What crazy times we live in. Can you actually believe this is real life!? I keep waking up thinking: “maybe today will be normal!” or “maybe they’ve found a cure?” It’s wild, and I’m 99.9% sure you’re feeling the same way.
So this time last year we were exploring Japan with the kids and this year we’re lucky if our governor let’s us walk on the beach – definitely not what I anticipated this year looking like.
So overall how are we?
Like you, we’re hanging in. The kids are resilient, but definitely feel the strain. We’ve been trying to make life as normal as possible (whatever that means!) They really miss their homeschool friends and co-ops, ice skating on Mondays, the soccer season, and Adelaide really misses her ballet school friends.
We’ve been finding that sticking to a schedule helps keep life more normal. We’ve had some trips to the beach (the few that are open) and it’s helped IMMENSELY for stress relief!
Because of social distancing we’ve not seen any of our parents for 6 weeks, with the exception of 6 feet apart when they’ve dropped off things outside of our home. (Lilyana snuck in a hug to grandpa’s legs – she’s not a good social distancer!😛)
I honestly miss real life. Even as a more of a homebody type I miss going out and miss seeing people! I miss my girlfriends, I miss going to the movies, I miss date nights with Steve, I miss hiking and taking the kids to the playground. And yes – I’ll be as cliche as possible right now – I miss browsing the aisles at Target!
I’ve been furloughed in my youth ministry job and things have been slowish for Steve, but we’re trusting in God. I’ve started being more active promoting my Usborne Book Shop, and hosted a few quarantine book fairs which have been really fun and rewarding. Books have really been a blessing through this whole ordeal!
That being said – we have our HEALTH, for this I am so grateful to God. I feel closer to Him than EVER, especially as a family.
I know so many in our state are suffering right now, and I understand how important it is to flatten this curve. I’m so happy to hear the number of positive cases has gone down in NJ over the last week! And that hospitalizations are down too!!
I teared up (bawled) when I saw a parade of police officers, EMTs, and firefighters going down our street with sirens blazing to thank our towns brave healthcare workers. They truly are HEROS!!!
So overall we’re pretty good. And honestly I can’t REALLY complain that much – we’ve been crazy blessed to have received communion the past two weeks because our Uncle is a priest and my mom brought Him to our home. (again, NOT inside, feel like I always have to clarify that…). We also found a Church an hour away that did a really cool social distancing confession, so somehow we got spoiled this Lent.
I hope you and your family are safe, healthy, and making the most of this strange time. Peace and prayers, Charlene
Leave a Reply