As The World Turns…

And so, we continue with our pandemic orders…staying at home to the best of our ability, wearing masks when we go out, working from our various “offices” at the dining room table, at our desks, or on the couch, and trying to stay positive and hopeful.

How’s that working for you???  In Pittsburgh, I’m “working from home,” normally on the couch or at the desk in my bedroom. Today, I referred to it as "my desk."  My work day is not solid, as it has breaks for Gabriel time, which might involve a bouncy seat or a new baby food.  My work day is also an equal part of distractions like weather updates and Zoom calls. But perhaps one of the most amusing things each day is our plan for our next meal!  All of these things make for an okay day.  I must say that staying motivated is tough.  That’s why the distractions are good.

Easter this year was different.  I’ve spent many Easters with Katie & Anthony, but this year, there were no special outfits or brunch reservations, no trip to the Cathedral or pictures with the lilies and tulips.  It was a lovely morning with bloody Marys and mimosas, three family Zoom calls, and a steak dinner that rivaled any steakhouse, any day.  Oh, there were Easter baskets and of course, with Gabriel, lots of Easter Bunny talk.  Although it may have looked different, some parts were the same.  We enjoyed one another, and we did wear “real” clothes.  

It was fun to scroll through Facebook to see how many people dressed up and celebrated or how many people made their own Easter fun.  It was a day where people made the most of their situations and that gave me hope!

Gabriel is the light of my life!  He brings smiles to my face most of the day!  We are bonding for sure!  I’m sharing in milestones, like him gnawing on his first piece of steak (this kid is going to have very discriminating tastes!)  and I feel certain I’ll watch him crawl for the first time.  We sing, we talk, we dance, we play, and we find new ways to entertain one another. I love putting a blanket over his head and asking "Where's Gabriel?" and then him pulling it off and getting tickled!  One of the highlights is watching him look at himself in the mirror...he talks and laughs (don't we all???).  It's a treat for sure!

I’ve been in Pittsburgh for a few weeks now and somehow, we are all in a good place.  I’m not sure how long I’ll be here (poor Anthony!  We play cards and dice games, work puzzles (well, some of us do!), make lists, sort through photos, clean out drawers, and basically anything else to keep us busy.  It seems the dishwasher runs non-stop between the cooking and the baby bottles, but at least the loading and unloading fills some time.

Yesterday was Taco Tuesday, something we had been looking forward to as we love Mad Mex and they had a family deal!  I have to admit I was overly excited about it…and I was not disappointed.  It’s the little things we look forward to right now, and I’m starting to wonder, have I missed out on little things before the panemic???

So today, I’ll continue to work on appreciating the little things.  I think these truly are the things that matter.