Despite COVID restrictions, I hope everyone had a decent Thanksgiving.

Ours was interesting.

On Wednesday evening, I found that there was a voicemail on my phone from the assisted living community where my mom lives. This is not abnormal. Her facility calls about once a month to tell us, via automated voice, that “everything is fine.” This message was a little different, though. A recorded voice told me that, though they recommended against it, we could spring my mom from her facility to spend Thanksgiving with us as long as we called and gave them advanced notice that we were planning on doing that. Chris and I had a discussion about whether or not we wanted to do that, but decided that we probably should not because of the COVID risk, especially since my mother has told me that if they go outside for anything besides a walk around the block or a doctor’s appointment, they will be isolated in their rooms for fourteen days.

Well, early Thursday afternoon, Chris and I were in the process of getting the turkey ready for the smoker when I received another call– or rather another recorded message. Good thing we decided against bringing my mom home for Thanksgiving because, according to the message, an employee of the facility had a positive COVID test, so now we would not be able to go get her anyway because all the residents had to have COVID tests of their own. What a way to spend a Thanksgiving. My poor mom.

The facility called back right around 5:30, as we were about to serve up dinner; a live person this time. She informed me that my mom’s test had come back negative. What a relief. So when we went around the table, asking each member of the family what they were thankful for, that was mine. I was thankful that my mom’s test came back negative.

I later texted my mom and congratulated her on her negative test. She told me it was interesting that they had informed me of her test results, but had yet to inform her. I also learned that it was not one, but three employees that had contracted COVID.

Please pray for my mom, if you’re the praying sort. She has enough going on without adding COVID into the mix.

Also, to my knowledge, they still have not informed her of the results of her test…