The Quietest Day of the Year

 Today was the quietest day of the year or at least that I had remembered since March 1st.  Cam had in person school and a tennis match afterward so he was gone for most of the day and evening.  Cal worked at Tippy which kept him busy until 4 p.m.  Meg spent her day online with zoom classes and then went ot outdoor social distancing Bible study.  Brett had the day off at Storage Express, so he worked the lunch shift at Bell Trace and then walked to Meg's apartment.  They spent the early evening strolling through campus and shopping on Kirkwood.

With everyone busy today I had a lot of free time on my hands.  I didn't mind as I was just happy that the Heinisch children were returning to a relatively normal schedule.  As these quiet days may continue for awhile, I decided to develop a routine that would keep me busy and my mind occupied.  Today's activities included walking, writing my blog, playing the piano, reading the Hunchback of Notre Dame and trying yoga.  All of that along with a few organizing projects made my day pass quickly until it was time to leave for Cam's tennis match.  I know that there will be more and more quiet days ahead so I was glad to come up with a plan that worked for now.

Mitigation Testing

 As IU students moved on to campus the week of August 11th news reports surfaced of large number of positive COVID tests at colleges nationwide.  Notre Dame moved to online classes for two weeks to curb their numbers, the University of North Carolina closed its campus completely and sent all students home and Michigan State decided not to open even though students had paid tuition bills two days before the announcement was made.  

With all of the uncertainty revolving around the return to college we had closely monitored all of the news coming out of IU these past few weeks.  Meg was so excited to return to college life and we hoped that it would be possible for her to do so this fall.  IU responded immediately to the reports out of Notre Dame and North Carolina.  In addition to all of the move-in testing that students had to undergo, IU would add mitigation testing as well.throughout the fall semester.  Meg and her roommates were chosen to take the test last week.  As expected all tested negative.

Throughout all of this I have been impressed with IU's effort to keep us informed of their plans especially with all of the changes occurring in regards to the pandemic.  We received an email on Friday letting us know that the mitigation testing from the first week had been completed and that there were an alarming rate of positive tests in fraternities and sororities.  None of us were surprised by that news.  We knew that those areas would be hardest hit by the health care crisis.  Meg had even told us the weekend before classes started that she had heard that someone in a sorority had tested positive, but that no one from her house had quarantined.  Now eight IU frats and sororities have to quarantine the entirety of their membership until September 14th and none of the rest of the houses on campus may have any type of social gathering before that date.  Hopefully, that decision will greatly reduce the amount of positive cases and keep Meg in Bloomington until Thanksgiving.  

A Healthy Compromise

 When Cal came home in May we truly thought that the worst of the pandemic was behind us.  It looked as though if we all just social distanced and stayed outside for small gatherings that by June the world that we knew it would return to normal.  Then Memorial Day weekend hit and social media posts picturing large parties completely ignoring the six foot rule ran rampant.  Shortly there after the number of Americans testing positive for COVID-19 became alarming and states started talking about lock down measures again.  That along with the anti-mask protests and large political rallies made Doug and I realize that the predictions that were first forecasted were no longer in effect and we would have to continue our strict adherence to mask wearing, hand washing and social distancing throughout the summer months.  The nice part was that we could be outside for most of this time period and quickly created an outdoor living space that we have all enjoyed.

The most challenging part for us parenting in the middle of the pandemic in the Heinisch home was how to adapt our lives to remain healthy while still letting Meg, Cam and Cal have some semblance of a social life.  Cam adapted easily as golf season started for him n May which gave him an outlet outside of our home.  Meg made some adjustments to her social calendar and avenues for small gatherings, but within a few days was was able to live within the parameters of our life at home as well.  It took time for all of us to come up with a plan for Cal, however.  Just the nature of his job as a bag boy forced him to come in contact with hundreds of people a week.  Although most of it was outside and he wore a mask, he was definitely more at risk than the rest of us.  His friend group at home wasn't as large as it was at IU, but early on we realized that the majority of them were not following the strict social distancing rules that we were.  Thus, it was going to be even more challenging for Cal to live here and not put the rest of us at risk.

Over the month of June we talked about a lot of living ideas for Cal.  His job at Plante Moran had been pushed off until January which gave him six months of living at home before then.  Doug and I thought about renting a small place for him in town.  He talked about returning to Bloomington for the summer.  Cal even thought about living with a friend for a couple of weeks to see if the health crisis improved.  After the 4th of July we realized that none of these ideas were viable options and I finally came up with a solution that we could all live with while still feeling that our home was a safe haven and virus free.  We gave Cal a large part of the basement to live in that could be closed off by a door.  We changed bathroom arrangements so that he was the only one using his and we asked him to come and go out of a separate entrance from the rest of us.  We even went as far as to vent the house differently so that we were not sharing air space and provided meals for Cal ourselves eliminating his use of the kitchen.  His mini-fridge and coffee maker were moved to the basement as well.  All of these changes would allow Cal to come and go as he wanted as if he lived on his own.  It also reduced the amount of cleaning that I would have to do.  It was such a relief to all of us to finally come up with a solution as we have loved having him home for the summer.  Now evenings like last night - celebrating Cameron Adams' 23rd birthday with a mini-bar crawl in Syracuse - could happen with our only worry of who would pick Cal up when it was over (of course following the CDC safety protocols of masks, open windows in the car and less than a fifteen minute drive.)  The pictures Cal shared on social media last night showed how happy he was to spend an evening with his longtime friends and I was happy as well as I noticed that the boys even stayed outside as much as possible to eat, drink and celebrate Cameron's birthday.

