It's a New Kind of Normal

As I just finished reading my last blog post, I was struck by 1) how long it's been since I last wrote (I never take a full month break between my posts), and 2) how different my, our, reality is since just a few weeks ago.

Our "new normal" started on Friday the Thirteenth (that is, Friday, March 13th).   This is when Lewie would have his last day of 5th grade, and I would have my last day at work.   Information was coming to us from all directions.  From Lewie's school, there were the books, homework sheets, and instructions for Lewie's "new" online curriculum.   From my workplace, there would be a new work-from-home policy, and my on-campus class would be converted to distance learning.   Then, from our governor, there would be the daily updates of our own state shutdown.  Social distancing would become the norm, and the #IStayHomeFor Challenge would be the latest trend among the growing numbers of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.

I Stay Home for my Mom!

I Stay Home for these Guys...

I am not complaining about this sudden shift to staying home; I feel blessed that our governor acted on it quickly, and if we follow all the protocols to keep ourselves safe, we "should" be able to stay away.  I'm especially thankful because my 75 year-old mom (who has asthma) lives right next door in our duplex house.  We have an obligation to stay healthy not just for us, but, more importantly, for her.  Still, my husband likes to drive places, which has caused anxiety over the last few weeks.  This is where I need to trust that he is doing the right thing and have faith that we will pull through this.  Trust and faith have become my new motto (since control and fear don't work).

For the first few weeks of our "stay-at-home" adventure, life was messy.  The school curriculum was overwhelming (too many posts and assignments with little direction), my work-from-home schedule was making me ignore my son for 7+ hours a day, and my husband's sleep and work schedule took a back seat to some serious mental health challenges.  (ADHD and bipolar mania do not work well for staying in one place.)  The house quickly became overrun by "life," too.  With all of us under one roof, it became more challenging to keep up with dirty dishes, laundry, floors, counter tops, and more.  (Even now, I'm still having a hard time keeping up!)

Now that I am at the end of "Stay-at-home" Week 3, I'm feeling a little more confident.  My supervisor at work allows me to work with my son during the morning, so I can help him with his schoolwork.  Then from 1 p.m. until 12 a.m., I answer emails, participate in meet-ups, and get my "work" done with breaks in-between.  It's not perfect, but on most days, I get to exercise, help Lewie with school, take a walk, perform my job duties, and spend an hour or two watching Netflix with my husband.  On Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m., I even have a scheduled "Houseparty" meet-up with two of my close friends--friends that I normally see once every two months.  (Now we see each other online once per week!)

Yes, our new kind of normal is not perfect;  I have friends and acquaintances who are currently suffering from health issues (i.e. contracting the virus), mental health concerns, job loss, or the loss of a loved one.  Even in our house, there is anxiety, which admittedly can run high at times.  Still, in the midst of all this unknown, we do find time to laugh, to take walks, and to ground each other.  There are glimpses of hope, whether it's the 104 year-old man that survived the Coronavirus (in addition to the Spanish flu and World War II) or the everyday heroes that are volunteering their time to help the sick, the elderly, the hungry, and the compromised.  Yes, during these times, I'll continue to focus on the good.  We will get through this TOGETHER.