The first day I put on an actual pair of jeans since quarantine. I was truthfully hoping they’d be a little bigger since I started my daily outdoor goals of 3 miles; either walking, jogging or bike riding and no skipping weekends; even if we’ve only had a couple quarantined weekends, who’s counting? I guess 20 days doesn’t get rid of past years habits; sweet teeth and inconsistencies of exercise. “Dude whatever, don’t judge,” says nice self to mean self! Just like anything else, the weight crept up on me like everyone said it would at age 40. Ticks me off that everyone was right including the sagging of unwanted skin. No matter how much I went in denial.
What sticks with me most is my friend, Becky, who said “we are either getting out of this quarantine 50 lbs lighter or 100 lbs heavier!” She has walked the walk losing an entire body since high school so she’s someone that I listen to and admire when it comes to making your health #1. I’ll be darned if I’m letting any more weight onto this body!! So here, I digress… jeans fit like usual and it didn’t make me happy but did motivate me to keep moving more. What am I going to do at this point, quit after only 20 days because of my jeans? Really?! I’ll just put yoga pants back on and hope for a better next jeans day!
Hard to believe it’s been 20 days since our schedules hit a complete halt with everything closing and cancelling, and hard to believe how quickly our days at home have become the norm with a scary lifestyle change for many. Our “Zoom” video calls are slowly filling up our calendars between work, the kids' school work and sports teams all doing the best they can keeping one another engaged for human interaction outside of the six of us and these four walls. Mark’s work is non-stop with teachers and students via conference calling. He is such an amazing leader and if I weren’t married to him, I’d definitely want to be a team member at his school. We hear him laughing and chatting away from his home office as he and teams of educators continue the virtual learning around the clock with students at their own homes. Mark created his new office in Mia and Julia’s classroom downstairs. (Least distractions)
Funny how Mia and Julia love their classroom they created downstairs. Every since they could move furniture and decorate walls. It’s like they’ve been preparing for this homeschooling since they were born and now that classroom has a true legit principal working hard in it! Haha, be careful what you wish for right?! Truthfully, I think the classroom was created when Maximus was born because now they felt they had a student that would listen. LOL. They learned about job sharing and disciplining in their early years of student teaching, age 5. Their days of arguing over who was going to teach and who was going to listen ended the day we said to them, “Meet Maximus” while at the hospital. The basement walls quickly filled up with their own 'real teachers’ recycled charts, diagrams, books, art, and actual teaching posters. Teachers were more than happy donating to these two budding educators instead of tossing out (you know who you are out there ;). 
Some of us always said, “If we only had more time, I’m so tired of running the kids everywhere, I just need a break, I’m exhausted, etc” Every excuse is taken out of the book now. Some families are doing their best to get structure in the house. Couples are learning how to work together once again, and as my heart sinks knowing the reality; many parents are struggling while busier than ever with work and doing what they can with the kids at home, now, together. Parents are on the front lines in the medical fields or essential service industries praying the virus doesn’t come back to their families while having direct contact with people everyday just doing their jobs. No matter how you look at this quarantine; for some, it’s a family blessing to reconnect and for others, it’s a nightmare just wanting it all to be over with.
No matter where we are in the center of this epidemic, we have to make the best of what we can and know that we’ll never get these days back even with some never wanting to look back. We have to make the most of these moments in all ways possible and live our best lives, doing it for the sick that can’t, and for the people fighting in the front lines seeing the effects of this virus first hand.
When you feel you can’t stand anymore it’s time to kneel and pray; it’s not ALL we have left, but it’s having it ALL. As long as we have a breath to take today, a roof over our heads, food to eat, and a prayer to hope for, we have it ALL. Not giving today your all would be not living your purpose. Whether you know what your purpose is or not doesn’t matter, it’s living each day doing what your heart tells you is right, and when you follow that kind of intuition one day at a time is when your purpose reveals itself and the pieces to the puzzle start coming clearer. Be safe, be well, stay home, and count your blessings. Everyday no matter how crazy it is, it’s a Crazy Cup filled with Joy.
(Photos; living simple. A walk down by the lake on a beautiful sunny day, Maximus taking a break from basketball with Orso, Julia practicing her soccer with Cameron playing goalie and Mia giving her new Churros Recipe another try today for a little family snack!)
