Yesterday it was announced that the state of Ohio will be under a new order – Shelter in Place.

This is a term we have been hearing for a while. It started in China, moved to Italy and the European countries, and now here in America. It is not the entire US, but each state is that is rolling out these orders. Each state is making choices based on their circumstance and state governments discretion.

I knew this was coming. It was only a matter of time. People are being stupid and just living life without staying at home/maintaining a 6 foot distance. The lack of regard for the social distancing is what made this happen now. I am very thankful for the governor, Mike DeWine. I feel like the choices he has been making and putting into effect here in Ohio has really made a huge difference on our numbers compared to other states.

We are in a new phases where I know people are have had contact with people who has tested positive. One of my best friends from High School is a doctor in California. She found out yesterday one of her patients tested positive for CoVid-19.

My husband is now working from home. WOOF! This is not a pretty standard thing for most people, thanks to coronavirus. I know some offices are remaining open with social distancing in place and utilizing commercial office cleaning services in their area to ensure all surfaces are cleaned properly to reduce the spread of the virus. However, his company has decided to close the office and send staff home instead. I feel so bad for him. If he was allow to stay at the office he would be alone in his own private office with little to no contact with people. Now he is at home. Over the weekend we rearranged my office to that he could move in and take it. The worst part is that we have 2 little kids at home – school is still shut down for now. This is going to make my juggling act interesting. Hoping to keep the kids in the basement as much as possible now during the day. But the lack of sunshine down there is going to affect us eventually.

Some awesome news also happened – my new nephew was born last week! He and my sister in law are doing great. Having a new baby born at this time has been such a blessing. It gives us all something to love, to talk about and to pray over that isn’t the virus.

Yesterday, before the shelter in place orders we announced, I left the house. I finally went to a store … and I bought some puzzles! Such a funny thing to go to the store for. I just really needed some new distraction items, and went to the mall. It was weird in there. Eerie. There was a quite still that was hoovering about the air. People were there walking. Pushing their kids in a stroller. Getting food at the food court. I was on a quick mission. I was fast, I kept my distance and I did not delay in my quest of puzzles and to leave as quickly as possible. These people were just hanging out. Besides the few workers in the couple stores still opened (99% of the mall was shut down) I saw about 2 dozen people. Why? Why were they hanging out at the mall? I mean we all want to get out of our house but why are the inside a mall when we are supposed to be social distancing? It is people like these that have now causes Ohio to shut down. There are no more non essential business opened. It is because of people like them that we are now basically under house arrest as a state.

So, we will stay at home. We will obey the law of the land.

 

Romans 13:1-2 says: “Obey the government, for God is the One who has put it there. There is no government anywhere that God has not placed in power. So those who refuse to obey the law of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow.”

So we will continue on. We will play games, do puzzles, read books, watch TV and make phone calls and send text messages. We will stay connect to our friends and family through the technology we have. We will ride this out and be back to regular life sooner or later…but what will regular life look like?

We’ve all been there. You walk into your bedroom and it lacks inspiration. You’re bored of the same old layout and unimaginative carpet. You don’t experience any joy looking at the color of the walls. It’s time to redecorate. 

Luckily, redecorating a bedroom can be a rewarding experience. For one thing, it can give you a better night’s sleep because you’ll feel more excited about going to bed. Generally, the space will have more positive energy. So, what are the key things to consider when redecorating a bedroom?  

Color scheme

The first thing you should think about when redecorating a bedroom is the color scheme. This will influence every other decision you make during the process. Wall color is the most important: as this is the room you sleep in, pick a color that will make you feel calm and relaxed. When it comes to painting, you’ll need to make sure that you lay down cloths or papers and avoid splattering your skirting boards (check out those from skirtings r us). Generally, picking colors that complement each other and don’t clash is the most important, so make sure you do your research, make a color board and try out some combinations before choosing. 

Storage

A bedroom should be without chaos. Being where you sleep, it’s important for the room to feel as tidy and stress-free as possible. If there are dirty clothes all over the floor or the space feels cluttered, this could enter your subconscious state and impact the way you sleep. So, when decorating, it’s important to consider your storage options and consider ways to keep the space tidy. This might mean adapting a storage unit or shelves, or getting a bed with inbuilt storage. Whatever you pick, make sure it works for you and allows you to keep the space tidy, organized and efficient.  

