Friday, July 10, 2020

Quarantine Check In

How are you holding up, everybody? These are some CRAZY TIMES we are living in, huh? Sometimes it doesn't even feel real; when I'm watching the news, it feels like I'm watching a science fiction movie. But, Covid-19 is no joke. I hope you're all sheltering in place and staying safe, taking all necessary precautions. We sure are!

I haven't "worked" (in a traditional sense) since I was 37 weeks pregnant. But, let's be real, motherhood is MORE than a full time job. Gil is a realtor and works from home, making occasional work errands like showing houses and meeting with stagers. He has also been the one to run to the grocery store. Olivia and I have been home since March 15th. Usually the two of us get really stir crazy staying home! Living very near to a local park has been my saving grace. When the weather is nice, we load Olivia up in the stroller and walk a couple miles in the fresh air. It's been so good for my spirits. We have made exceptions to spend time with friends and family who we know have also been social distancing, but we've been extra careful.

I'm actually pretty proud of the way I've been handling all of this. Occasionally, I have panic attacks and anxiety. I don't like change, especially that which happens very suddenly, so I guess that's one reason I'm surprised at my response to a global pandemic. Maybe it's because I'm a mom now and I have a child I need to be strong for? Maybe it's because I feel a big responsibility to take care of everyone that I can by staying home and staying healthy, not putting others at risk of sickness or death, just because I want to get out and about.

I've taken this opportunity to plan and dream for when this is all over. We cleared the clutter off of our patio and made it all pretty, so we've been spending a lot of time out there. I've been cooking dinner every night and it's been kind of exciting to try new recipes and to realize that there's a lot I can cook without a recipe because I know it by heart, now. I've been reading a lot of books and we've been organizing and decluttering, but let's be real. We've also been pigging out, netflix binging, staying in our jammies all day and doing a whole lot of chilling on the couch.

I'll encourage you to just do the best you can during this time. You were thrust into this situation just like everyone else. It's okay to allow a bunch more screen time than you normally would, and don't feel bad if your kids have eaten one too many bags of cheetos every day for the past 3 months. We are figuring all this out and coping in our own ways.

I've been thinking a lot about people who battle depression, anxiety and substance abuse issues. About people who are recovering alcoholics and people who just were starting to feel like they were getting out of funks. I'm thinking about people who are sheltering in place all alone and are craving human touch. I'm holding space for all those people and keeping them in my prayers; I hope you'll do the same. When all of this is over, the world will be a better place, I just know it. I think we will have a lot more grace for each other and we'll have a whole new appreciation for our essential workers and healthcare workers and teachers. We will come out of this better. HANG IN THERE.

xoxo- Rachel