Quarantine life in Las Vegas is still in full effect and I’ve finally found the time, and motivation, to get back to blogging. These past weeks have been rough to say the least.

It first started with endless amounts of news stories flooding my feeds and the apprehensive waiting period of when Las Vegas would be shut down too. Then work sent us home. It wasn’t all that bad – no morning traffic, coffee breaks and lunch with the bae, and midday playtimes with my mini. Then the governor followed suit with many other states across the country and ordered: “Stay Home for Nevada.”

Fear grew as I listened to his Facebook Live broadcast and the reality of the state of our country set in. I wasn’t ready for this change. Never in my life did I think that soap and toilet paper would be hot commodities and have to be regulated in stores. 2020 has been very strange indeed.

Now that I’ve been home for nearly two months, I’m trying to find more and more creative ways to stay busy. For starters, my loft has turned into a playground. Since we can’t take my son to the park, we had to bring the park to him. We spend hours playing lightsabers, basketball, firetruck, and any number of games suitable for a 2-year-old.

I also bought an Apple Watch and have seriously increased my activity level. It’s easy to sit at home all day worrying and stop taking care of yourself. Now, I have a little reminder to take minute meditations, stand up more, meet movement and workout goals and even start friendly competitions. It’s become a major tool in keeping me sane and healthy.

I used video chats SO much more now too. At work, I regularly use video chats for company meetings. Now, we’ve doing bible courses with our church friends and virtual dinners. We even hosted a “Taco Tuesday” Houseparty for my son’s second birthday.

Additionally, we’ve attended birthday car parades, used Facebook to watch our regular church service, and literally decorated every inch of our house. Like I said, we’ve had to get creative.

Now that it’s warming up, we can break up the monotony with swimming in the pool and, my favorite, sunbathing. Even simple things like soaking up the sun make me feel normal. And I think that’s the major thing that everyone is looking for. The new normal of 6-feet away and masks in public can be shocking to see. It makes you feel distant and isolated. I understand it’s necessary of course but it’s difficult to get used to.

In all this time waiting at home, I’ve had a lot on my mind. When I’m not distracting myself with an activity, I’m trying not to focus on the fear. I know many other people are feeling the same way. And that’s okay. From what I’ve learned this year, it’s okay to let yourself feel. Identify that emotion you are feeling and then try to understand it. Don’t stuff it or pretend it doesn’t exist. You were created for emotions – even Jesus wept! (John 11:35)

Daily I’ve been trying to read my bible and focus on God’s promises. Whether it’s a devotional, a scripture, or even a song, I’ve been trying to grow my faith and stay calm even in this storm around me. Something I’ve been trying to incorporate recently is starting my day with an intention. Similar to the yoga concept, I pick a word that I will continue to come back to throughout the day. This has helped me recenter my mind and focus on what truly matters.

I know that the finish line is not quite in sight and this “new normal” may be lasting longer than all of us anticipated, but we can all get through this. God is bigger than our fear and never changes. His promises are just as valid today as they were yesterday. I hope that this pandemic helps people turn to the only one that can provide true comfort – Jesus Christ.

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” – Deuteronomy 31:8