Comfort

A bedroom must also be comfy. That’s a necessity. It’s no good having a beautifully organized bedroom that looks wonderful if you can’t sink into the pillows and truly relax there. So, make sure everything you pick has your comfort and relaxation as its priority. Is that designer bed with a water mattress going to give you the best night’s sleep? Or will you be more comfortable with something more universal and basic, which prioritizes comfort over appearance?  

Light

Good lighting is essential in all rooms in a house, but it’s especially important in a bedroom. Lighting impacts relaxation, so you’ll need to make sure that you pick lighting options that allow you to relax. This might mean lamps that have dimming options, or the ability to change a setting depending on your mood. You might also want a reading light for when you just can’t put down that book before bed. Natural light is also another thing to consider. It’s important to make sure that you have good quality curtains or blinds that won’t allow the daylight to wake you up before you’re ready.

Yesterday, March 17th 2020, was a rough one.

Long story short… I was doing all the school work my kindergartners teacher put in the shared Google drive. This drive is where she has all the school assignments posted.  That was the problem – I was doing it all. All that work was supposed to be for the week and the weeks to come…not all for 1 day. I didn’t know. I just assumed they were uploaded for that day.

Doing all that work in a few hours period caused a lot of anxiety and strife. I cried. A lot. I sobbed. I wept. I was spent.

I then dropped to my knees and prayed. It was all I could do, and it was all I needed to do.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” ~ Isaiah 41:10

I need to remember where my hope and faith is in these trying times.

I am a VERY social person. I love to be out and about. My kids and I are rarely at home. We have passes to all the museums. Several libraries know us by name. I love to go to parks, splash pads, park and recreation centers. We are always out and about.

Being confided to my home is a real test of my character. I crave adult conversation. My husband is in sales. When he comes home he just wants to sit and not talk. He talked for a living and wants to unwind. I am the opposite and craving an adult conversation. I feel sadness and a loneliness that I have not felt in a long time.

As a Christian I am not supposed to seek my needs in people, but to seek the face of God.

“Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.” ~ John 14:27

I was not the mom I want to be yesterday. I let me emotions get the best of me. But thankfully a good friend of mine called me out. She told me “I love you but without an attitude change it’s gong to continues to be miserable – and as a result telling God you’re discontent with his hand you’ve been dealt….the kids would also rather be at school in their normal routines….sympathize with them…”

Now, moving forward I am working on my contentment. My focus being on what Christ wants me to do. Each moment I need to reflect back on this truth.

I do know this – that He desires for me to continue to look and lean on Him.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” ~ Joshua 1:9

“Humble yourselves, then, under God’s mighty hand, so that he will lift you up in his own good time.  Leave all your worries with him, because he cares for you.” ~ 1 Peter 5:6-7

Yesterday was Saint Patrick’s Day. This is a holiday many associated with parties and green alcohol. However,  I know what the holiday was really meant for. It was a holiday to rejoice in the work Patrick, a christian, did in the country of Ireland. He helps spread the good news of the gospel to many people there. The day (March 17th) marks the death of Patrick. The day of Lenten rules were lifted for the day, which allowed drinking and feasts to occur this day (which where maybe the green beer known in society today got is roots from). Patrick;s main focus after he found Christ was to help convert as many pagans to Christianity in the country of Ireland.

After all the tears and upheval I wanted to crawl into bed. To just melt into my pillow and disappear. But what good would that do?

Instead, my daughter me “if you mix red and yellow you get green right?” – We then had a conversation about how she wanted to make her own craft project. Green is my daughters favorite color and being St Patrick’s Day I had to cave in and do this project.

When we got going and started to mix the dyes, pick out glitter and sequins for it I started to smile. I saw and felt her joy and it was contagious. THIS is what I need to do. Turn from my sorrow and look towards the joy. Where there is joy there is Christ.

Today feels weird. I feel different. There is something in the air…a feeling of confusion. A feeling of unease. A feeling of community.

I admit it, I went shopping.  I bought a LOT of stuff. Medicines, paper goods, food (fresh, canned and frozen). I felt embarrassed a few days ago when I made my first run. I got a few funny “that crazy girl” looks when I bought over $200 in medicine and soap from my local CVS. Today that CVS has been wiped clean. I don’t feel so embarrassed today.

I went to our local grocery store – Giant Eagle. I use their pay and go system. I use the portable scanner. I scan my items and bag them as I shop. I scan my portable scanner at the register to pay and go. It is so easy. When I opened the app to scan my membership card this is what I found. They are limited people hoarding already.