Surprising, Yet Not Really

We found out tonight that the athletic director at Wawasee High School was put on administrative leave.  We weren't completely surprised as there were allegations against him over the years for inappropriate behavior with women of all ages including high school students.  In the past year it had become the talk on social media and recently there was a petition to have him removed.  Although we were not a fan of his due to the negative way he treated Doug while he was coaching soccer or the difficult time he gave Meg when she wanted to transfer to Bethany, none of us in the Heinisch home had any direct knowledge of his inappropriate behavior.  The fact that over forty young women came forward to file a complaint dating back to the time that Brett was in high school made us suspect that there probably was some truth in the stories circulating.

As Doug and I talked about the situation what kept coming to mind was the amount of scandal that has occurred over the last decade at Wawasee High School.  We easily compiled a list of ten other teachers, coaches or staff who had resigned or been removed due to immorality starting in Brett's sophomore year in high school.

    Band Director - Fired for an inappropriate relationship with a parent of a band student. 

    High School Principal - Fired for an inappropriate relationship with a guidance counselor

    High School Spanish Teacher - Fired when she was arrested for helping her fiance cover up an

            embezzlement scheme

    High School Art Teacher - Arrested and fired for having marijuana in his glove compartment on 

            school property (it was discovered by the auto trade students when he asked them to change 

            his oil)

    High School Assistant Athletic Director - Demoted for making a burner account to anonymously

            criticize coaches and staff of the Wawasee school system 

    High School Principal - Resigned over allegations of inappropriate relationship with a student

    High School Football Coach - Resigned due to discovery that he was aware of a website his players                 were using to share naked pictures of classmates and did nothing to stop it

    High School Tennis Coach - Resigned due to inappropriate contact with several players

    High School Athletic Event Supervisor - Asked not to return because of inappropriate contact with

               high school girls

    High School Math Teacher - Resigned due to asking high school girls to share nude pictures with him

It's a tragedy that students had to endure this type of behavior while trying to navigate the tough years of high school.  As I read through the statements on the petition of those who were Cal and Brett's age giving their reasoning for signing the petition, I noticed that several had asked for the resignation of those who did not act sooner on the allegations regarding the athletic director.  I don't know if that is the answer, but with the amount of immoral behavior that has occurred in the halls of Wawasee High School, I could see why they might have felt that way.  

By the end of the night we decided just to be thankful that we had the means and ability to move Meg and Cameron to Bethany Christian High School where the biggest complaints have been "My Spanish teacher only talks to me in Spanish." or "I can't believe that Michael made us read two novels in the summer."  We couldn't ask for a more supportive environment for our children to learn and grow.  

  

   

    

     

A Tough Win!

 Tonight Cam had a match in Fremont, Indiana.  He was really looking forward to it except for the hour and fifteen minute drive to get there.  As we pulled into the town close to both the Ohio and Michigan borders I heard him say to himself, "I didn't drive this far to lose."  I then secretly said a prayer that his statement would come true or that it would at least be a competitive match for him at #3 singles.

Cameron and I arrived before the bus, but since several other parents had driven their boys as well he was able to start hitting right away.  I was glad for that as I knew it would help with his nerves.  Doug was at Fremont a little earlier than we were as his drive from work was a bit shorter.  We watched the boys warm up.  I was impressed that even though their coach had not arrived yet, they all wore masks while on the court.  It was a sharp contrast to the players and fans from Fremont.

Cam and his opponent started their match well after 5:30.  From the start it was a back and forth battle with multiple deuce games and a lot of net play.  Cam played very well hitting multiple winners and serving extremely consistently.  The first set ended in a tie break with Cam winning 7-5.  There was one tense moment when a long ball call to the end the match was challenged by Cameron's opponent's father.  Both Matt and the Fremont coach said that the call stood as Cameron saw it.  I was glad that they were there to witness the event.  The Fremont parent had been intense throughout the match and had at times been coaching his son from afar which is against any rules of competitive tennis.  His behavior and that of the junior varsity players on the court beside Cameron's didn't do much to turn us into Eagles fans.  I did appreciate the moment when Josh said to their #1 JV singles player, "Dude, why are you getting so stressed out.  It's just a tennis matter.  It's no big deal."  Maybe he should have said that to Cam's opponent's father as well.

The disturbance in the crowd or the busted lip from his own racket didn't shake Cameron's focus and he jumped out to an early lead in the second set.  Cam was tired, but he hung in very well and finished the match with a back court winner and a 7-5; 6-3 victory.  He was extremely proud of his victory as he walked off the court to greet us.  We were as well.  He had fought hard and stayed on top of his nerves throughout.  Cam and Doug stayed to watch the rest of the match.  Even though varsity lost 2-3, he was still pleased with the night.  The only criticism that he got from coach Andrew was that he should have thrown the second set and won in the third.  That way he would have had a chance for the longest match in Bethany history at three hours and forty-five minutes.  We were alright, however, with the two hour and ten minute two set victory.

  

Fall Cleaning

Fall has always been the time that I have deep cleaned the house.  I know that a lot of people use the spring season for that, but it has always made sense to me to thoroughly clean once everyone went back to school.  I had used time in the spring instead to organize and pull items out for a garage sale.  I was thankful that I had already completed that last March well before the stay at home order or social distancing rules that would follow.  It gave me more time to spend with the Heinisch family.  

