COVID-19 Has Changed Everything

We moved back from Australia to the US about 6 months ago. We could not have possibly envisioned where we would be at this point. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread across the world in the last several months, and we have never lived through anything like this worldwide crisis. We have been isolating as a family for six weeks, so far, with no end in sight. 

We have witnessed the best and worst of the American spirit; from generosity, hope, kindness, perseverance, ingenuity, and creativity, to greed, corruption, fear, confusion, and desperation. 

We feel incredibly lucky that we still both have our jobs for the foreseeable future (both working from home). Penelope's daycare is remarkably still open, but we haven't sent her in a month and a half. We have been living at Mike's parents' house in Maryland, while they have extended their stay down south as snowbirds. We are still looking for a house to buy, but after putting in four unsuccessful offers, and then the rates going up and down like crazy, we have slowed our search just for the time being. 

We have used this time at home to potty train Penelope, which has gone surprisingly well. I've made three Shutterfly albums and counting. Mike and I have both brushed up on our piano skills. We have been very social on group calls and playing boardgames with friends online. We have actually been talking to many of our Aussie friends more, since they are all at home too. We have felt solidarity being on calls with friends in Australia, Canada, across the US, and in Ireland and the UK, and know that we are all in this together and going through the same thing. We have been to virtual baby showers, birthday parties, a family Easter celebration, and soon a going away party for friends. I am thankful I could attend my friend Elaina's baby shower at the beginning of February, and Penelope's birthday at the endo f February -  the last big in-person events before everything got really crazy. 

Penelope has handled all this well. I'm sure she misses socializing, but it doesn't affect her mood for the most part. Her language has been developing more, because of so much one-on-one attention with each of us. She still loves Bluey and The Wiggles, and takes very good care of her stuffed animal friends. Occasionally we go out to a local park, where we can go for a walk and she can ride in her wagon, and maybe throw some rocks in a stream or lake. All the playgrounds are closed, and she just longs for an afternoon in the sun on a swing. We have gone through a ton of sidewalk chalk and playdoh. Her favorite thing to build out of legos is a "birdie house".

And now different parts of the US are talking about opening up before there have been signs of the disease slowing down. It's frightening. As has been the lack of national leadership. Testing has still been inadequate, and we cannot trust the facts and figures that have been coming out because we know they aren't accurate. The lack of universal healthcare means treatment is more complicated here than in other countries. Millions of people are losing their jobs. It is common and even the law in some places to wear masks out in public. 

So we remain in limbo for now. We go for walks and keep our distance from others we don't know. I grocery shop about once a week and we get takeaway food about once a week. We take turns watching Penelope as we work from home. We pretend we are homeowners: changing the air filter, put seed in the birdfeeder, feed the fish in the pond, water the grass, put out the trash and recycling. I think about how our life would be different if we were still in Australia; in some ways better and some ways worse. I think about how this time will affect people in every generation as we go forward, most importantly how it will affect Penny's future. Even if more businesses start opening up, it will be quite a while until we are comfortable going out. We hope that testing will become more widespread, and that a vaccine will be available in several months' time (although it will could still be a year or more, who knows?). 

We are hopeful and making the most of our situation. We wish everyone good health, and encourage you all to stay home as much as possible.