When we woke up this morning I sat my kids down for a heart to heart. I asked when what they new about the virus. I explained how this is a sickness that lots of people have gotten and are going to get. That most people will get better just like when we get a cough or the flu. But sadly others will not get better. I told them we have to stay inside our home a lot more now. This is so we don’t get the sickness and spread it to the people we love, the people who may not get better from this virus. They sort of get it. They know they don’t want the people in our family and friends group to get it. I don’t want to induce fear or panic in my children. That would not help any of this. I want them to be aware of coughing people. I want them to really improve in their hand washing. I want them to learn to respect me as their temporary teacher.

Today is the first day of no school for children for my kids. This mandated halt in education for the state of Ohio doesn’t officially start until next Tuesday – March 17 2020.  My school district decided to make it effective immediately.  I stopped into my daughters elementary school. I wanted to grab her math book and her writing journal. The people in the office told me that they teacher will be reaching out to us parents by email with the game plan.  I asked if I could just run back to her class room and get the couple things. I was not allowed. They had to take my daughter to the classroom while I waited in the office. I was considered an outsider. Someone who was not welcome in the school. I am her mom. I volunteer here often. The staff knows me by name. But now I am not welcomed. I am looked at like an outsider – someone who may be infected…

I don’t home school for a reason, it just isn’t in my blood. I have a hard time being a teacher and not the mom. Now I have to overcome my lack of comfort with the idea of homeschooling my kids. I have to become the teacher if I want them to stay up on their studies and not regress.

I tried to be the teacher, it was hard. After we talked about the virus I told them how I am going to be their teacher moving forward. I told them I will tell them when I put on my “teacher hat” that I am to be treated and respected. To behave around me how they behave around their school teacher. I can “clip” them up or down on the behavior chart, just like at school. I comforted them that we will only be doing a small amount of school each day, not an all day curriculum. We will just do some math, some reading and some writing. I am also choosing to add in a supplemental bible study each day. This will all take less an 1 hour. That is my game plan at least.

This are not normal. They will not be back to normal for a long time. This is going to get worse before it gets better. I fully believe this.

During this time I will choose to lean on my faith. My whole being knows that Christ is my savior. I will continue to pray and look to His word for direction at this time.

1 John 4:18  (NASB) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

Millipedes have two pairs of legs on every segment of their body, the majority of millipedes have at least 20 segments which equates to 40 sets of legs, or 80 individual legs; That’s a long way short of the 1,000 the name suggests but they certainly have a lot more legs than most creatures!

They are generally between 2 ½ and 4 cm long and a similar color to worms. Their food of choice is decaying plant material which is why you’ll often find them in your flowerbeds and mulch.

Surprisingly, despite the number of legs, millipedes are generally slow-moving and won’t bite you. In fact, they aren’t a threat to you or your health. But, if you have a large number of them in your house you’re going to want to contact your local pest control expert to have them removed.

The more important question is why you have so many in your home, knowing the answer to this will help you to prevent their entrance in the future. Again, your local exterminators will help you find out more about pest control methods. 

Why They Enter Your Home

As already mentioned, millipedes like to feed on decaying plant material, which makes your garden an excellent spot for them. You’ll often find them under stones or even in your foundations. 

But, when the weather gets colder, wetter, or even too dry, they’ll look for better shelter, your house is generally the best place on offer. They will head toward the dampest areas of your home, which means your laundry room, basement, and any crawl spaces you have.

In short, they enter your home because the weather isn’t good for them outside. The good news is that they will die quickly if they are deprived of moisture.

Eliminating The Issue

You can’t change the weather which means you have to persuade the millipedes that your house is not their best option as a shelter. There are several things you can do. To get the ball rolling with extermination reach out at terminix maryland.

• Vacuum

A standard vacuum will easily suck up millipedes, the journey up the pipes will usually kill them and, if it doesn’t, they’ll quickly dehydrate in your vacuum cleaner.

It’s simple and effective.

• Seal It Up

But, you should also consider stopping them from getting in. You’ll need to walk around your home looking for any cracks, gaps, and even hoes that a millipede could get through. They are small so the cracks will be small too.

Once you find a gap seal it up, it will prevent the millipede, or other pests, from getting into your home. 

Don’t forget to do the expansion joints where patios and sun rooms join the foundations.

You’ll also have to make sure there are no holes around pipe and cable entrances.

• Reduce Humidity

Millipedes need humidity to keep them moist and alive. Add a dehumidifier to your home and lower the humidity levels. You can also increase the ventilation under your home, both will make it less attractive to millipedes. 

