Emerging

First, let me say that my intentions are good here. I keep having these thoughts that I want to write down, pictures I want to post, and all of that... but there are bottles to be washed (multiple times a day), children to feed, laundry to clean, and all kinds of other responsibilities that I'm starting to add back in to my life.


This weekend was one of emerging. As in, getting out. Of the house. It was important to me that I start doing this. The cabin fever was really beginning to set in, and I was feeling myself on the verge of total breakdown. Another important thing to me was getting back to doing normal things with Phoebe, and that does include the occasional trip out of the house.

So we started with the pumpkin patch. In spite of some middle-of-the-night festivities Friday night, we downed some coffee early Saturday morning and hit the road. We weren't sure how much fun Phoebs would have, and we just hoped that Nora would be content in the wrap for a couple of hours; we shouldn't have worried. Everyone had a blast! Phoebe loved the wide open spaces, and had a blast helping pick out a pumpkin. And Nora was content to snuggle Mommy for a couple of hours. Daddy was thrilled to dine on a funnel cake, and I was beside myself just doing something normal.


Sunday morning, we emerged again -- this time, to church. We're being more careful with Nora than we were with Phoebe, since it's flu season and we don't want to head back to Children's. Still, we were able to find a spot in the balcony and enjoy worship and fellowship. It was so good to be back in church. We also had LIFE group at our house again last night, and it was really wonderful to connect again. I think one of the most frustrating things these past few weeks has been the isolation I've felt.

And then today, we emerged... this time without the help of Michael. I had tried last week to take the girls to the grocery store, and we didn't get out of the parking lot. Today, the grocery trip was non-negotiable. Determined to get back to normal and to just do it, we survived our first grocery trip. I struggled with the wrap, so I meandered the aisles with one hand on Nora's bottom and one hand on the cart... but we made it. I totally bought Phoebe a grocery store board book as a treat. It felt good just to get through that first time.

We're continuing to adjust, and every day is bringing new challenges. But I'm hoping that sooner or later, we'll emerge into a state of "normal". It gets a little easier every day!