THREE MONTHS IN

The year twenty-twenty….what a year it’s been already! haha

This message is presently being sponsored by the “viral” (wait for it) hashtag, #campcovid-19. Get it? *elbows and winks*…but seriously, currently the United States is being asked to partake in a nationwide collaborative effort called “social distancing” in an effort to avoid the spread of a potentially deadly virus called Coronavirus (or COVID-19).

Social distancing basically means that you avoid leaving your house unless necessary and any social gatherings should remain under ten people or less. The grocery stores look as though the apocalypse is striking and toilet paper has become a highly coveted item. There is absolutely no hand sanitizer left on the planet and worst of all, Walt Disney World has CLOSED until futher notice. *inhales in shock*

Meanwhile, I’m at home with a five month old puppy that is the energetic equivalent of a Tasmanian Devil and a long list of to-do’s…so it’s been fun. Oh, and I should probably mention that we’re only about 4 days into this social distancing thing.

But, I’m trying to look on the bright side of things. The more that Americans participate in social distancing, the faster life gets back to normal. This is actually keeping all of us safer and honestly; we’re not being commissioned to war, we’re being asked to sit in the comfort of our own home and relax, so I think we have a pretty good gig.

I’m also incredibly grateful that I already work from home and that Jacob works in the healthcare industry so neither of us are jobless right now which is something that not everyone can say at the moment. Thousands of people are being laid off right now and a lot of people are struggling and fearful of what’s coming next, though the nation is banding together to care for each other in a way that I truly thought was impossible a few weeks ago, so that just might be the best thing to come out of all of this.

Outside of this virus, Jacob and I have had a pretty good start to the year. We adopted said Tasmanian Devil in January. His name is Cooper! Cooper Hooper. And he is sweet, quirky, adventurous and mischievous. We’re not quite sure what type of dog he is because we found him at a rescue, but it’s been fun to guess. They (the pet rescue) think he’s husky mixed with german shepherd, but we’re not sold on that, and frankly, as long as he’s a good dog, we don’t really care!

It’s been so long since we’ve had a puppy though, that we’ve completely forgotten how much work they are! Oy! He’s always finding things to put in his mouth and chew on and has to go potty (what feels like) every hour, but all in all, he’s doing a really great job for being so young and couped up in a one bedroom apartment.

Speaking of our housing situation, I believe the last time that I updated you all, Jacob and I were still in search of our first home. We have since decided to postpone that dream and instead, we’re upgrading to a three bedroom apartment! I’ll make another post explaining the reasons behind our decision, but as of now we are just waiting out the rest of our lease here. We already have a hold on another place that’s presently in construction and (fingers crossed) is supposed to be ready just a few days before our lease ends. We’ll see…

I’m starting to get ridiculously antsy about getting moved, which is pretty typical for me. When I know something is going to happen or I want something, I just want to get it started. I’ve been using gratitude journaling and intentional about planning fun trips and adventures to keep my mind occupied in during the wait (of course, those fun things are likely going to be canceled thanks to COVID-19). I know there will be things that I miss about where we’re at right now and I’m choosing to focus on soaking in those things instead of worrying about what’s to come. Trusting the process.

Besides, I have enough on my plate right now. I started my Yoga Teacher Training in February and it is no joke! It’s been awhile since I’ve had to worry about homework and studying and it’s honestly been kicking my butt. I’m LOVING it though! I can’t believe I finally took this leap and I’m really going to be a certified yoga instructor by the end of it. I’m not sure what yogic path I’m going to take just yet (because there are multiple branches), but I’m excited to delve deeper into all of this and find out what calls to me.

Any-who, that’s the scoop! I’ll try to post an update on this Coronavirus progression and of course keep you all updated on the Hooper happenings as well.

Stay safe and wash your hands! (No really, go wash your hands right now).

k bye.