ETC...

A Year Into the COVID-19 Pandemic

I saw this post on Shelly’s blog, and I thought it would be a fun exercise to answer these – and be able to look back and remember this time in our lives.

  1. What was life like early in 2020? January 2020 was fabulous. We were excited about the year ahead, and we made a trip to visit some of our best friends in St. Louis. A lockdown had not yet crossed our minds. In February of that year, I hosted a Super Bowl party with some of our friends, and it was around that time that we really began to hear more news of the virus.
Rodeo Houston

March was when everything began to change. I had gone to a Houston Rodeo concert with a couple of girlfriends, and that was all anyone could talk about. Just a few short days later, the rodeo was canceled, and the first case had made its way to Houston. On Friday, March 13, I packed up my office to work from home for “a couple of weeks.” The rest as we know it, is history.

March was when everything began to change. I had gone to a Houston Rodeo concert with a couple of girlfriends, and that was all anyone could talk about. Just a few short days later, the rodeo was canceled, and the first case had made its way to Houston. On Friday, March 13, I packed up my office to work from home for “a couple of weeks.” The rest as we know it, is history.

2. What was the biggest change? The biggest change for me was not going into work every day. Prior to the pandemic, I was working from home two days each week, which was perfect. I had just enough time in the office, and I looked forward to my days working from home. But, working 100% remotely is such a game changer, and I really missed that face to face interaction. I still miss it, but I’m more accustomed to the changes a year later.

office

This was the last photo I took of my office before I packed it up. I’ve popped in every now and then to pick up some supplies – or some of the items in my office, and it’s kind of eerie- how everything is sort of frozen in time from a year ago.

3. What were your coping mechanisms?

Golden retriever

Well, I had the best therapy dog around town: Sawyer. He was one of the brightest spots of every day in the early days of the pandemic. It helped to keep him in his routine. We would always start our day off with a walk, and I would end my work day with a walk in the park. That routine is something we did before the pandemic. And Sawyer just loved having me home. He would attend all of my meetings right by my side. I miss him dearly, but I’m so thankful to have had that extra time with him.

I’ve always used running as the ultimate stress reliever. So, I would work, walk the dog and get a run in. Exercise in general has been a fantastic way for me to keep a cool head during some incredibly stressful times.

Terry Hershey Park | Houston | cycling

And, of course, my husband. Aaron was never panicked (he never does), and when I would get worried about things – calmer heads prevailed in my husband. I’m so thankful to have him.

4. What did connection in your relationships look like? A whole lot of zooming. I was the queen of anything virtual at the beginning of the pandemic. Do I feel some of that technology fatigue now? Absolutely. But, back then, it was the only way I was connecting with friends and family. Lots of Zoom happy hours were lifesavers. I’d grab a glass of wine, and hop on a zoom call.

zoom happy hours

We also did Zoom game nights with our friends!!!

zoom game nights

5. What will you remember most? Wow, I don’t think we will ever forget this. I’ll remember the family time that Aaron and I had with just the two of us and our two dogs. Aaron and I both work a lot, so it was nice to be working from home together. Dare I say that we might look back on that part of it fondly? I also really enjoyed the aspect of learning how to be content. It wasn’t an option to go out and travel – or to go out and go shopping. We had to just sit in our contentment, and I know that I’m better of because of it.

6. What was the biggest challenge? I identify as an extroverted introvert. I love to see my people. I really longed for and missed the face to face interaction. As the months went by, my girlfriends and I figured out some socially distanced activities, but it was hard to not have my mid-week lunches with my co-workers – or to miss going out on Friday-night date nights. I missed our people. That was hard.

7. What was a beautiful memory?

Houston bike ride

Aaron and I would ride our bikes every Saturday morning during quarantine. And one weekend, the conditions were just right, and I rode my longest ride ever: it was like 40-something miles. And we popped out at this beautiful spot. I remember being really proud of myself – that even during difficult times – there were still things to be thankful for.

first-time home buyers
New house

And, Aaron and I were able to really sit down and get focused on looking for a house. Buying our first home in the middle of a pandemic is something that I know we will never forget.

8. What do you believe now that you didn’t believe a year ago? That Aaron and I can literally make it through anything. My husband owns his own business, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say there were times I was extremely concerned. What if the business failed? Or, what if I lost my job? I am so incredibly thankful to my employer who valued their staff enough that they didn’t have to make any cuts during the course of the pandemic. I’m also incredibly thankful for my husband who was able to successfully navigate his business through one of the most difficult times – and to watch him come out on the other side – I’m just so proud!

9. What would you do differently? Stock up on toilet paper 🙂 Seriously. I’ve never been a prepper, but I would like to be more prepared if certain situations were to arise. And, with hurricane season right around the corner – I need to start stocking up on some items.

10. What will you carry forward? I’ve always relied on my faith, and this year, I had to ask God for wisdom on more than one occasion. I think really knowing that God has me and my family in his hands and wants the best for us was so tangible this last year – and what a wild ride it’s been.

I know we aren’t out of the weeds yet. In fact, many nations are experiencing new mutations and surges, and I’m hopeful that we are in a better spot in terms of understanding the virus than where we were a year ago. I’m hopeful for what lies ahead.

signature

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *