When things shut down in March due to Covid, I did not panic at all. Well, maybe for second until I realized that I did actually have an extra pack of toilet paper in the garage--whew! But seriously, our lives were scheduled to the minute with work, kids activities, kids activities and oh, did I mention kids activities? Yep, we are those people. Our calendars revolve around travel sports, school sports, school theater, club activities, college test prep and you name it. So when suddenly all those blocks on our calendar were wiped out, I was at a loss for moment. But to make the best of the situation, I felt like it was time to regroup, reorganize and learn something new.
Regroup
Okay, so maybe what I needed first was a little rest! Yes, I did do that. We all did that as we were coming to terms with the possibility that maybe life would be different for more than just a couple weeks. For me it was the joy of not setting an alarm; to enjoy sitting around a dinner table without having to rush off somewhere; to take long walks in the neighborhood. Life was definitely at a different speed and we chose to do our best to enjoy it.
Reorganize
No, I'm not talking about getting that closet cleaned out (although that is still on my to do list!) but reorganizing our lifestyle to accommodate at-home work and school routines, exercise routines and social routines. We made sure everyone had an adequate space for work or school. We established our garage as a makeshift gym. We set up routine Zoom calls with family members and friends. We even had a themed dinner party with family friends over Zoom!
Learn Something New
I think a lot of people took to the kitchen early on to learn something new like baking bread or making delicious desserts. We were no different. We all tried our hand at some aspirational recipe, but my youngest found that cooking was something she really enjoyed. She has been a vegetarian for over a year now and I have to say, she made some yummy meatless dishes. However, I'm still trying to get someone, anyone in our family to have a passion for doing dishes!
My husband and his friends started tinkering around with their Jeeps and found a community of Jeep owners with whom they could meet up and off road together, all while social distancing. As they like to say, Jeep--social distancing since 1941!
My oldest and I found a passion. I had been looking at die cutting machines for several years, but with limited time for my crafting hobbies, I just never could pull the trigger. So after much research and no end in sight for the virus, I ordered a Cricut Maker. I had no idea what I was getting in to. I sent a text to a friend the other day that pretty much sums it up, "It is addictive and I just keep spending money on it and I don't even care because it makes me so happy!" I am also thrilled that my oldest has enjoyed creating using the Cricut. She has even upgraded some school projects with it! I will be writing a lot more about this because I try to create something new several times a week.
So those are a few of the ways we as a family have coped with the changes and challenges 2020 has presented. What are some ways you have regrouped, reorganized or tried something new during this time?
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