Well friends, here we are, midway through the month of April living in a way I never anticipated. I want to be honest though in telling you all that I have really enjoyed this opportunity to slow down and be more thoughtful about the choices we are making as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Kurt and I have become more aware of the business we are supporting, the reasons we choose to leave the house, and the people that we miss most right now because we can’t see them in person. It’s been an interesting exercise in identifying what matters to us, and I’m looking forward to talking with him about how we continue to cultivate what matters once life calms down and goes a bit back to whatever version of normal might exist in the future.

Also, April truly is the month of showers here in Pennsylvania, and boy has the rain shown up this month so far! I don’t mind it though - I like when the weather outside matches how I’m feeling inside. A bit stormy, a bit tired, and a bit ready for what the showers will bring us next month. Here’s where my focus will be between now and then!

On my calendar this month:

• I celebrated my 34th birthday!

• We are having our hardwood floors refinished, so we’re doing a full house declutter in preparation for that.

What I’m loving right now:

• Regular FaceTime calls with my brother, sister-in-law and nephew.

• The narcissus and tulips are open and sharing their sweet scents in the garden! I’ve been cutting lots of little bouquets to enjoy indoors.

April goals:

• Set my weekly skincare regimen, and share it with a blog post and on Instagram

• Complete our monthly decluttering weekend (although it’ll be month-long since everything will need to be moved out of our home in preparation of getting our hardwood floors refinished!)

• Start some seeds - it doesn’t even have to be a lot at this point!

• Figure out if Kurt is able to join his employers health insurance yet and reallocate those dollars we’ve been spending from my paychecks to other debt payments

• Spend time on two days out of the week in the garden

• Meditate for at least 10 minutes per day three times a week

• Try showering at night as a way to wind down and relax before bedtime

As a reminder, many of these monthly goals are directly related to my overall goals for 2020!

I wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t do a quick check in to see how you all are doing in this time of social distancing. How can I send you support and encouragement right now? How are you choosing to stay connected to friends and family? How are you supporting any local businesses that are still open in your communities? I’d love to hear from you!