I realized today that I haven't much documented how COVID-19 has effected us, and years from now, I'll likely look back and be disappointed that I didn't document this time more.
Initially, the beginning of outbreaks in the US and closures was alarming. People were flocking to the grocery store and clearing it out. Calls for isolating at home and school closures was rather alarming.
I was reading the updates on the news several times a day, and it did get to me. I had to decide to read a little bit each morning, and then let it be, or I would go crazy.
The last three months of school for us were at home in virtual learning and Scott working from home. We spent these weeks, essentially completely isolated from others. The only time we left the house was to hike, bike, and for me to go to the grocery store.
It was actually refreshing at first in some ways. No driving. No rushing. Sleeping in. Time to finally do the family things we always wanted: board games, puzzles, reading, sorting and cleaning out, etc.
It was exhausting in other ways. Kids were home 24/7, which meant no one else to discipline our kids, get them to learn, do chores, & clean up.
Being isolated from friends was harder than I thought it would be. I need to talk to a friend at least once a week!
Feeding 6 people 3 meals a day was actually exciting for me at first. I could finally cook for my family exactly the way I wanted. I made super healthy and filling meals 3 times a day. I was able to use up all the expiring food in the pantry and all the fresh food in the fridge totally before heading to the store every 8-10 days. No food waste, lots of healthy food, no eating out....ideal in some ways. Except that after 3 months of this, I was exhausted.
I decided my original goal of not eating out EVER until the virus was under control was not very practical, and we started going to the beach occasionally, and picking up Wendy's on the way home. Or, after particularly long days working on house projects, picking up Dominos.
I have always been grateful for school lunch. One meal each day that I don't have to prepare a hot meal for my kids. However, I will be even MORE grateful for school lunch after this.
Even after school ended, we have continued to social distance very well through the summer. Our boys have only had a handful of meetups with friends at the beach or outside. Cora just started meeting up with a friend for a once a week playdate with a family who has also been super-cautious like we have.
I have met up with only a handful of my friends as well, in outside safe environments. I taught yoga virtually once each week. When the studios were allowed to re-open, I decided to teach in person only if it were outside or in a small class (4 participants) only with a room with doors wide open, 6+ feet apart. That has felt very safe to me.
The most "risky" thing we did was to host Scott and kids, touring Martha's Vinyard, Boston, and the area a bit....all outdoors.....all social distancing with lots of hand sanitizer and masked....also very low risk type of travel in my opinion. Having that one vacation in the middle of this isloation time was so so good for my moral.
Then, in September (a month from now), we will send all 4 of the kids to school for some hours in the week.....and hope that we all stay healthy. 😕
It feels a little like it might go like this.....but I hope not! (My favorite Gif)
After 6 months of social distancing, it will feel really weird. However, continuing to virtually learn would feel really stagnant too. Just no way around it. 2020 has been very very exceptional.
Some of the popular news at this moment along with the virus: Protesting due to the death of George Floyd and others, Black Lives Matter, some violence/unrest with that, a lot of talk about the presidential election (Trump vs. Biden) this year, lots of school board meetings trying to decide how to start school, labs all over the world trying to produce an effective coronavirus vaccine, resurgence of anti-vaccine talk along with that, and a lot of news on sex trafficking and related scandals.
Some of the silver linings in all this has been that we have had a lot of time together as a family. My kids have been playing creatively and well together. I feel like they had to warm up to that at first, and now it's going really well. There were many forts made during these months.
We really enjoyed taking time to slow down from the hectic pace of life.
Though ready for more "action" now, I do feel that we will appreciate the normal activities more as they begin again.
We still have a good 6-12 months before I think things will start really getting back to normal, but just wanted to document a little bit of the journey.
"Memorialize 2020, the great toilet paper shortage year, with these earrings"
Be safe everyone!
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