Blogging my way through a pandemic

*Blogging while listening to Kyle's virtual shoe consultation (yes, he is buying a new pair of shoes via Zoom)*

Wow, I don't really know where to start. So much has changed, in the world and our lives, since I last wrote. Reading through my last post, I realized how much I took for granted: Hugging friends, family dinners, weekend trips, going to work. It all just seems like a different life. But nonetheless, here we are: in the middle of this pandemic. It's so weird to think that when Rhynder is grown up and telling her kids about this unfathomable time in our history, she can say she was alive through it but had no idea what was going on. 

It's times like these that I turn to gratitude to help calm my fears, nerves, and anxiety. Practicing daily gratitude really puts things in perspective and helps defog the haze of all the scary things going on in the world. Here is what I'm currently grateful for: 

• Obviously I'm thankful for Rhynder but more specifically, I'm so grateful she is such a good little tabby (no longer a baby but not yet a toddler). She is such a fun, smiley, easy going little girl. She naps great, sleeps through the night, eats like a champ and still lets me put ridiculous bows and sunglasses on her.  I have no idea how we got so lucky.

• Living with my sister who can cut my hair, do my nails, and tweeze my eyebrows to help keep me from becoming a total gremlin. 

• Wine and [Keto] cookie dough. Yes, Kyle and I are currently on the Keto bandwagon. It's actually not that hard and I'm really enjoying it. Low carb, high fat. (I like the part that you can have alcohol) 

• Having friends and family making me feel special on my birthday even during quarantine. 

• Having a beautiful veranda to sit outside on. 

• Being able to work from home. With the unemployment numbers sky rocketing, Kyle and I are so so so thankful we both have jobs that allow us to keep working and earn income. On March 11th, Google's office closed and I was able to carve out a "work station" in our condo. On May 11th, I decided to take advantage of Google's "Carer's Leave". Since Juliette is starting school and won't be able to watch Rhy anymore and her daycare is closed until an unknown date, I made the decision to take a break from work and dedicate 100% of my time to this little girl. I think if she was a little older we would be able to balance work + childcare but right now she requires a ton of energy since she gets into EVERYTHING! I'm so thankful Google cares enough about their employees to have this policy and I'm excited to be a full time mom again. 

• Having nice weather to go on daily walks. Even though we get cold fronts here and there, I'm so thankful we are not in the middle of winter for all this. 

• Having the last memory of "normalcy" being our annual St. Patty's Day bar crawl. It was the last time we went out socially and probably will be for a while. I miss these people (and many more!)

I hope you are all taking care of yourselves mentally and physically. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. This too shall pass. Sending you all virtual hugs. 

OXOX,

JJ