How Are You Doing?

How are you fairing with everything going on during these strange times?  I personally have never ever experienced a time like this before.

We’re hanging in there.  We have been really busy with Alex who is home from school.  We have managed, to our best ability, keep her busy and we get outside twice a day on most days.  The fresh air helps everyone.  We have found a new schedule and pace of things, as the days pass.  It is definitely different than our norm and more challenging to get things done, for sure.  Alex misses her friends and school, as do we.  We all did a Zoom yesterday with Alex’s teacher and friends from school.  During this time, we have experienced great joy to intense meltdowns with Alex within minutes of each other.  Doug and I are traversing our way though everything with Alex home from school.  Some days feel really long and challenging, while others pass quickly, like usual.  Sometimes, it is really difficult to believe this pandemic is happening.  Someone wise said to me, recently, “this will pass and all we’ll have is what we did with the time.”  I found those words so helpful.

However, we are doing our best to thrive versus survive this time.  I am doing my best to look on the brighter side of things, most days, even though what is going on is truly awful for people experiencing really hard times and sickness.  Everyone is experiencing some type of hardship.  Reflecting on this time, so far, it is the most time the four of us have collectively spent together since Alex was born.  We have had to be very creative, which has been interesting, as we cannot go on our typical outings together.  We have taken car rides together, gone to open fields that we have never been to before in order to get everyone out of the house.  Bubbles have been a hit as well.  I think Doug has purchased every type of ball for Alex from tennis balls to kick balls, as she loves them and we have already lost a few of them as well!  (She even likes to sleep with some of her balls — go figure!)  Alex is still really into studying her books, so we always do that with her in the evenings before bed.  The pace of life has not been so frenetic as usual, which has been a nice change of pace not to have to be somewhere at a certain time.  Doug and I have more time to talk and visit.  We actually are getting to watch a little television in the evening on Hulu and Netflix.  We are all getting a little more sleep at night, which never hurts.  Perhaps some good things will come from this uncertain time.  I have found the most beautiful things often can come from difficult times.  I am grateful that we are healthy and we can all be home together, for now.  Stay safe.  Sending love.

(Top image credit: Morgan Harper Nichols).