Even though all of the Heinisch children were not out of the home this August with Cal living in our basement and Cam working on e-learning, I decided to go ahead and clean once Meg went back to IU.  I started the daunting task on Monday August 17th and just finished yesterday.  Doug would tell you that our house was clean and organized before I started and Meg would say that I am the queen of cleaning an already clean house, but there were definitely some areas that needed serious attention.  It took me longer than I had expected since I added cleaning out the Pilot and Odyssey to my fall to-do list.  At 4:30 yesterday I really wanted to quit, but I knew I only had one room left to go so I decided to push ahead ans finish.  I was completely exhausted last night and my arm hurt from all of the dusting, sweeping, window washing and vacumming, but I was so incredibly glad to be done.   Now I just have to keep on top of it all until next fall.  That won't be too hard with less family members living in the Heinisch home this year.  I am really looking forward to a break from cleaning for awhile and enjoying watchign Cam's tennis, reading, playing the piano and learning how to crochet.  

Testing, Testing and More Testing

 Testing at the beginning of the school year has been normal in the Heinisch home over the years.  They have all succomed to many different type of tests, including NWEA, ISTEP, Star Reading to name a few.  This year's tests at least so far for Meg haven't involved any academics, however.  Instead they have all revolved around COVID-19.  First, she had to have a test within ten days of returning to IU which she took care of on August 12th.  Next, she had to have a rapid test when she arrived on move-in day last Wednesday.  Now she will have to have two more tests tomorrow - another one from IU as they have begun random testing for all students living on campus and a second from Bell Trace so that she can start working as a dining aide there.  The one from IU will be her first "spit" test while all of the rest have been the traditional nasal swab.  

Meg hasn't minded any of the testing at all as she wants to stay in Bloomington and will do whatever it takes to make that possible.  She wears her mask whenever she is outside of her apartment and only gets together with friends when social distancing is possible.  We have been impressed with her efforts to stay safe as well as IU's and Bloomington's to keep students on campus.  IU's mass testing has been a stark contrast to colleges including Notre Dame and Butlerthat have had to revert to online learning and/or sent students home shortly after they moved into their dorms.  The Bloomington mayor's immediate response to off campus parties with an ordinance limiting social gatherings to fifteen people was the perfect show of support for IU students wanting to continue their education in B-Town.  We are definitely all for that.

So Incredibly Tired of the Political Feud

 The last four years have been nothing but negativity surrounding both Republican and Democrat parties.  I believe that this had led to the unrest in America as a whole.  The number of protests this year has hit an all time high and the rioting in large cities has gotten out of control.  I read so many posts that blame Donald Trump.  I cannot disagree with the thought that his racist comments and poor handling of the coronavirus pandemic have led to chaos in the United States, but he is not the only one to blame.  The majority of the rioting has occurred in Democratic run cities and states and the party's cry to defund the police has not helped bring peace to our nation.  Now Joe Biden is saying that he will put the nation on lockdown if he is elected to stop COVID-19 and Trump is toting a coronavirus treatment to solve the pandemic, even though it hasn't been completely supported by the FDA.  Neither are good ideas as they could actually set back recovery for the United States both economically and medically.  I believe that their mutual lack of understanding the plight of Americans and selfish motives to win at all costs has been disgusting to watch.  It's going to be a long election season if this continues.  I wish there was an alternative.  It's like what Cameron told me today.  The 2020 election is like voting for Anakin vs. Darth Vader - neither is a good choice.

Last of the Mohicans

Last night Doug and I watched the movie Last of the Mohicans.  I had mentioned to him several times this summer that I really wanted to view it on the "big screen" and we finally had the chance.  It had been one of my favorite movies ever since we saw it at the theater in 1992.  Even though we had watched it many times on television since that time, I just thought that it would be the perfect movie to view with the projector outside, almost like our own private drive-in movie.  

Thankfully, I was correct, and Doug and I both enjoyed it very much.  Daniel Day-Lewis was perfect in the role of Nathaniel once again, but watching the scenes in the forest, along the waterfall and on the battlefield were meant for a big screen.  My favorite part was when they were walking through the forest at night and the closed captioning read "crickets chirping" as we were listening to the cicadas chirping in our own woods.  When Meg first mentioned getting a projector for outdoor movie nights I thought it was a nice idea for her and her friends.  I didn't realize how much enjoyment that the rest of us would get out of it as well.  Next on the agenda will be The Quiet Man.  The Irish backdrop will be perfect for our own personal drive-in.  Who knows, maybe next year I'll buy a real screen for it and a speaker.  For now I'm just happy to enjoy one of our favorite social distancing activities.  

Almost Felt Like Normal

 This morning Cam, Doug and I went to Paige's Crossing for a round of minature golf.  We were able to play twice before lunch time.  Cam won on the B course easily and then Doug beat us once again on the C course.  He has now won the last three out of four rounds and I have fallen apart each time that we played.  Win or lose, it was a lot of fun playing.

After mini golf we headed to Warsaw to pick up lunch.  On the way we passed the Blue Brothers or at least two guys dressed like them in a vehicle decorated just like theirs including an "Elwood" license plate.  We had planned to grab lunch at Mad Anthony's, but a mix-up in our order led us to Buffalo Wild Wings instead.  It was a nice change of pace and a rare treat for the three of us.

The afternoon was spent with Doug and I engaged in a Ticket to Ride tournament.  We played each of the five versions that we owned and I redeemed myself from my mini golf showing with a 3-2 victory.  Cam used his time to set up NBA2K and played that until the real games started.  We spent the evening outside with a bonfire and the playoffs on the big screen in between viewings of Last of the Mohicans.  It was a lot of fun and gave it a drive-in feel.  In fact with Brett, Cal and Meg all in Bloomington this weekend it almost felt like we were back living our fall 2019 life without any worry of COVID, at least for a little while anyway.  

