300 Days of Sunshine

We made it through the first two weeks of social distancing, staying at home, sheltering in place, flattening the curve, however you like to think of it.  One side of my brain says, "Has it already been two weeks?"  While the other says, "It has only been two weeks?!"  The days blend together into one long, nebulous form that often takes the shape of a terrifying and unpredictable rollercoaster when I'm home alone with two small children.  In two short weeks our priorities have changed and we have adopted a new vernacular around COVID-19.  Sometimes it's hard to remember what life was like before the invasion of the virus.   How's everyone doing out there?  What has been the highlight of your week, and the hardest part of your week?  Did anything make you laugh today? Like most of you, I'm spending way too much time on social media.  The news is increasingly foreboding, and there's a strong sense that the worst is yet to come, but...

What a surreal and ominous time this is. I never thought the final month of my maternity leave would be defined by a global pandemic, widespread fear, and isolation. It is said that we are all products of our worldview; well, my worldview has done a complete 180 in the past week and, like many of us, I have had to adjust my thinking and my habits to face this new reality.  Like most ethnocentric Americans, I watched what was happening in China and Italy with compassion and disbelief, but also resting comfortably inside a safety net of naivety and with the belief that “that would never happen here.”  I worried more about flu,  pneumonia, and RSV, especially with a newborn at home, and while I loosely followed the news about travel precautions, I certainly didn't modify any of my daily habits up until a week ago.  Hand washing, sanitizing things we touch, and germ prevention were already part of our repertoire. Then a week ago today, as more articles flooded my social ...

Last week I took baby Meredith and Kua for a hike along the Dorothy Stewart trail, part of the lower Dale Ball Trail system in the foothills east of town.  This was Meredith's second hike in her first 6 weeks of life!  The trail is an easy loop with beautiful views of Sandia, the Jemez mountains, and Picacho Peak, as well as an aerial view of the city.  We've had really beautiful weather in Santa Fe and it feels like spring already!  As I tuned in to the world around me I could hear the birds chirping to each other and the breeze in the trees. I'm re-reading Braiding Sweetgrass  by Robin Wall Kimmerer, a beautiful collection of nature writing about our relationship with the earth and how humans and nature can coexist harmoniously.  I love this quote about the language of nature: "I come here to listen, to nestle in the curve of the roots in a soft hollow of pine needles, to lean my bones against the column of white pine, to turn off the voice in my head...

We are one month into our adventure as a family of four!  Life is fast-paced, noisy, and chaotic, and I'm learning new skills I never even knew I required as a mother of two.  My strategies for managing a three-nager and a newborn are very different, I still have a lot to learn, and I am stretched to my limits most days,  but it's also immensely rewarding to watch the kiddos learn new skills, interact with each other, and express wonder about the world.  During my first month of maternity leave I have had the opportunity to reflect on my relationships and values, and as always I strive to maintain balance in my life.  I'm trying to get out of the house every day, keep up with hobbies, connect with friends, and avoid completely losing my mind. Here are a few tidbits about life lately: 1. Valentine's Day :  Despite the overly capitalistic, patriarchal, and heteronormative nature of Valentine's Day, I actually enjoy this holiday.  I think of it as a t...

Today is our baby girl's due date, but Meredith Rose was ready for life on the outside and decided to make her debut 12 days early!  We're thankful to have had almost two extra weeks to snuggle and get to know our beautiful and smart girl.  Our tiny Capricorn entered the world during a snow storm on a Thursday afternoon, and life is forever changed.   If thereʼs one thing I have learned from my vibrant community of mothers is that a birth plan is an oxymoron.  But despite this reality, I also believe whole-heartedly that birth is something that a woman does, actively and purposefully, not something that is done to her.  And that all births are "natural."  My birth story started on Wednesday afternoon when I was admitted to the Labor and Delivery unit directly from work because of inconsistent blood pressures and early signs of preeclampsia, and the midwife recommended induction.  I had known this was a possibility for a few weeks, and while ...

Here it is - an overview of my year of reading!  Books broaden our horizons, offer unique perspectives on life, help us to process the world and the events going on around us, while providing an escape from reality at times.  I love looking at the cover of a book and remembering where I was when I read it.  This year I read books on our Alaska trip, on road trips, at local coffee shops, and listened to audiobooks while hiking or walking the dog.  I read a few newbies from favorite authors (Colson Whitehead's The Nickel Boys , Elizabeth Gilbert's City of Girls, Barbara Kingsolver's Unsheltered , Stephen King's The Institute ), explored some new authors (Sally Rooney's Normal People , Carmen Maria Machado's Her Body and Other Parties , Candice Carty-Williams' Queenie ), read some award-winners ( Florida , The Indian World of George Washington ) and some lesser known titles ( The Intuitionist , The Ensemble , The Whale: A Love Story ).  I love...