This virus may keep us home, but it can’t stop the spring! I took a walk through my neighborhood recently to enjoy the freshness and color of the season, if not the pollen count.

Unfortunately, you can’t have one without the other.

As of Friday evening, we are under a statewide shelter-in-place order. The kids and I went out Thursday afternoon and climbed a local mountain. A lot of other people did too, enjoying our last full day to do so, although our family has stayed home since mid-March; it just feels different knowing we can’t go to the park.

We have taken the responsibility not to spread this virus seriously. Last week we ordered delivery from Costco and Kroger and had groceries on our front porch within 2-3 hours. We’re pretty sure I couldn’t drive to Costco, purchase groceries, and get back home again in the time it took them to deliver.

This could become a regular thing if I didn’t enjoy going to the store so much.

The virus has finally touched my family: my mother-in-law is in a hospital in Kansas, but seems to be doing remarkably well and improving day-by-day. We are thankful and encouraged.

I’m choreographing a family TikTok dance (my first) based on dance moves from an 8th grade drill team routine. Muscle memory is a fasinating thing. Speaking of muscles, mine hurt! Dancing gives them a workout.

I’m missing the movie theater, but my husband and I made a list of movies we want to watch. We’re working our way through some series, like the Daniel Craig Bond movies, the Mission Impossible series, the Matrix films, Marvel, and some family films.

I’m taking advantage of free ebooks through my Amazon Prime account. I’m in the mood for fiction, so send me your suggestions!

Speaking of books, my new book It All Began in a Garden is now available for pre-order! A few preview pages are included on the Amazon listing, so you can get a feel for it.

After publishing four compilations, I worried I wouldn’t be able to write an entire book by myself. As it turns out, I have a lot to say on the topic of natural health and essential oils: we had to remove content to keep within page count!

This is a sweet deal for you, the reader, because we’ll turn it into bonus content and pre-order incentives. There will be a launch team too—YAY! Details to come. I’m thankful for the hard work of my publisher, Harvest House, as they navigate working from home. I’m so thankful for them. I think you’ll be blessed by this book!

I would love to hear from you: how are you passing the days? Are you working from home, going to work, laid off? Has the virus touched your friends or family? What are you reading or watching?

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Enjoy!