Not a ton of time has gone by, but the last post I made had snow on the ground. It’s slow, but things are changing, and for the better. After a year of stagnation, it’s both amazing and unsettling to witness change again.
The weather is definitely warmer, which means more time outside, and with that comes playground dates again. Such a simple thing that we’ve taken for granted in the past, but makes the kids so happy, and tires them out like nothing else. Combined with spending the rest of the day outside at home, they sleep so well too.
We all still deal with a lot of anxiety, even though we know what the science says, and feel good about being outside, in the sun, masked, and at least half the adults were vaccinated. It’s hard to change how you feel after a year of worry, though.
Still it’s worth it. It’s amazing how after so long of nothing to look forward to, small things can completely change your outlook. I was a little worried that doing social things again, having plans, being busy, would feel overwhelming. Instead, it feels great. We’re making up for everything we’ve missed out and been wanting to do for so long. I hope the feeling lasts.
So we’ve decided to fill up our summer a bit with some mini trips. We’ve been trapped at home for so long, and a new baby is only going to add to that, so before the baby comes, let’s pretend life is slightly normal and go somewhere. So suddenly we have plans to look forward to. Places to go, things to see, and even a few people we’ve missed. It’s so odd to see the calendar fill up after so much nothing, but it’s also so exciting.
So while some days our plans are a simple as letting a kid go grocery shopping for the first time in months, or driving somewhere to get ice cream that has outdoor seating, we’re slowly finding a balance between normal and safe. It’s an odd time, but we’re figuring it out..