Why, hello there. Long time, no actual post.

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve posted something other than a book review so I just thought I’d stop by to say “Hi” and that I’m indeed still here.

Life has been … as much as you can expect right now. As much as I’m sick and tired of hearing the phrase “unprecedented times” and “time of uncertainty,” it really sums it up. I’m trying to take everything day by day and just do my best to keep things as normalish as possible.

I’m trying to think back to when all of this COVID stuff touched down. Things started getting a little worrisome right before spring break. Isla actually missed the last two days of school before the break because she got pink eye (hurray!), and then both her and Norah went to daycare/day camp the following week because I had to work. During that week, everything kind of went to hell in a hand basket and boom – schools closed, I started working from home, and I haven’t given my mom a proper hug since who-knows-when.

I miss hugs.

I know things could be way worse. My family is fortunate enough to one, be healthy. That’s the main thing. Second, Kyle and I are both still able to work our normal schedules and receive our normal wages. For that, I’m HUGELY grateful and I don’t want to disregard those who have been laid off. But working for the head office of a national company is tough when you’re doing it all from home while trying to teach your 7-year old fractions and making sure your 4-year old doesn’t rot her brain on the iPad all day. By the end of the day I’m pretty much done and the last thing I’ve wanted to do is sit down and blog.

I’m also pretty thankful that Isla’s teacher from both school and dance are doing their best to keep things normal for all of their students. Between online class meetings and lessons, this whole “new normal” hasn’t affected her too much. Isla’s smart and dedicated enough to guide herself through her schoolwork with very little help from me, but Norah has a harder time focussing. She needs that authoritative figure to get her to be engaged and learn. They both, however, miss the normalcy of being able to play with their friends and hug their grandparents.

There’s a lot of hope that things will go back to normal, but I’m not holding my breath in anticipation. I look forward to the day we can just be again.

Until then, I’ll be here until we’re given the clear not to be. Virtual hugs, high-fives, and fist-bumps all around.