![]() Summer is our family's favorite season of the year: it's weekends spent at Cedar Point, picnics on the beach, trips to the West Side Market, visiting the Cleveland Flea, countless festivals in our city, and Saturday morning walks for coffee and vegan donuts. We make a Summer Bucket List in May and check off items as we go. This summer looks completely different than what we are used to and what we love to do as a family. As the number of Covid-19 cases steadily increase around the country, our family will continue to shelter in place at home. We have been home since mid-March,and feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to work from home. In four months, literally the ONLY place I have been is inside a UPS store for approximately 30 seconds to ship a package that couldn't wait any longer. We go for drives and have had a picnic at a local park. We have done grocery delivery and curbside pickup only. We have necessities sent through Amazon (we joined Prime last month specifically for Whole Foods pickup), Target, and Walmart. Is this fun for us? No. Do we enjoy staying home constantly? No. Do I miss family and friends, and the summer activities we love so much? Yes. But for health and safety, we feel that remaining at home is important right now. We have a four year old who has been home with us since mid-March, and we have gotten creative with our strategy for providing her special memories and simultaneously keeping ourselves sane. (In the beginning, cake helped, but then I gained 10 lbs and started Weight Watchers.) Lucky for us, she is one of the most easygoing kids I have ever known, and is quite happy spending hours a day making crafts and drawing. She's definitely watching more television than we'd prefer, but with mom and dad both working (I am part-time) it's temporary and fine. I wanted to give you a list of specific ways we are finding the joy each day, even when it feels like joy is just out of grasp.Some days, I have to work at it harder than others. |