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- Do you have any idea exactly how far 6-feet is? It’s pretty far when you actually get out a tape measure & measure out that distance. We’ve been social distancing all week by simply staying home – it’s easier that way. And don’t worry – we aren’t actually social distancing from our dog – I don’t think anyone would survive keeping Abby at a 6-foot distance.
- There is a meme going around social media that says: “This past week has been the longest year of my life” and I literally could not have summed it up better. Seriously, it has been a long week. The kids & I haven’t left our house (or backyard) since last Sunday when we had dinner with my parents. I never before realized just how much having somewhere to go meant – whether that was just a trip to the grocery store, a Target run, or going over to hang out at my parent’s house. Everything has been stripped away & it’s the strangest, loneliest feeling. Thankfully, I’m quarantined with my favorite people – so that helps. But, I miss my family so incredibly much. (I keep lobbying for my Dad to open the Lake House & we all just go down there to quarantine together – but so far, we’re still stuck in Pennsylvania.)
- If you would ask me how I’m handling all of this? Honestly? I feel like I’m on a roller coaster – feeling down & scared & anxious one moment, then feeling hopeful & positive & optimistic the next. It’s a super strange concoction. Overall, I want to remain as positive as possible – the last thing I want is for Braelynn to look back & remember a time when Mom lost her mind over some “sickness” that kept us all from leaving the house. The kids seriously have no idea what’s going on – other than Braelynn knows we aren’t going anywhere (the store or church) because a lot of people are sick. She doesn’t need to know that the governor of Pennsylvania has shut down all non-life-sustaining businesses or that Pennsylvania had it’s first COVID-19 fatality this week. She’s only 5, so I’m not sure if she will specifically remember this time at all, but if she does, I hope she remembers it as a time that we stayed home, but had fun: doing art projects, jumping in mud puddles, and baking cookies to pass the time.
- Overall though, we’ve truly kept up our normal routines just like any other week. I’ve still been getting up early to exercise (going on 12+ weeks of exercising every day, I’m so glad I established that habit back at the beginning of this year!), we still do preschool every day, I still read to the kids at lunch, we still eat dinner together as a family, and Derrick & I still do yoga (almost) every night. There is another meme going around that say: “When your normal daily lifestyle is called ‘quarantine'” – and it’s true! I just miss the freedom of leaving our house – and Braelynn is definitely missing her BFF Moxie next door – they wave at each other thru the window & it’s just sad.
- This past week has definitely put a lot of perspective on so many things. I’m suddenly very thankful for things I wasn’t specifically thankful for last week, like:
I’m thankful for cloth diapers (and not having to worry about going to the store to stock up)
I’m thankful that Derrick has braved the grocery store for us this week – including finding us some toilet paper this morning (we were down to our last few rolls, it was getting a little scary – but we’re good now!)
I’m thankful that this week welcomed the first day of spring! If that’s not enough to get you excited for new beginnings, I’m not sure what is.
I’m thankful for technology, specifically FaceTime & texting & GIFs. We FaceTimed with my Mom & sisters earlier this week, and then Braelynn got to meet her new baby cousin Layla via FaceTime yesterday. We can’t wait until the quarantine is lifted & I can take the kids over to meet her in person!!
I’m thankful for a washer & dryer – I’ve let the kids jump in mud puddles several days this week & it’s been so good to come into the house, strip them down, and toss their muddy clothes in the wash.
I’m exuberantly thankful that Derrick has a job and that his job is considered “supporting a life-sustaining business” – meaning, when so many other businesses were shut down this week, his company is still up & running. I wish he could work from home, but I’m just thankful he still is working. (In case you’re wondering, my business is doing fine – I was supposed to shoot a wedding next weekend, but it’s been rescheduled – unfortunately for a date I am already booked to shoot another wedding. So, I’ve only lost one wedding so far [talk about the most heart-breaking situation ever]) - If you’ve been reading my last few Abby’s Saturday posts, you’ll recall that I’ve been talking about this massive project I’ve been working on: our 2019 family album. I’ve been wanting to put together a yearly family album for 2 or 3 years now, and this year was the year I actually set it as a concrete goal that I wanted to complete it. The task took me 3 months – but guys – it’s DONE. I finished pulling all the images about 2 weeks ago, I designed the album over the course of about 10 days, and I officially ordered it this week. It’s a massive 12×12 book with just shy of 400 pages. Did I mention that it’s going to be massive? THANKFULLY, I ordered it just in time too: as most states of shut down their non-essential businesses this week – that means a lot of printing companies have been shut down too. My book made it thru production just in time though & it’s on it’s way to me – I should have it early next week! I am SO SO SO excited!! I will probably cry when I see it – 3 months of hard hard work – I can’t wait!
- Seriously though: how are you guys doing? Are you making it thru this quarantine period okay? How’s your mental status?
