Spring Break 2020
This picture was taken well over almost 2 months ago before the Coronavirus hit the States. I used this picture because it really just shows Peyton and Carly's innocents as children in this picture. Just looking at their reflection in the water...and reflecting back on the past week and all that has happened...I see the innocents in our children in all of this. This year Spring Break 2020 was suppose to start with Senior Skip Day for Jayden on Friday March 13th, well that didn't happen....we got that phone call at 3:30 A.M. with every other parent who has a child enrolled in Austin ISD informing us that we wouldn't have classes on Friday March 13th due to concerns regarding the Coronavirus. Later the following week when Spring Break really started things got worse...OMG!!! Yall, we had to grocery shop!! I'm not one to for crowds. Ask my husband, when we have to shop for the holidays, I despise it....I try to get it done at least a week or two prior to avoid the crowds. Well, I couldn't do that this time...during this Coronavirus Pandemic. I had to go into the grocery stores, and yes I mean more then one grocery store to find enough food to feed my family. I couldn't believe what I saw, I couldn't believe that people was hoarding food the way that they are. Oh.....please don't get me started on the toilet tissue yall....WHY??? Who in their right minds needs that much toilet tissue??? Hand sanitizer....I haven't even tried to buy any, because I know I'm not going to find any...because people are hoarding it.
But what's really got me upset is how hard it is for me to find "safe foods" for Peyton. People are panic buying while grocery shopping these days, and the foods that people like Peyton who suffer from food allergies and others who suffer from Coeliac Disease, so there are no foods for those of us who really need them . I haven't been able to find basic things like chicken nuggets, or some of Peyton's snacks that I can get on a weekly grocery shop to the H-E-B on a Sunday afternoon. It's gotten so bad that I've been to Randall's three days this week and gotten these cookies that I know are safe for her because these are the only cookies or snacks I could find on the shelf. I'm so thankful for my circle of friends and family, they saw a post that I posted on Facebook yesterday and they came to the rescue for Peyton!!! Thank yall so much!!! But looking back at it....we don't know how long we will have to be in the hunt for food...this makes my head hurt. I went in Target the other day in South Park Meadows, now I never go to that Target....I only went there because they sell the Safe + Fair Birthday Cake Granola that Peyton and I love so much. I'll tell you....it's better if you can find this granola in Costco or now Target, the company is so slow on shipping. But anyways, I'm in Target looking for coffee creamer (that I didn't find) and I remembered that Ms. Hawkins told me that they sold this granola in this Target. So I asked a worker if that sold the Safe +Fair Birthday Cake Granola, after Bernard and I walked around the grocery part of the store looking for it. OMG....yall her attitude....and I know, I know....people who have been working in the grocery stores are SPENT!!! I know they are tired, TRUST ME....my niece works at H-E-B. BUT....I asked her if they sold the granola....this is what she told be in this monotone voice...."uggghhh Safe +Fair Granola, I've never heard of that." Now, as she's saying this to me, she pulls out one of those little hand held computer thingies and starts typing in something, looking up information on something and slowly drags her body off. I looked at Bernard, at this point my patients is shot, I'm going to tell you why....I've avoided going to grocery stores. Why, because of the hoarders....the lines were long, there wasn't any tissue paper, no milk, no eggs, no bread, no laundry detergent, no safe foods for my daughter who has MULTIPLE FOOD ALLERGIES. I've avoided the grocery stores, I went to Randall's three times yall, three... ran in and came right out with a few items in my hands....did I hoard...NOPE. I got what we needed, found the 1 safe thing Peyton could eat outside of fruit as a snack and left. So, when I go to Target and ask a worker for help, even though I know she was tired......so was I. What made me MAD was the fact that she pulled out that item scanner and looked up a item in my face and walked away....when all she had to do was look up the name of the granola I was asking for since she didn't recognize it by name, but she didn't offer to do that. I've refrained from getting mad at people over the last week or so...because I know everyone's trying to do the best that they can. But this just topped the cake...the workers at Costco have been so nice and just a joy to help, the workers at Randall's have been so nice and over accommodating....but this right here...all she had to do was type the name of the granola in the little hand held scanner thingie. I looked at Bernard and I was still standing within arms reach of the girl and I said, " Bernard hold this stuff let me get my phone, I will search it on the Target App. One would think that she would have searched it for me since she has that scanner thing in her hand searching stuff in front of me". I had to remove myself and walk away, because at the end of the day the point is we are in uncharted waters right now, and we should be here trying to help each other. After searching for foods that are safe for my daughter to eat, all I was asking for was some help.....that's it.
We're Trying to Help People Find Safe-to-Eat Food Online - Learn More
This breaks my heart for my two older kids, I have a high school senior who is due to graduate at the end of May. Right now, we don't know if he will have his senior prom, right now we don't know if he will have graduation. Saturday April 4th he was suppose to go on his visit to Texas Tech....well that is all up in the air right now. My freshman, he was suppose to start 7v7 football for the spring and summer, he had also just started track....whelp that's all been canceled. Not to mention, Peyton was suppose to have cheer tryouts this week when she was due to return back to school. Overall I'm counting my blessings.....my family and friends are safe and healthy, I'm spending more time with my husband and children. I wonder if this was the Lord's way of saying to slow down...maybe. This has put a hold on a lot of things that we had in works for PASH that will have to be reevaluated and planned for 2021 now. I still have one event that I want to roll out for late fall of 2020, and I feel like we can still successfully plan this one.
I just feel so drained right now...I look around and all I'm reading from different people online is a lot of complaining. Be it from other parents judging other parents, to parents complaining about the school district not rolling out online learning fast enough...not practicing social distancing. Don't get me started on that....because in my opinion we could have been prepared if we had payed attention to what was going on in China back in late November/December.....but I'm just going to leave that right there. On another note, I've always washed my hands as a food allergy parent, but now as I type this blog post...my hands have a big dry patch from me washing them so much....they've started to dry out...lol!!!
I say this to you all, be safe.....take care of your families. Stop panic shopping, be kind with your words. Remember words have power and meaning be hind them, you may be trying to get a good point across...but if you choose the wrong words to express your point, that can change the way people look at you. Take this time to spend more time with your loved ones, time is so precious that we tend to take it for granted until it's too late.
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