What a difference a year can make!
Last year, my family of four had a make-shift co-working space in our dining room.
This year, it’s just me and Daddy O. working from home. He created a space upstairs, and I alternate working from a desk in the basement and our dining room table, depending on my mood and the weather!
Last year, I wrote a blog post of Resources for Families During Covid-19. I can sense the uncertainty of that time, when moms were frantically sharing learning from home resources and so much was unknown about COVID-19.
I made this adorable list of things to do last year:
We checked a lot of them off our list too! It turns out that I like cross stitch more than my daughter. My son will watch Star Wars movies and episodes now (he wasn’t much of a movie-fan pre-covid).
This year, I’m feeling more optimistic and happy. I have appreciated the time to slow down and spend time with my family. Little did I know that our home would go through so much work after a kitchen pipe burst in May 2020, but now that everything is repaired, that disaster seems like a distant memory.
Last year, I found Yoga with Adriene during Safer at Home.
This year, I continue to incorporate yoga into my fitness routines. We added a bike stand and app for indoor biking in our basement, which makes it easy to work out, especially in winter.
Last year, I felt kind of stuck work-wise, balancing having the kids at home for virtual learning with my work time.
This year, I am maintaining current clients and added another role where I work closely with a team of pretty awesome people. I realized that I needed a change, and I’m really happy to have new fulfilling work. My kids are happy to be back in school full-time and participating in activities. Daddy O. will get back to his office sometime this year, something that he’s been looking forward to for a long time.
Last year, I learned how to be okay with being a homebody. I read some good books, caught up on scrapbooking, made cards, and watched a lot of Netflix. We had more active outings with family and friends – instead of eating and sitting around visiting, we took bike rides, hikes, and walks. We discovered virtual game nights as a way to connect with family and friends. I called my mom more often to keep in touch.
This year, I appreciate the opportunity to see people more. I want our “active outings” to continue, as a way to be together while getting some exercise. Phone calls, video calls, emails, letters, cards, and texts are all part of keeping in touch and help you feel closer to loved ones even though you’re not physically in the same space. Communicating regularly will always be something I do.
This year, I’m proud to say that my family is healthy, happy, and hanging in there. I hope you can say the same one year later!
go mama o. 