LOVE THIS LIFE
My thoughts on quiet and quarantine?!?!? To be quite honest, I like it. I like it a lot. Now, I’m not gonna lie. It hasn’t been perfect and there have been some rocky spots along the way. But, mostly I have enjoyed it.
I got laid off the very first weekend that Trump announced a national emergency. I was pretty upset at that point. I really liked my job. Like, LOVED my job. So, I was certainly upset at the uncertainty that I may not get to go back and if I did, when would that even be?? And then you throw in the whole stay in place thing and “What do you mean I can’t go anywhere or do anything?!?!?!”
I am gonna go nutso!!! I had a beach trip planned. Where I actually got to put my feet in the sand. Don’t they know I love my job. And I REALLY LOVE that my kids go to school EVERYDAY. And I really don’t like homeschooling. Let’s face it, there is a reason that I send them to public schools. I am not qualified. Mostly in the area of patience. And there are 8 people living in our home, currently within close quarters, because we are in the middle of doing a home addition. That’s right, throw a major construction project in the middle of our common living spaces right on top of all the other stuff! Yep, while everyone else is posting about how clean their houses are and how they are catching up on their spring cleaning and de-cluttering, this is what we are living....
But, we settled into our new norm. Just like everyone else I am sure. And I really realized how much I like it. (Except the construction part.) I have been somewhat of a homebody these past few years anyway. But, life is always so chaotic with both Jason and I working and then all of the kids activities and church and church activities. Trying to see all the family enough. And then there are the friends that we should see more and want to see more but can’t fit in. And then there’s all of the other STUFF that we squeeze in on top of that. And all of a sudden I am never at home. UNTIL RONA!
Ya’ll I love getting my groceries on my doorstep and anything else for that matter. And all of a sudden I need less and we are spending less because I don’t really need all that stuff anyway. And there is no pressure to be all the things and do all the things and be at all the places. AND I LOVE IT. There is so much less stress. I don’t want to go back. I have had so much more time to enjoy the little things in life. We have had tons of quality time with our kids. (And there have been no casualties, might I add.) Actually, they have argued less. Which really surprises me. But I think we have all been more patient with each other because we are actually rested. We aren’t so exhausted from all of the hustling all of the time. We have caught up on our hobbies. Reading. Sleeping. Cooking. Gardening. Building. Nature. Doodling. Art.
I know it's not for everyone and some people are really struggling in it, but I have enjoyed this Rona life. And it has led me to think a lot about how much life is just flying by and really focus on what is important. I’ve sat down with my oldest several times and listened to worship music and doodled and journaled alongside her. She loves to do hand-lettering and is much better at it than I am. And I am very aware that everyday is one less day before she is an adult and leaves this nest. So I am soaking it all in. Hence my new collection.
We took what I am good at and what she is good at and combined them. And I love the outcome. I love that she took a piece of the creativity that surrounds her and made it her own. I love that her creativity looks completely different than mine. I love that the two can complement each other. More than that, I love that we can sit down side by side and worship The Lord together, and talk about life, and relate, and collaborate. And something beautiful and tangible comes from it. And I don’t know that we would have found this without all the extra time we have had to just be.
At some point things will go back to normal. But, I hope that my perspective will change a little from all of this. I hope that I will always look back at this time and remember to just slow down. To say ‘no’ to keeping up and doing all the things all the time. To just be and enjoy this life we are given. Even when it doesn’t look enjoyable at first. I want to encourage you to love this life you are living. The good and the bad. Enjoy it. The Lord has laid it all out and is in control. So rest in it. Stop and smell the roses and be thankful for all that you have. Because, this too shall pass.
Every design in the Love This Life Collection will be a collaboration of Lil’s hand-lettering and my drawing and doodling and painting. It will be a product of us just being together and focusing on enjoying life. Hopefully these designs will remind you to love this life as well. There’s more to come.
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