Still So Incredibly Missed

 Six years ago this week Jeanette lost her battle with ovarian cancer.  It was such a sad time in the Heinisch family life that I don't really like to think about that week.  Instead I try to focus on the good memories that we have of Grandma Heinisch and the wonderful person that she was inside and out.  She was an excellent example of how to follow a child's interest and encourage life long learning.  She focused on what her grandchildren liked or what they were into at the moment.  Doug told me many times that that was the way she parented as well and a philosophy that he has carried over into his life as a father.  It shows in the unique, individual personalities of our four children. 

Even when Jeanette was close to the end of her time on this Earth, she was still supportive of all of our children's endeavors.  She was the first person they would call when they had good news.  It didn't matter how big or how small, she was always excited for them.  Neither Doug nor I like to brag about the Heinisch children's successes in life, but we always knew that we could to her.  It is those calls that I miss the most.  Telling her about Brett's new job, Cal's graduation, Meg's apartment, Cam's tennis match are just a few items that I would love to call her about now.  Just thinking about it makes me cry, so instead I will chose to focus on the happy faces in the pictures below or her words on the last time I called her and asked how she was doing.  Her response, "A lot better, now that I'm talking to you" still makes my heart smile.

A Big Step Up - #2 Singles

 Tonight Cam had to play #2 singles against Goshen as one of his teammates was unable to participate in the match.  We knew that it would be a tough call as there had typically been a big step up from #3 to # 2 on the singles courts.  Matt told us right away that Cam's opponent had actually spent quite a bit of time at #1 last year, which would make the leap even more challenging.

Cam's opponent was the best player that he had matched up against in his tennis career.  He hit the ball hard and deep and rarely missed a point.  Cam struggled with his serve in the first set which made it even more difficult to win points.  Although he ended the night at 0-6; 0-6, he did play a lot better in the second set.  He said that he was more relaxed and that helped with his serve and strategy.  The biggest frustration for him was losing games where he was up 40-15 or 30-0.  In the end tonight's match was a good learning experience and Matt was able to give him some tips that would help in the future.  It sounds like he might be playing the #2 position for another week or so.  He will definitely gain a lot from the exposure.  

All Moved In

 Doug left yesterday afternoon with the rest of Meg's possession so that they would be ready for their 8 a.m. move-in slot.  He got to Bloomington early enough last night for them to get Goodfellas for dinner and to play a game of Ticket to Ride Germany with Brett.  Meg had to go to the staudium this morning for a COVID-19 test before she could return to campus.  She and Doug decided to get there at 7:40 a.m. to be ahead of the crowd and there were at least fifty cars in front of them.  Everything was well run, however, and soon she had her negative results and two new IU masks in hand.  

Meg chose to live at Union Street Center this year.  It was a new IU apartment complex on tenth street.  Meg knew one of her roommates from last year, Faith, and had texted the other one, Grace, several times over the summer.  The girls each had their own bedroom with Faith and Meg sharing a bathroom.  There was a living room and kitchen in the middle of the apartment along with a washer and dryer.  It only took Meg and Doug an hour or so to move everything into her room as IU had provided student movers to help.  Meg texted almost immediately to let me know how much she loved her new place.  Doug called later and said that it was the nicest complex that any of our children had lived in on campus.  

After they got everything into her room, Doug set up Meg's television and helped with a few other items.  They then went to Kroger for a grocery run.  Meg and Nick had already bought some of the necessities earlier in the week so she didn't need too much.  They stopped at Brett's afterward to pick up Cal's queen sized mattress and dresser that had been stored at Brett's.  It was a tight fit, but thankfully they were able to get everything into the van for Doug's return trip home.  Meg picked Chipolte for lunch and the three of them enjoyed a picnic in People's Park.  Doug left Bloomington around 1 p.m. and was home by dinner time.

I talked to Meg several times during the afternoon.  Faith had arrived and they were spending the day running errands and unpacking.  Meg said that it was a little overwhelming as last year I had stayed to help get most of her room set up.  I couldn't do that this year as I had to stay home with Cameron as he had tennis practice and e-learning.  I was sad to miss helping her, but glad that she loved her new home.  She was ready to be with her friends and to live on her own.  With all of the news surrounding the large parties at Notre Dame that had resulted in hundreds of positive COVID tests and North Carolina closing their campus due to the same reason, I said a prayer that IU would not follow suit.  Hoping for a healthy, safe and wonderful sophomore year for Meg.

Separate Rooms

I told my mom about my racing heart scare the day after it happened.  She was concerned and offered to come up if I had any more issues or at least to wake up Doug.  She told my dad about the incident later that day and his response, "Why does Doug sleep in a separate bedroom?"  Later that week Meg had a friend over and she told her about my heart scare as well.  At the end of the story her friend said, "Wait, your mom and dad sleep in separate rooms?"

Meg and I responded to those questions with the exact same answer, "If you had to sleep in the same room as Doug, you'd ask for separate rooms as well."  Until those comments I had never really thought about Doug and I sleeping apart.  We didn't plan that when we got married, but then again he didn't really snore then.  I remember complaining about it several times to my mom around the time Cal was born.  She said that all men snore and after awhile I would get used to it.  She changed her mind, however, after we all stayed at my grandparents home in Florida.  She had gotten up in the middle of the night and realized that Doug's snoring was more like a freight train.

Over the years we talked about what to do about the snoring.  Doug wasn't interested in surgery, sleep clinics or a sleep apnea machine.  Dr. Mulry had told us that they probably wouldn't help much anyway.  We did try some nose strips which helped a little, but were uncomfortable to wear nightly.  Doug saved those for times when we all stayed together on vacation.  For the longest time we solved the problem by me waking him up when he got really loud and having him move to the couch.  

