Day 878. It seems that 11:40 is becoming my bedtime. I turned the ocean sounds off and went to bed. I wasn't asleep yet, when both of them came to crawl into bed with us. They were there a few minutes, when I decided to take them back to bed. To my greatest surprise Emmy went voluntarily, and it was Tammy who protested. But she quieted down quickly. I was able to fall asleep in a kid-free bed. I don't know what time it was, when Tammy returned, and then later Emmy. By 7:20 Emmy was awake, and 15 minutes later his sister, and a few minutes later we all got up. I found Tammy in Sammy's bed, and she had pulled off all clothes and empty boxes on the dressers next to Sammy's bed, so they had all fallen into his bed. Great.
I made breakfast, we sat down to eat, then I cleaned them up and dressed them. Tammy's cough is finally disappearing, so no more cough sirup. We went downstairs, where we read a Bible story, then I started praying. I asked who wanted to be prayed for, and Emmy immediately volunteered. I held him, walking up and down, and praying for him. By the time I was done, Randy was already coming. I got my my computer and went upstairs to finish cleaning up and then go to work on the computer.
We had done a Covid test yesterday morning to end the quarantine we've been in since arriving in Austria. This morning we had the results, so I opened them. To my greatest surprise we're both Corona-positive! Neither one of us has any symptoms. Now we have to continue the quarantine. Yesterday I had told the kids we'd be going to the playground today, if it doesn't rain, so it's disappointing that we have to continue staying inside. I also had to tell Sonja not to come, and order groceries online, as Randy couldn't go to the grocery store. On the upside, when this is over, we'll be allowed to go everywhere again, and won't have to get vaccinated for a while, at least for a few months.
After the initial shock, I went back to work.
Just after 11 am I went to the kitchen to start cooking. While the food was on the stove, I got to talk to Paul for a few minutes, which was nice. Just before noon everyone came upstairs to eat. We had steak with sweet potatoes, and Tammy and Emmy really liked the meat. Then they had pudding, before I took them to the bathroom to clean them up and dress them. Then the boys went to bed, while Randy went downstairs with Emmy. Sammy was asleep right away, Emmy was tired and fell asleep on my chest. At 1 pm Tammy came upstairs, and I sat by her bed for a few minutes until she was asleep. I was falling asleep myself, but I returned to the computer and continued working.
Sammy woke up after just over hour, at 1:40, before Randy was ready for him. I picked him up and put him on the floor, where he was happily playing, and making his way all the way to Daddy, who then went downstairs with him. Half an hour later Emmy woke up, and he also wanted to go downstairs, so I took him there, together with snacks. Tammy woke up just before 3 pm, and she also went downstairs. I took my computer downstairs as well to work, even though I was waiting for our grocery delivery that was supposed to arrive any second.
And then we looked outside, and it was snowing really hard. The kids were so excited and wanted to go outside. And so I got their winter outfits, Randy got some rain boots, and I dressed them all. I could barely hold them back. Randy took care of the food delivery, while we already went outside our apartment, on our porch. Once Randy came, he brought the sleds with him, and then the hard work started. We were pulling them up and down the hill and back and forth. The sleds wouldn't even slide down on the incline! While it was hard work for us, the kids were having lots of fun.
I then put Sammy on a sled and pulled him up and down on top of the sandbox, which was easier, and he was laughing every time I did. Randy in the meantime was pulling the other two. Once we were both exhausted and could not go on, they were not happy, as they wanted to keep going. Instead we went back inside, against their will. It's supposed to snow again tomorrow , so we'll see.
It's not easy for us to keep them busy at all times. Now that they have no barrier to keep them in, they are out in my office area all the time and pulling stuff off the shelves, which is not good. I was able to interest them in doing some drawing, but it's mainly Tammy who's interested in it, and even she is done after only a few minutes. Randy did some drawing with Sammy.
While they were all busy together, I slipped out and went upstairs to the kitchen, at 5:15. I started making their food, and just after 5:30 I went back downstairs and told them it was time to tidy up. Tammy helped me, but not Emmy, and so it was only Tammy who got a little coin for her piggy bank.
We sat down to eat, and they all ate some. Then I took them to the bathtub, where they were having fun. Sammy was upset, when we got him out, as he was having so much fun. Then we got the others out as well and got them all ready for bed. Just after 6:30 they were all in bed. I sat down by their beds. Tammy wanted me to hold her, so I did. After a few minutes she decided to return to her bed. I was there a long time before Randy took my place. And after a few minutes I already returned, as Tammy kept asking for me. Some time close to 7:30 they were all asleep, and I left to get some food.
I went downstairs, where I ate, and then returned to work, finishing and sending my newsletter, and then doing the German translation and sending it as well. It all took until midnight. At 11 pm Emmy woke up once again and was crying for me. I took him to my bed and asked him to wait for me there until I was done working. That worked, but I've heard him cry since, so his patience only lasts so long.
