One month into quarantine

It’s been one month since we began our home quarantine, somehow it feels like it’s been a year. Life right now feels like groundhog day.

One month since the kids were in school and it’s official – school is closed for the rest of the year. I’m not surprised by this announcement.

I’ve always said I wasn’t made for homeschooling and now here I am overseeing and helping with home school, our new norm. Will school start this fall? I don’t see how.

I remember the days like a distance memory when I would dread taking my toddler into the grocery store. Now I wish I could pop him in the car and mosey around the grocery store and let him explore the world around him. It’s not fair for him. Oh the little things I’ve taken for granted.

We were due to PCS (move) in mid June. This week, the Marine Corps issued an extended hold on PCS orders from May to June 30th. But, it could get extended again & they can’t move everyone at once, so we’ll see what happens. I have to be honest with you, moving across the country in the midst of a pandemic isn’t exactly settling for me.

I don’t watch the news as much as when this all began. It helps to keep it out of my thoughts but I don’t believe ignorance is bliss in this case. There is a real threat right outside of our doors, lurking around and not even our 5 senses are aware. We don’t know when life will return to “normal” I mean will it ever be the same? I sure do hope so!

What I’m saying is, I believe it’s important to know what is going on in order to protect ourselves. But too much news is just too much to bear anymore.

What we’ve been up to

Not much has changed since my last post 🙂 like I said, it’s a lot like groundhog day here. However, the boys made a waterfall in the creek behind our house. The sound is beautiful! It’s so soothing and we can hear it in our bedrooms upstairs when the windows are open, so that’s cool!

My 11 year old and I have been bonding through cooking. Mostly sweets 🙂 I know I’m not the only mom out there that relates to it taking a certain level of patience to teach our kids to cook! I’m not that easy going, patient, gentle teacher in the kitchen. BUT I’m really trying to be. And when I stop caring about the extra mess and controlling how he does things, I find we have a really good time together.

It’s moments like those that mean more than anything. With everything going on in the world, I have to focus on what I can control. I can control being mindful.

This banana chocolate chip chai muffin recipe was a winner! So delicious. My neighbor turned me onto Half Baked Harvest, you can find this recipe here.

Practicing Mindfulness

I like this definition: When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune into what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future. See here how mindfulness helps you live in the moment. Here is how I am practicing mindfulness:

1. Not focusing on what I don’t have and appreciating everything I do have
2. Take one day at a time
3. Living in every moment
4. Not worrying over the future/unknown
5. Accepting myself, my family and my life as it is today and making the very best out of it

This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24