This fall with only three of us in the house, we decided that we tried a new solution - I would move upstairs to Meg's room.  I liked her mattress better and it worked well for us as Cam, Doug and I each had our own bedroom and bathroom.  That changed when Meg moved back home in March.  Thankfully, we had cleaned out and repainted the guest room which Doug said he would move in to until Meg went back.  We never dreamed that it would be five months later, but it worked for us during the pandemic, especially since Cal preferred sleeping in the basement instead of the extra bedroom.  

This week we decided to try something else.  After Meg left, I thoroughly cleaned her room and bedroom so that Doug could move up there.  We have been trying to keep everyone separate with COVID concerns and this would allow everyone to not only have their own room but also bathroom.  Doug was happy with the arrangement when he got home tonight from a long day at work and a 2+ hour county council budget meeting.  I know that it may seem strange to some, but having separate rooms has worked well for our family.  We've made it this way for almost thirty years, so there has to be some benefit in it.  

The Windy City

 Cal and Hannah-Marie had a chance to go to Chicago this past weekend for one last getaway before she left for IU.  They stayed at Jayce's apartment in Wrigleyville which gave them a birds eye view of all that Chicago had to offer once Cal makes the move there.  They both were impressed with the area as there were a lot of restaurants, bars and much more close at hand.  Cal said that they saw very few adults over the age of forty while they were there.  It almost felt like a college town for young people who worked.  Chicago has a strict mask and social distancing mandate, which cut down a little bit on the crowds. 

While they were there they also checked out Wrigley Field and loved the atmosphere even though fans were not allowed in the game.  Jeremy had been living there since June and he said that the rioting, protesting and shootings in Chicagoo that have made the news lately have all occured south of him.  Therefore, they don't affect his daily routine and he really only hears about them from the same sources that we do.  Overall, Cal was pleased with Wrigleyville and hopes to start looking for a studio apartment in the area in November.  His job at Plante Moran doesn't start until January 4th, so he has some time to research the different complexes.  It sounds like it should be a lot of fun.

First Tennis Tourney of the Year

 Cameron had his first tennis tournament of the year on Saturday.  It was played at Hamilton Heights which was about two hours south of us.  This was Bethany's first time playing in the tournament and their coach was thankful for the challenge this early in the season.  Cameron played the #3 varsity singles spot and had his toughest match on the day to start.  He was pitted against Hamilton Heights and played very well in the first set.  Several times Doug said that it looked like he was about to lose, but he hung tough pushing the match to a tie break.  Ultimately, his opponent proved to much for him as Cameron recorded the loss at 6-7, 6-1.  Even though he was not victorious, Cameron still felt very well about his play.

The second match was easier than the first, but it did give Doug a scare.  After winning the first set and getting out to 5-0 lead in the second, Cam's opponent started to pick up some momentum and soon the score was 5-3.  Cam held on, however, and finished with a 6-3 win.  The third match was the quickest of the day.  Cam was matched up against someone who had just finished a tough second match loss.  He didn't have much left in him and Cam made quick work of the match putting Cam in third place on the day.  His team equaled his performance, finishing third as well.  Overall, both Cam and Doug were thrilled with Cam's first varsity tournament performance.  Cam had played well and built his confidence for the upcoming season.  The only negative on the day was the sunburn to Doug's forehead.  He definitely had proof that he had worn his mask as the rest of his face was a noticeable shade of white.  

Too Close for Comfort

Although neither of the COVID incidents affected us directly yesterday, but they did scare us enough to reconsider our upcoming plans.  Originally, Meg was supposed to leave for IU this Tuesday afternoon with Doug.  Yesterday we realized that by waiting until then we were risking Meg's return at all.  She had tested negative for COVID this past week, but if Cameron was exposed at tennis or Bethany or Doug was exposed at work or County Council, then she would be required to quaratine with the rest of us for fourteen days.  The thought that she would be home for five months and not get to leave when IU started was too much for any of us to think about.  Thus, late last night we all decided that it was best for Meg to get to Bloomington as quickly as possible.  Thankfully, Brett was more than willing to host her for a couple of days before she moved into her apartment.  Nick was happy to take her and said that it felt like they were going on vacation.  I offered money for food and gas and the plan quickly took shape.  

Meg spent most of last night and this afternoon packing.  She had started earlier in the week, but there was still a lot to do.  I tried to help as best as I could by getting laundry done, organizing bags and moving suitcases downstairs.  By 5:30 Meg had everything ready and Nick was on his way over to our house.  She had said goodbye to Cam and Doug last night as they were at an all day tennis tournament in central Indiana today.  With nothing else left to do, Meg and Nick headed out by 6:30 p.m.  As soon as they turned on to the road, I walked in the house and started crying.  I was happy for Meg as she was ready to get back to her college life.  I was sad, however, as we had really enjoyed having her home these past five months and I would miss our daily walks, craft days, nightly talks, and the endless games of Swap Meet and watching Disney Food Blog.  Doug has said several times that not everything about the pandemic has been bad.  Having her home was definitely one of the positives.  

                                

                                

                                 

                                 

Thankful for Masks and Social Distancing

 My mom called this morning to tell us that the woman that she had been playing golf with this summer had tested positive for COVID-19.  None of us in the Heinisch home were surprised at all.  She was an avid anti-masker and even stated several times that they would have to handcuff her and cart her away in a squad car before she would wear a mask inside the clubhouse at Maxwelton.  Although my mom had not been within six feet of her for fifteen minutes or more, she and my dad still thought that it would be best if they took a COVID test.  The nurse at Dr. Freeze's office had highly recommended it.  Mom's insurance told her that they would also pay for a rapid test if she wanted to try that as well.  She decided to take them up on their offer.  Although the results weren't as reliable as the state test, she was still relieved to see that it was negative.  Even with that result, the lab tech at Medstat told my mom to quarantine until the first test came back in three to five days.

