Maybe it’s the fact that it has been almost a complete two months since the COVID-19 conversation entered into our home. Well over a month since we have been social distancing. And week in, week out of stress and anxiety in a way we have never experienced before.

But I thought I would do something a little fun and share some favorite memes.

As an introvert, I haven’t had a really hard time adjusting to staying home. I’ve been a homebody for as long as I can remember. It has been a little challenging with my son. He was getting into a fun routine of playdates, trips to gyms and parks, as well as other activities. And all of those had a hard stop. Now I’m his play-date. Every. Single. Day.

Don’t get me wrong, I love spending this time with my son. Seeing him discover, learn, and grow has been absolutely amazing. It’s just that there is a limitation on where we can go and what we can do. And it’s also important for mama and son (and dada as well) to have the ability to recharge, especially if we are struggling that day, which requires some creativity, communication, and compromise. One way to combat the more challenging days is to keep from falling into a constant rut.

I am a creature of habit. I love structure, and I don’t mind doing the same things over and over again. But if I wash those dishes one more night….. Just kidding, sort of. Usually when I get to that point, I try to change up one small thing, one little interruption in the flow. The other night, when I just couldn’t see myself washing the dishes after dinner, I went upstairs and Marco Polo’d with a friend for 20 minutes. Then, feeling a little better, I started with just emptying the clean dishes from the dishwasher. And before I knew it, I was done with the kitchen. It helps to take care of myself in those moments before trying to tackle the task.

Exercise, sleep, and general self-care have mostly been met. It’s really hard on some days, knowing that I won’t be seen at all by anyone outside of these walls. I haven’t so much as put on eyeliner a single day in well over a month. I miss my workout classes, and I’m using YouTube as a substitution. It’s okay, but it’s not the same. And sleep is probably the one thing I can usually get enough of, unless my anxiety is peaking, like the night before I go to the grocery store.

Despite my own challenges, I also know I have privileges and advantages that other people don’t have. I am truly grateful to my amazing, supportive husband, my son who injects joy into my life on a daily basis, the things in my life (like my garden) that bring me peace, and the friends who are willing to check in with me, even as I slowly descend into perpetual slap-happy silliness. Also, I am adjusting to the new rhythms and finally finding some time to do a little reading which I thought was never going to happen. Really grateful for that.

I also know that everyone is having different experiences and different challenges during this unprecedented time in our country’s history. But we are all in this together. And we will get through it together. Even if it is one meme at a time.