Well, y’all, how are things in your part of the world?? I’ve sat down at my computer to write several times over the last two months, only to get right back up because everything is just empty. We HAD short trips planned and a handful of shows. A lot of hiking and swimming days. If things were normal, we’d be in the last stretch of the school year and getting ready for summer break. But none of those things are happening now. My daughter is already so over being at home every day. She misses the structure she had in school and her friends. As for this blog, there are only so many times I can write about my mental health. Only so many times I can post a picture of Emery in the same exact spot- just in a different outfit. There are only so many new updates that I can disclose, none of which would be written about with more than a handful of sentences, before it would all get really old. So, I’ve decided to just not force myself to write anything. If it comes, great! If it doesn’t that’s great too! In the meantime, I’m just trying to enjoy or struggle through whatever I’m faced with for the day. And I’m doing my best, just like everyone else, to get through this. Which is more than enough for me.
For us, in my little part of Texas, this is technically Week 9 of the COVID-19 pandemic. And it’s been...interesting? Challenging? Relaxing? Frustrating? Boring? Loving? Eye-opening? All of the above. Let me tell ya, there’s definitely a lot that can be learned from being forced to social distance. To stay in our homes as much as possible. And it’s not always good things. Sometimes you’re only left with having to deal with how you’re feeling and the why's behind those feelings. Sometimes the ugly comes out. I’ve had to ask myself more hard questions over the past month than I've had to in over three years. I’ve also had to start the process of unlearning a few habits. Which is all new to me and not always easy to navigate. This work is something I've avoided for a long time because I could put it off for another day. There was always something else more pressing to deal with. But now, in quarantine, there are no more excuses. So, if nothing else, I hope that I at least have some emotional/mental growth when things return to normal. That's all I'm asking of myself.
For today, I just wanted to pop in on here and say hello. Let y'all know how we were doing. We're doing well. Our town is smaller in size so things are opening back up for us. We’ve been able to go outside, in the country, a few times each month so the kids can get some fresh air and several hours of play. Some much-needed screen-free-time. We've been able to visit family; keeping our numbers below 10. Last week, we were able to go sit in a restaurant which was so wonderful. A little bit of our normal is coming back, but the concern is that it'll get taken away again if we aren't careful. Now, even though our state is opening back up the stores are still out of the good toilet paper, and the business hours are very short. However, life keeps moving, right? That sense of fear we felt in the first few weeks is almost completely gone too. Not sure if that’s a good thing or bad one, but it is what it is. I hope each of you reading this is doing well though. I hope there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, wherever you may be. Until the next time, I leave you with a few pictures of what life looks like for us right now. Stay safe & adios.