Shortly after my mom's news, we foud out that Bethany would have to move to online learning starting on Monday.  Two students had tested positive for COVID-19 today and the Elkhart Health Department would be contacting any other students who had been in close contact with them, so that they also could quarantine.  Cam was bummed that they wouldn't be returning to school on Monday but was glad to find out that he had not been in close contact with either of the students and that the tennis team would still be able to practice.  

I was pretty shaken the rest of the day.  It had only recently dawned on me that we could be greatly affected by someone testing positive with COVID, even if we were free of the illness.  Today was the perfect example of that.  Those arguing about their civil liberties being taken away if they were required to wear a mask were actually imposing their views on the rest of us.  By chosing not to wear a mask or social distance, they were greatly increasing their risk of getting the virus and in turn spreading it to others.  Had Cam been exposed, his entire tennis season could have been taken away from him.  Thankfully, that was not the case today.  We have been diligent these past five months about following the six foot rule,   wearing a mask and using hand sanitizer at all times, even when visiting my parents outdoors.  Because so many others have decided to ignore the pandemic, however, we will have to be even more cautious about the company that we keep.

Tennis Season Begins

 Tonight was Cameron's first tennis match of the season.  Although it was only a scrimmage, he was pretty nervous as it was his first start at varsity #3 singles.  Spectators weren't permitted, but since I had to drive him due to passenger restrictions on the Bethany bus, I was allowed to stay and watch.  Angola had just ten players which actually worked out well as they only had ten courts.  The match looked a lot different than last year with two tennis balls allotted to each player, no scorecards, lots of sanitizing and masks for all players.  The boys and coaches handled the circumstances well realizing that this was the reality for sports this fall.  Almost all of the specators wore masks too, which I was very glad to see.

Cam struggled with his serve to start, but played his opponent well.  They had several close games and in the end finished 2-2 when the time was called.  Cam's second match of the night looked like an easy win for him at 4-1, but his opponent was better than the score reflected.  Cam served a lot better in this match and had some great points.  He started cramping up after the first two matches which made the third one a struggle for him.  Although he didn't win, he rallied and played well.  After the match the boys all ate Pizza King together.  Normally, they would have gone inside the restaurant, but instead chose to share a meal together at a local park social distancing at separate picnic tables.  I was glad that they were able to continue the tradition even if it looked a little different this year.  It was such a wonderful way to start the season and we were both pleased with his first varsity match.

Let the Packing Begin

 Meg started the packing process today for her trip back to IU next week.  It will be a little bit more challenging this time as she will have to pack for three months with the thought that she probably won't be back before then and also with the understanding that we may not travel to Bloomington this fall.  She also has to have a bag ready in case she has to quarantine.  She plans to feel it with sweats, shorts, t-shirts and sweatshirts along with the toiletries that she will need.  Thankfully, she will be able to stay at Brett's if that happens, so she will leave the bag there.  Then all she would need to grab if she needs to isolate would be her computer, charger and school items.  

The other changes at IU this year also revolve around the pandemic.  She had to sign a COVID agreement before she could sign up to move-in on Wednesday.  In addition she has to have a COVID test ten days before arrival which she was able to do this morning.  The results will be back before she leaves, but even if they are negative, she will have to have another one when she arrives on campus.  Mass will also look different this year as parishners have to sign up before they can attend the service as St. Paul's will be capping attendance at 50 individuals.  I know that Meg won't have a problem following the rules.  She has done an awesome job social distancing and wearing a mask this summer.  We will really miss her when she leaves, but we know that it is time for her to go.  Life in the Heinisch home will be different once she's gone, but it won't be too long before we are all back together again.

The Storm Before the Calm

This summer has been extraordinarily hot and humid and yesterday was no exception.  Due to the weather conditions the local meteorologists had predicted thunderstorms.  We didn't pay much attention to that as we had gotten used to these summer afternoon forecasts which typically produced nothing.  I did hope for some rain so that I wouldn't have to water our flowers, but other than that I really didn't pay much attention to the forecast.  

Even with the hot weather yesterday afternoon Meg and I were still able to take a walk and Cal and I were able to enjoy lunch outside as well.  Doug called at 5:30 so I headed out to the front porch to talk with him.  Meg joined me a little later as she was waiting for Nick to return from Purdue.  It was still a little hot out, but nothing that we weren't used to this summer.  All of a sudden the emergency service alarm blarred on both of our phones with a tornado warning.  I knew that there had been storms in Illinois earlier in the day from Doug's cousin's FaceBook post, so we headed straight to the basement.  I was a little worried as Doug wasn't home with Cam yet.  Nick wasn't here either, so Meg checked on Find My Phone and both cars were in Syracuse.  Thankfully, they all made it down stairs shortly just before the storm hit.

I turned on television when we first went downstairs so that we could watch our local weatherman.  Within minutes the power flickered and the internet went out.  None of our phones could pick up data either.  Thus, for about forty-five minutes we weren't sure what was going on outside.  Around 7:15 Doug went upstairs and saw that it was still storming.  Nick texted his brother in Detroit who had power and internet and could tell us that the storm was subsiding and would be thru our area soon.  I checked in with Cal.  He was safe and sound at Hannah-Marie's home.  They had been kayaking, but made it inside well ahead of the storm.  My parents were fine also, but they did not have electricity.  

