We're SAFE at home and I've tried really hard to avoid saying we are STUCK at home.
My attitude is so contagious. I think that's true of most moms and women.
Your attitude sets the tone for your family day in and day out.
Let that soak in. You can set the stage for a JOY filled home.
We are healthy and happy and most days have been joyful here. Yes, we're a little bored of our at home routine, but the sunshine and warmer weather helps boost our moods when we can head outside for some fresh air. We've also had tears and sad moments missing our normal activities. We are focusing on the positives and know that one day life will resume.
I never in a million years ever envisioned a time where we'd spend the majority of our time and energy at home for this long. If you would have told me at the start of 2020 (when I picked FAMILY for my 2020 Word of the Year) that we'd be spending SO much time together, I would not have believed you. This time has been a really sweet time for our family.
Today I want to focus on the blessings and lessons I've learned from all this extra time at home.
1. I'll never look at grocery shopping the same.
I have always enjoyed and done the majority of our shopping since I'm home with the kids. We shopped whenever and wherever we wanted during the weeks. Having to delegate the grocery shopping duties to Kevin has been an adjustment. He's been very sweet to take them over, but not knowing what ingredients would be in stock, what meat options would be available and always guessing which items on my list would actually come home has helped me to be more flexible and more thankful for our meals. Limiting our trips to the grocery store has given me lots of opportunities to be creative in the kitchen. I've enjoyed that!
2. Leave no leftover behind.
I mentioned sometime last year that I'd made a real effort to waste almost no food. We got in the habit of having dinner leftovers for lunch. We've also really utilized our freezer space. Last year a neighbor gifted us an extra freezer. I grumbled about it and thought it was unnecessary. Turns out that it would be a huge blessing to our family to have that extra freezer space less than a year later. God provides even when you don't realize it right away. That huge freezer (that I grumbled about) is stocked now and ready to help us feed our family in the coming weeks.
3. The most generous people aren't always the ones that have the most.
We have been on the receiving end of TONS of blessings during this time. Many friends have gifted us with baby gear, baby clothes, meals or dinner gift cards. The majority of these have been completely unexpected and have just shown up at our house. I am still amazed at the generosity of our friends. It's inspired me to look for ways to be generous in unexpected ways.
4. Kevin drinks a lot of coffee during his work day :)
Ha! The coffee maker is hopping all day long. I usually have 1-2 cups of coffee each day max. He is a coffee all day every day kind of guy. He's been working from home for several weeks now. He's here 24/7 and we've gotten into a good routine. He tried out a few work spaces in our house. He has finally set up an office in our bonus room that is quiet enough for phone calls and video conferencing/counseling.
5. My kids are lucky to have each other.
I feel so thankful to have young kids during this time at home. They are so happy to be home together and just get to PLAY. They love hanging out together and it's been really sweet to see them learn new things together. Their basketball skills are improving along with their tree climbing and bike riding endurance. Olive is still learning at home. She's reading like a champion on her own and eager to teach Fletcher to write his name.
6. Routines are good for everyone.
We have set rhythms and routines to our days. It's been beneficial to all of us. The kids know what to expect out of our days thanks to our routine. We do not have a set schedule for each day, but our routines stay in place. They know the order of our days and know what to expect each day. They also know that we clean up as we go to keep the house tidy, do dishes after every meal to keep the kitchen clean, teamwork is best, we all clean up toys, everything has a place and I've noticed that they are eager to learn new jobs after all this time at home.
7. I miss people
I will never look at playgroups, classes, mom outings, errands, family parties, church or fun with friends the same. I have really missed seeing my people and being friendly. It's so hard to be friendly with a mask on. You can wave, but it's a challenge to smile with your eyes when your whole face is covered by a mask. It feels so awkward to stay away from people.
8. Take life a day at a time.
I have no idea what the coming weeks and summer months will look like. I get a little anxious when I think about summer travel, seeing family again and hanging out with friends. What will that look like!?! Instead of stressing about the details of those events, I'm trying hard to be really thankful for TODAY and not worry about the future (Matthew 6:34).
What lessons has this COVID-19 time at home taught you?
We have learned to take life one day at a time too!! It's been an adjustment doing school work at home!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree about the grocery shopping! I have always enjoyed going to the store, and now it feels like a chore. I am still the one shopping, but I am only going about once a week. It feels like a big job now, and I don't want to browse around with my mask on. And yes, the wife/mom definitely sets the tone in the house. One thing I've learned is how quickly something can become a habit. After some encouraging during the first few weeks, now everyone takes at least one walk every day. I'm happy that we will at least come out of this shelter-in-place with a healthy new habit. Take care!
ReplyDeleteThese are all such great tips. Loved reading them :)
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