Hey you!

It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other at school/the store/church/the park! I hope you and your loved ones are healthy and well!

Here’s an update on us: The kids have all been home from school for four weeks now. I can’t praise the teachers enough—we hit the ground running with distance learning almost immediately after schools closed, and my boys are all moving forward in their academics, from the kindergartener up to the high school sophomore. That blows my mind, and is a real testament to just how much the teachers have their act together (even though I’m sure they’re feeling just as discombobulated as I am!). And while school at home has involved a major learning curve (mostly on my part—the kids have just kept bumping along like no big deal), I’ve actually been so grateful for the structure it’s provided. 

I have always tried to adhere to a fairly strict schedule with the kids—doing so provides the kind of order and expectation that my personality needs to be peaceful—so creating a 9-2 school schedule (which includes a snack, a small break, and lunch, just like when they’re at school, and allows for lots of outside time after school’s over) has been just right for us.

During our school hours, I sit at the kitchen table with the kindergartener, second grader, and fourth grader, and, like so many of you, my husband is home from work, so he can watch the baby during that time, which has proven to be an absolute necessity (the baby’s very busy and mischievous!). I’m almost totally hands-on with my kindergartener, helping him work through each assignment, and I’m there to answer questions from my second- and fourth- graders, but they do the vast majority on their own. My big boys have set up work stations for themselves in other parts of the house and are basically totally self-sufficient. Amazing.

Other than the often-crushing worry, sadness, and fear about current affairs, school takes up about half of my mental space, with food taking up most of the rest. For a family whose collective love language has to do with what delicious treat or nice dinner we’ll have when we’ve accomplished something or are celebrating something or because it’s nice weather or because it’s bad weather or for no reason at all, not going to the grocery store whenever I want, rationing the food we have so everyone has enough for each meal, and squeezing as many meals as possible out of what we do have has been a challenge, but one I feel up to and have been doing well with (if I do say so myself!). I’m cooking a lot more, since everyone’s home for every meal, and digging deep into all the things I learned from my mom and through the years to make filling, satisfying, healthy meals, snacks, and treats. No one’s complaining about being hungry, and they mostly seem to love what I’ve been making, so we’re good on that front.

We watch Mass on Sundays, and catch up on any school if necessary on Saturdays. I’ve suspended my rule about video games—instead of only allowing the boys to play them on weekends, they now get a turn just about every day after they’ve finished school and spent time outside, and my husband’s also been playing board games and throwing the ball in the yard with them almost every day. I’m able to lie down during the baby’s naptime each afternoon. I’ve been sticking to the same bedtimes for the little guys, but the older boys get to stay up later and we’ve all been sleeping a little later in the morning as well. We’ve been praying as a family a lot more. It’s been about as peaceful as a deadly pandemic can be, and for that, I’m immensely grateful.

But we can’t wait to see our family and friends again, to go to the store without that cloud of suspicion and fear hanging over everyone there, to go to church and school and play sports and play on the playground, to move freely about outside, to not have to worry those whose livelihoods are in danger, and the economy, and what isolation is doing to society as a whole but especially to those who live alone, and of course, most of all, for this virus to stop ravaging—and taking—lives (a huge thank you to those of you who are putting yourselves in harm’s way to provide essential services for us all, and a very special mention of healthcare workers who are caring for the sick and dying and running a greater risk of contracting the virus themselves, especially where there are inadequate supplies). I recently read an article that referred to social distancing and staying-at-home as gifts we’re giving those who need it, they are actual acts of love. We’ve always tried to teach our boys to think of others before themselves, to love their neighbors, and that greater love has no one than those who lay down their lives for others. We’re being given the opportunity to do these things on a bigger and more critical scale than ever before.

So that’s us! From what I’ve read online and on social media, it’s likely how you’re doing too. I hope to be able to see you soon, in person, and catch up. After all, the end of this is closer than it was yesterday. And Happy Easter! Good news and hope are just what we all need right now.

Kate and her husband have seven sons ages 15, 13, 11, 10, 8, 6, and 1. Follow her at www.facebook.com/kmtowne23, or email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..