Today the true nature of the storm presented itself.  Although there was no official word on whether a tornado touched down or not, there was a path of destruction.  It started at our neighbor's two streets over where their fence was blown down.  Directly east of that several trees were down in the Wawasee Heights area.  The majority of the damage occured, however, about a mile away from there along a direct path straight to Hunnicut addition near Oakwood and close to my parents' home on Harkless Drive.  There were multiple large trees uprooted, power lines down, several cars destroyed and damage to homes.  It was scary to look at even the day afterward.  NIPSCO crews worked on the area for most of the late afternoon and early evening today.  My parents finally had power about twenty-four hours after the storm hit.  Thankfully, our internet was restored earlier than that.  As inconvenient as it was to be without power or internet, all of us felt incredibly blessed that everyone was safe and the only damage any of us had was a large branch that came off one of our trees.  

Sophomore Year

 Last night we received this email from the Head of School at Bethany which I appreciated very much.  I was the nervous parent that he wrote about and was once again relieved to see how much effort that Bethany was putting into their safety plan in order to start the school with an in person learning option.  From our conversations with Cam, we know that he was a little bit worried as well.  We had spent a lot of time social distancing this summer and this was his first step back into some semblance of normalcy.  Even with the trepidation we all knew that this was the best option for Cam.

From the start of the day everything looked a lot different than last year with fever and symptom checks before entiring the school to first day pictures including one with a new IU face mask.  Although it felt a little strange, Cam said that it went well.  There were hand sanitizing stations throughout the school, new water bottle fountains with a foot powered pedal, social distancing in all situations, three person lunch tables instead of six and longer class periods.  It took some getting used to for Cameron, but overall he was happy with how the day went and felt safe at school all day.  From the pictures posted on FaceBook in the afternoon we knew that their COVID-19 response was giving the Bethany students the best chance to return to the classroom safely.  We have been so incredibly pleased with the education that Cam has received these past five years and know that this will be an amazing (albeit different) year for him as well.

August 9, 2020 Dear Bethany students and parents, We are excited to welcome students back to campus beginning Monday. Staff have planned and prepared for the return of students, and we are absolutely committed to creating the best learning experience possible under the current circumstances. Everyone at BCS including administrators, teachers, staff and coaches are doing extraordinary work to get ready for the school year. I have received a large number of affirming email communications from parents over the last few days, and I am grateful that others recognize the hard work and commitment of BCS staff.  When students arrive, they will notice many changes. Principal Willems has outlined these in a series of emails over the summer. You can see all of our plans laid out on the COVID-19 Safety Response page on the website. What hasn’t changed are the things that make a Bethany education unique: challenging academics and a faith-rooted care for each students' growth and development.   At our core we are a caring community. However, at times we are going to disagree. Most of us (people in general) are caring rational human beings, yet we often draw different conclusions from the same information. We recognize that for some parents, students returning to school is a relief. For others, a return to school is distressing. This is a time to rely on the strength of our community and the understanding that we all are doing are very best to navigate the slow-moving crisis of COVID-19. We welcome your feedback and your prayers. Sincerely, Tim Lehman, Ed.D Head of Schools

Abrupt Wake Up Call

 Last night I had an abrupt wake up call that ended with a phone call to 911.  We had gone to bed late after enjoying an evening outside complete with a bonfire.  I had been asleep for about two hours when I woke up to a horrible pain in my chest with shortness of breath.  I tried to get up and walk around but quickly realized that the pain wasn't going away.  I checked my FitBit and was shocked to see that my heart rate was climbing rapidly.  I tried to wake up Doug, but he was completely zonked out upstairs after a long week at work and a late night in the Heinisch Home.  I finally decided that I had to call 911.  

The dispatcher that answered was extremely helpful.  She listened to my symptoms, requested an EMT visit and had another dispatcher try to call Doug and Meg to wake them up.  I could barely make it to the door to unlock it, so there was no way that I could climb the stairs or even shout upstairs to wake them up.  Neither would answer their phone for the dispatcher and I didn't want to give them Cam's number as I was afraid of scaring him. 

Thankfully, it only took the EMTs about 10 minutes to arrive.  They instantly started asking me questions as they began to hook me up to an EKG machine.  My pulse rate was in the 120s by that time, which I was glad to see, but they realized that it was still too high.  My blood pressure was also off the charts for me at 168/110.  Fortunately, my oxygen level was above 98 and I didn't have a fever, so that eliminated COVID as a possibility.  I wasn't concerned about that and neither were they, but it seemed appropriate for them to check as my chest hurt so incredibly bad when they arrived.

Through all of the noise, no one in our house woke up.  They finally asked if they could wake Doug up.  I explained where he was sleeping and the EMT asked multiple times if he had a gun.  I reassured him that we did not own a gun, but as I thought about it later, it made perfect sense why they would ask.  When they first woke Doug up, he thought that the house was on fire due to the bright light and the firefighter in the bedroom.  By the time he got downstairs he was fully awake, understood that there wasn't a fire and realized the seriousness of my situation.  The EMTs ran three different tests over a fifteen minute period and felt confident that I was not having a heart attack.  My pulse rate and blood pressure were still high so they gave me two options.  They could take me to the hospital or I could wait at home and give it a little more time and if I still felt bad, then Doug could take me.  They felt comfortable with the second option as they believed that the racing heart would subside and gave me several ideas on how to get it to drop if my pulse climbed back up again.  They also said that the main cause of chest pain and a racing heart besides a heart attack was a panic attack, although that didn't generally didn't happen while sleeping, it was still a possibility.

