officially taller.)
Jeremy was tired.
We have lots of these pictures of Jeremy carrying Susie on his shoulders. It's funny. I wish I knew how to find them all.
Because he was dressed up he couldn't stand his scruffiness. He decided he had to shave right then and there.
And then we may as well do pictures at Grandma's house.
Here are pictures Hyrum sent me. This one is at Dulles in Washington, DC with Elder Maddock on the left and Elder Robinson on the right. Poor Elder Robinson's parents weren't in the crazy mom group, so they didn't know he wasn't coming on the night of the 25th. They emailed around to try to figure out new flight plans. I felt so bad for them!
Elder Maddock was wearing the suit he'd just got to surprise his family. I almost spoiled the surprise by sharing pictures!
Burk and Maddock
These two arrived in Ghana with the same group. Pretty cool. This is getting ready to leave Accra.
Maddock, Burk, Robinson, and Seeley in Dulles
I think this is at the mission home.
Dulles
Accra (These are horribly mixed up, I know!)
Civillian clothes leaving Ghana. Missionary clothes leaving Washington, DC.
Proof that Elder Robinson made it. (We were worried there for a bit.)
Hyrum on the far right with Elder Sanders talking to them at the mission home. Those stairs in the back left are where they take pictures of all arriving and departing missionaries.
