It’s 8 am and I’m rolling out of bed, listening to the sound of my sons discussing which colour plate is the best. My husband handles goalie duty, while simultaneously making coffee and eating his breakfast standing up. My entrance on the scene is like a well-orchestrated dance where he rolls out and hands me a cup on the way. Now is my turn to keep the chaos at bay. I take a deep breath and wade in.

This seems like a pretty typical day in the life of most working parents. But it’s not. Today’s world is a different reality for most of us. Still in our pajamas and working in unusual environments; we are lost and scared. We don’t know what to do or how to handle the severe challenges that are brought on by isolation and social distancing. 

Like most of you, I’m struggling with parenting, working and being a full-time housewife. My husband and I are sometimes short-tempered, the kids are acting like they’ve had indoor recess for over three weeks straight and my alcohol and coffee consumption have both gone up in tandem. Laundry is piling up and taking a daily walk is a necessity, not a privilege. Let’s not even get started on my cleaning habits or the pervasive smell of Pinsol in my house. This is not easy. There will be long-lasting consequences, but I refuse to see only the privileges we have lost and not the blessings we have been given.

I’m not a stranger to adversity and my story is not unique. I’m sure I will face other battles, but I take one day at a time, (and sometimes one minute.) I look up and out to the world and not down at my feet. I refuse to let THIS win. The taste of loss is sour on the tongue and I sweeten it daily with small doses of special moments.

My standing desk is now my wet bar; my coffee is generally hot and I can use the bathroom when I want. Life is pretty great for a teacher. I don’t even have to wear pants if I don’t want! I have the time to read novels with my children, make towers of bricks and sailing ships out of cardboard boxes. Themed days are the norm with fairy wings from poster board, superhero cuffs out of TP rolls and pajama parades through the neighborhood. I’m hunting homemade eggs, wearing bunny ears in my beautifully cleaned garden on Monday too. I dance: Every day. I try to laugh where I can. I contact my family and make sure they know we care. And I am thankful. I am thankful for my access to food, drinking water, amazing medical care and those heroes putting their lives on the line daily. I am so lucky to have all these things that I took for granted less three weeks ago.

Make lemonade with me?

Brenda.

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