QUARANTINE CHRONICLES: THE WEEKEND BEFORE AT WYE MOUNTAIN

We're all stuck in this crazy weird world for the time being and doing the best we can.  To be honest, this is super hard for me.  For everyone.  It's easy to play the suffering Olympics in my head of how it's harder for me with four kids, including two with special needs, that I am suddenly in charge of every moment.  With no opportunities to play with our people regularly and make this feel a little better.  Plus, we have two restaurants that are incredibly challenging to navigate during this stretch, and we are trying to make sure we are taking care of our people and our guests to the best of our ability and as safely as possible.  And we should be leaving for Disney tomorrow instead of hunkering down for the foreseeable future with no end in sight.

HOWEVER, I am reminded regularly of how grateful I am for so much of our life.  We will likely be fine when this is all over, and I know how privileged I am on so many fronts.  There are a ton of unknowns, but for me, they do not include where our food will come from or if we will have enough money to pay for housing or if my spouse will lose his job.  I am not a single parent trying to balance working and suddenly having kids at home.  I know there are much bigger problems out there than I am facing.  But I am still facing my own difficulties, and I'm figuring out how to honor the sadness in my own life while also being thankful.

Earlier this year, I started a Gratitude Journal inspired by Laura of PitterPatter Art.  (I link to her stuff in this post with more details)  This year has been BRUTAL since it started, and the Lord knew I needed to focus on things to be grateful for.  I'm thankful for thankfulness and the way it reshapes how I think day to day, and I would encourage anyone else struggling right now (all of us - amirite?) to pick up something like this if you think it would be helpful.  I already love looking back at it each night, and I'm only 2.5 months in.

One of the little projects I've decided to do is catch up on photos and some on the blog, and our annual trip to Wye Mountain is always a post I love to write.  This was the Sunday before last, and it was the day before the world started to really tilt.  It's the last day I remember thinking March was going to go ahead as planned, and honestly, I was having a hard time with normal life at that point.  I had no idea it was about to get much worse.




But, we had a beautiful day at the Festival, which was busier than we've ever experienced, because the weather was gorgeous.  Way back from when people could be together.

I do love seeing how happy it makes the kids to run wild in the field.  It's just so beautiful.

I do enjoy looking back at things that are happy and to be hopeful that we will get to do fun things again at some undetermined future point.

I love looking back, and it is crazy to realize this is my 10th Wye Mountain Daffodil Post - Cannot even believe it!

{2019} {2018} {2017} {2016} {2015} {2014} {2013} {2012} {2011}

I am hopeful that we can make it through this Coronavirus experience one day at a time.  In the meantime, I'm going to work on thinking happy thoughts and being grateful for the little things.  And all the big ones.