It was March 18th, 2020. My Mom was on her way back from Odisha. My older daughter had just finished her first grade annual exams. So we had planned to send the kids off with my parents when they go to Vellore via Chennai. On 19th March, my office announced work-from-home and so my husband and I decided to go along with the kids to Vellore, stay for the weekend and come back. We spent the weekend at Vellore but it came as a shock when the nationwide lockdown was announced. We couldn't go back to Chennai ( I hadn't locked the windows of my house and had left clothes for drying in the balcony since we expected to be back in two days). I was extremely thankful that we could be with the kids at my parents home in Vellore for the next couple of months. It was there that I discovered that we were expecting our third child. Our joy knew no bounds. Over the next few months, despite the pregnancy and the lockdown , we made multiple travels - to Chennai for cleaning up the home, twice to visit my in laws in Tuticorin and once to Nagercoil for a wedding at my 37th week of pregnancy ( you can read it in the link below)
In August 2020, my father- in-law was tested positive. So we quarantined him at our parents' place at Vellore. I was five months pregnant then with two small kids. God's protecting hand was evident. Soon, the whole neighbourhood was infected- my maid, people who helped with our parent's ministry etc. God made us a blessing to those around, in terms of providing them with food.
The pregnancy progressed smoothly and the fact that my son was born on Christmas day 2020 came as a surprise! God helped us through the process, and gave me a super-easy delivery. We once again began our travelling with our three kids - the first one when my son was 2 months old- shuttling between my in-laws at Tuticorin and my parents place at Vellore and everywhere in between- Madurai, Shengottai, Trichy, Kodaikanal and a few more. In May 2021, as the second wave hit our country, my mother was infected. Just a few minutes before she felt her temperature rising, my then 5- month -old son was playing on her lap. We admitted her in CMC and by God's sheer grace she recovered and the rest of the family was not infected.
Two weeks back, my father in law was diagnosed with a major block in the heart. By Gods grace, the bypass surgery last week went off well and he is recovering well at CMC.
Despite the uncertain times, there are so many things I am grateful for-
1. for getting to spend so many months with both sets of parents and for the huge break from the hectic city life.
2. I am immensely grateful for the time that we could spend as a family because of the lockdown.To have the husband and the kids by your side 24/7 is awesome!
3. For the Lord's protecting and healing hand in our family, especially in the past month when all of us were down with the flu.
4. For all the travel mercies and for the safe arrival of our third child.
5. While many lost their jobs during the pandemic, we 're grateful for the jobs we hold.
6.For the many opportunities that we had to help out those in need during the pandemic.
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