Image – CC0 Licence

We are all feeling the pinch as parents and when we are struggling to make life become more convenient because of mounting bills (and ever-mounting tasks), we’ve got to work on structuring our week better. But what can we do to make sure that we really do structure our routines in a better way so that we and our family benefit?

The Fine Art Of Meal Prep

Meal preparation is one of those things that seems to take forever. And if we are looking to structure our week better, meal prep can be done at the start of the week which we can then portion into Tupperware boxes and cook accordingly. Because a lot of cooking can be done in the oven with minimal prep, such as this unstuffed bell peppers recipe, if we start to get into the mindset of making foods that are easier to prepare but are also healthy we won’t have to be slaves to the oven! Meal prep is all about tackling that notion of time and figuring out the best ways around it. For example, rather than making potatoes that take forever to boil, can you use rice as a substitute? Automatically, you’ve saved yourself about 20 minutes in cooking time!

The Benefit Of A Great Morning Routine

If running around in the morning getting everybody ready is the very definition of normality the best thing for you to do is to implement a good morning routine for everyone. But first, you need to make sure that you are prepared. It’s a little bit like when the breathing apparatus comes down in an airplane; if we have our mask on first we can help others. Think about the time you need to get up versus the time you normally get up. If you can get up 20 minutes before the first child does and have that cup of coffee, give yourself some time to come around, but also have a wash you’ve already tackled the bulk of getting ready.

Making The Most Of The Little Moments

We have to remember that we can be incredibly busy throughout the week and so if we can structure everything between Monday and Friday appropriately this gives us better opportunities for downtime. But one of the big things that we can struggle with during the week is the notion of little opportunities for time to ourselves. If you’re one of those people that is continually stressed and you feel that you have to be on the go, if you have 5 or 10 minutes spare, you can use this opportunity to prepare your mind by doing something like deep breathing or actually having an opportunity to just slow down. Many parents work better when they are forever on the go but after a while this isn’t good for us! So instead if you start to think about the little moments where you can recharge or do something to save yourself time later on, do it!

We all feel that pressure but we have got to remember that structure is crucial. Start to think about these three components and you will see a big difference in your life. 

If you work in the healthcare field, and are looking for employment, you have probably been through that moment where you’re ready to pull your hair out. It can be hard to narrow down the field and find decent healthcare jobs, especially in smaller areas, and/or if you’re looking for something really specific. While jobs in doctor’s offices are usually aplenty, you might be looking for something a little more exciting. Maybe you have thought about being part of a home healthcare franchise to really expand on your healthcare goals, either way, you want to find something that suits you.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Luckily, there are lots of great paying, exciting jobs with good benefits in the healthcare industry; it’s just a matter of knowing where to find them. With a host of healthcare-related job sites and apps out there, once you’ve got your location and specific job interests narrowed down, you can find a great job easily! Below are a few of the areas in which jobs are plentiful:

Equipment Rental

Hospitals are full of medical equipment, but medical equipment is often expensive. Hospitals are always on the lookout for cutting-edge technology to modernise existing stock, but they don’t always have the money to buy equipment outright. That’s where rentals come in. C-Arm Rentals, for example, like the C-arm in the picture above, can mean that a hospital can significantly expand its surgery capabilities quickly and cheaply when needed – say in the event of an emergency. Renting makes sense to many hospitals because it means that they don’t have to invest in technology that will be out of date in five years time. Instead, they can simply swap their old equipment for new equipment without having to pay full price upfront.

Nursing

Let’s face it, there will always be jobs for nurses. Nursing is one of our most respected and necessary professions; we’d be lost without our nurses. No matter whether you live, in the big city or a more rural area, whether you’d like to work in a hospital, a hospice center, a doctor’s office, a clinic or health department, or as a home health aide, you’ve got lots of options. In fact, there are nurses required in the veterinary medicine field as well! Animal care too needs people who are compassionate and caring towards animals, and have also been trained for nursing vet jobs. So, even if you’re a vet nurse, or are training to become one, then there are plenty of clinics that would love to hire a caring animal nurse.

Nurses are often able to make their own schedules, depending on which field/area they work in, enjoy good pay and very good benefits, and get to dela with the public every single day (most see this as a plus, but we won’t judge you if you don’t!). With sites specifically geared towards nurses, you can find employment opportunities no matter what type of nurse you are or where you live. You may even want to look into how to become a travel nurse, which opens up a world of possibilities. Furthermore, you can consider picking a locum tenens agency that aligns with your goals, as they can help you navigate assignments and benefits while supporting you in exploring diverse opportunities across different locations.