I decided to follow the second option and Doug supported that.  We thanked the EMTs and appreciated their help greatly.  In returned they thanked Doug for not shooting them when they woke him up.  They strongly suggested getting some sleep and eventually I was able to follow their advice.  I didn't feel the greatest today and realized that my pulse rate was still high for me (in the 90s compared to the low 60s.)  I did a little bit of research on the causes of a racing heartbeat including stress, hormones, dehydration and RA.  After a lot of reading we decided that I would monitor my blood pressure and pulse rate at home this week and call the doctor if they remained high or if I had another episode like last night.  It was definitely one of the scariest nights of my life and a good reminder of why we need to continue to monitor our own health needs during this trying time.  

Change of Pace

 Doug's had an interesting week at work.  Due to a demand in production, he and several of the office staff have volunteered to work out on the floor.  Doug definitely didn't mind as an increase in sales had led to the increase in workload.  He also thought that it was a nice change of pace from sitting behind a desk all day long.  Yesterday he learned how to bolt together arms for their chairs and today was proud to announce that he had increased his quota.  Due to his work as a CFO and the strain that standing puts on his back, he has only been able to work four hour days in production, but that should be enough to help out for awhile.  We were all impressed with Doug's new found skill and didn't mind him working on a Saturday.  Doug loves to keep busy and to learn new things.  This will provide an avenue for both.  

Saying Goodbye to Atmo

 This has been a very stressful week in the Heinisch home.  Changes at Doug's work and the waivering back and forth from the Elkhart County Health Department about schools opening in person have been upsetting to say the least.  The worst part of our week occurred today, however, when Atmo lost his battle to stay alive.  As sad as it was for all of us, it was even more heartbreaking to watch Rizzo try to comfort him in his last few hours.  We do not know what Atmo's cause of death was, we just know that he had been eating less and on Tuesday he stopped completely and wouldn't even take in water.  He also started making a meowing sound that we had never heard before this week.  Meg held out hope that it was something that he would recover from until yesterday when it was obvious that his little body was struggling just to breathe.

I was sad when Cosmo and Apollo died, but with Atmo it was even more difficult to watch.  I don't know if it was because I felt terrible for Rizzo or if it was because Cam, Meg and I had really enjoyed the "pigs" these past few months.  Taking them outside was one of our favorite social distancing activity.  Their behavior was a bright spot during a challenging time in our lives.  They loved their new houses and we each laughed about them cramming themselves into one when they were scared (or when Cameorn tried to feed them.) It was that shared space that they retreated to in the end and it was nice to know that Atmo didn't have to die alone.  I know that so many have lost so much more these past five months, but for us this was a hard blow.  All I can hope for now is that things only get better from here.  

The Lotto

 Brett's new career has been an awesome experience for him so far.  He's learned a lot just in the month that he has been there and has found success in meeting his first sales quota.  One of the unexpected perks for him has been the small incentives that have been given out along the way to meeting the sales requirements.  Although his favorite has been the cash bonus for meeting occupency rates, the scratch off lotttery tickets that he has accrued since he started working have been a lot of fun as well.  

Brett told us tonight that he has earned fifty cents on the dollar for the lottery tickets that he has received thus far.  Doug said that was pretty good as the average return for lottery tickets is 19 cents.  Because of that statistic, Doug said that he would prefer the $1 spent for the ticket.  Cal completely disagreed.  He said that he would love to get the lottery tickets for a job well done at work.  The chance to win $100 or $500 would be thrilling enough as a bonus.  I realized that Cal was always the lucky one with money and probably would end up with the top cash prize anyway.  Brett's reaction has been somewhat in between Doug and Cal's.  He realizes that he probably won't hit big, but it has been fun trying especially since he didn't have to pay for the tickets.  My opinion is drastically different than all of the guys.  Whether Brett earns lottery tickets or cash bonuses, I am just so incredibly pleased that Brett has found the job that he was looking for and pray that his success continues.  

Sewing & Crafts

 One positive about the stay at home order followed by the social distancing guidelines has been the amount of time it has given us to work on crafts in the Heinisch home.  Cal and Doug haven't joined in the fun, but have given positive reviews on our work.  The first project that I worked on was a large latch hook lighthouse wall hanging.  I also spent time on cross stitching as well.  My next goal has been to learn to crochet which I plan to work on this fall.  

Meg and Cam have also spent time crafting during the pandemic.  Cam learned to tye die and worked on painting and oragami as well.  Once golf season began and tennis practices started at Bethany, Cam's time crafting wanned.  Meg has been the one who has produced the most in the craft department since March.  She has worked on friendship bracelets, painting, making her own necklaces and tie dying.  My favorite activity that she has done this summer, however, has been repurposing clothes for herself and her friends.  She did some thrifting in Bloomington and has raided her Grandma's closet looking for shirts and swimsuits to crop and take-in for a new look.  I have been extremely impressed with her sewing ability and have loved her "new" wardrobe.  

With all of the crafts going on in the Heinisch family I finally decided to purchase a sewing/craft table for the mud room.  The desk that originally held the sewing machine was moved to Cameron's room for e-learning this spring.  We had been using our six foot tote table for sewing, but that was awkward and took up a lot of space in the room.  I read a lot of reviews on Wayfair, Amazon and Walmart regarding sewing/craft tables and finally found the perfect one for our space.  I was thrilled that it arrived a week earlier than expected and was thankful that Doug was able to put it together for me tonight.  Meg and I both love it and she was even able to put it to good use before the evening was over.  

Sewing and crafting have been a fun way to pass the time during the coronavirus outbreak.  Grandma Jane has enjoyed seeing all of the end products that have been produced in the Heinisch home recently.  I know that Grandma Heinisch would have loved watching Meg sew and craft these past four months as well.  It was the activity that they enjoyed the most when spending time together.