Hospitalist

A hospitalist is a physician that oversees the patients in the hospital; essentially a primary care physician (or PCP) for the hospital itself. He or She will oversee cases, delegate tasks to staff, sign off on charts, treatments and tests, and be the point of contact for incoming patients. They’re job is varied, but also high-stakes and sometimes stressful, but they are respected and valued in their industry. Without them, the hospital cannot function.

These jobs are in high demand but luckily, there is a job search tool to find hospitalist positions in your area.

Lab Tech

Working as a lab tech is a lucrative and exciting career. You’ll be responsible for various types of testing and diagnostics, testing for diseases and illnesses, comparing results, and assisting with diagnosis. Your job is high-stakes, with accurate results absolutely necessary. Luckily, however, there is now technology like RFID labels and tags to help make the job easier and more efficient, so if cool technological innovations are your thing, this might be the career for you. It’s also a very rewarding job because you’re often finding a needle in a haystack, and your findings may improve someone’s health for the better. These jobs are plentiful in pretty much every area.

These are just three healthcare industry jobs that are available in areas all over the country and on many online job listing sites. You’ll find it easier than ever to find the perfect healthcare job for you.

Lots of people change their careers after having children. This might be because they want a job that fits in better with being a parent or because they have found the courage to go for something they really want to do. When people have children, it is common for them to reflect on the past and think about their future, as it is a time of great changes.

It can also be a scary prospect. You are learning how to be a parent, and so much has changed in your life already. However, it may be the perfect time to change your career. If your career change involves study, then you should make sure that you are checking for plagiarism, as this is a major writing error that could have significant consequences.

If you are reconsidering your career path after becoming a parent, here are some things for you to consider.

Working around your family

One of the main reasons that a lot of parents reconsider their careers is because they want work that fits in with their family. They need something flexible and secure.

When looking for a new career, this will likely be at the forefront of your mind. You will need to consider hours and pay, as well as childcare. Be practical and determined; there will be something out there for you.

However, if this is your only reason then consider asking your employer to change your working conditions – you can find out how here.

Unfair treatment

For some people who want to return to work after maternity or paternity leave, discrimination is a big issue. More particularly, mothers might be at the forefront of experiencing this. They might lose out on promotion opportunities even though they tire themselves by overworking.

That is why it is crucial that you choose a job which has an ethical certification. Having an ethical certification can mean that the company refrains from poorly treating its employees. The best part, however, is that a company with ethical certification happens to comply with the Modern slavery act. It was designed to combat the severe exploitation of other people for personal or commercial gain. Moreover, this far-reaching piece of legislation can ensure that there is a regulatory body to stop any kind of employee exploitation.

Besides this, you also need to find an employer who can have the emotional bandwidth to understand your needs–someone who can value your contribution to the workplace and does not delve into workplace discrimination of any kind. Remember, there are lots of people experiencing the same thing. Reach out to people and get advice. Sometimes discrimination can run very deep and cause a lot of issues, if this is the case, then you may want to look into hiring the services of an employment discrimination lawyer California or one in your local area, so you can have this dealt with professionally and legally.

Returning to work after a long break

Many people give up their job to stay at home with their family. However, at some point, they often want to return to work. As a result, they might be left with little confidence in their abilities. Usually, a change in a career rather then returning to the same job after a long time away is more fulfilling. Furthermore, it may mean less pressure to be good at the job right away. For those considering a shift, exploring job listings for physical therapists can open up exciting new opportunities, allowing for a fresh start in a rewarding field.

Consider online study

Perhaps your dream job involves getting more qualifications. Don’t let this put you off. Maternity leave might be an excellent opportunity for you to study from home. Although this is a lot to juggle with a new baby, it will be worth it.

There have never been more opportunities for people to develop a wide range of skills and qualifications while remaining completely flexible. This digital era has allowed people to enroll in online courses and learn everything related to the field they want to pursue from the comfort of their homes. For example, if you want to pursue a career in law, you can choose to rely on online courses provided by organizations such as the Institute of Legal Finance & Management. As a result, you will have a clear career path to follow as you pursue your studies and gain competency in legal finance, practice management, and other legal areas.

Welcome change

You may feel overwhelmed, but try and welcome the change into your life. In the end, you will have something more fulfilling and suited to your life. And try to enjoy the process; your children will not be little forever.

If you are struggling, then reach out for help from mothers and other family members.