19 Pockets of joy, aka staying home

I don't need to rehash all the events of recent days and public health concerns, etc. I'm sure we all have enough exposure to that in our newsfeeds, and I'm no expert. That said, I wanted to share a bit about our days as we intentionally spend all our time at home (or on walks, maintaining a distance from others outside).

Regardless of what your days currently look like (arguably not normal for most, if not all), I'm praying for little pockets of joy, and for safety for those who cannot or do not have the option to stay in, and for those unable to work from home experiencing a loss of income. Putting my hope in Jesus and praying for freedom from fear.

I want to view this time of forced rest in a way as a chance to slow down, examine some heart things that I am sometimes too distracted to give heed to. I read somewhere about parents trying to explain self-isolation, school closures, etc. to small children, and they used the phrase "It's a family month, time for people to be at home with their families." (paraphrase) I love that. I want to soak in all the baby snuggles and giggles and wake up with hope each day. Waking up each day remembering Who is on the throne, Who is King of my heart, Who loves this world far more than we can imagine.

All that said, here are my plans for the coming days, and exactly nineteen little "pockets of joy," as my answer to COVID-19:

Chasing morning light in our home
Oatmeal for breakfast (with bacon, for fun and to inject some "specialness")
Streaming church online
Drinking (decaf) cold brew. You don't need anything fancy to make this, you can make it in a jar, too.
Roasting a whole chicken in the instant pot. I forgot how economical chicken is via this method! So much meat and so many yummy meals. It's already fed us for three meals, with more meat to spare.
Making chicken enchiladas with leftover chicken. I make this recipe with some modifications to suit our pantry and our tastes. I chopped yellow pepper with onions (no canned chilis), used dried (cooked) lentils instead of black beans, corn tortillas instead of flour. And since I used the cooked chicken, I added it to the skillet just to warm it at the end before filling the tortillas. I always make her homemade enchilada sauce, since its very easy, utilizes pantry staples, and because it's the best.
Preparing bone broth from the leftover bones/carcass. My Instant pot is coming to pressure as I type this.
Reading a good library novel.
Tying up loose ends on knitting projects (literally). So far, I have

grafted and woven in so many ends on my Tundra Jumper
finished the hat for my SIL's birthday gift
woven in ends on N's first sock, finished the cuff on the second sock

Working on other knitting projects. So far, I have

knit a few rows on my Garter Snake cowl
cast on a long-awaited Graham hat in a dreamy alpaca yarn

Prioritizing an effort to get dressed at least some of the time/apply makeup some of the time so I feel a little better
Enjoying a new silicone plate for Cooper. It helps him better grasp food and less food ends up on the floor. Plus, it's cute. We have been snacking on cheerios and fresh fruit, too. He adores blueberries and clementines.
FaceTiming my family and MarcoPoloing my sister-in-law and friends (thankful for technology in these channels).
Getting back on the wagon for working out. I finished my Expecting and Empowered Postpartum Guide (and I absolutely loved it and how it focuses on healing your body, strengthening your pelvic floor and core, etc.) (Psst, all their guides for pregnancy, postpartum, etc., are on sale right now with code TAKECARE, not sponsored, just a fan ;)
Keeping our home as tidy as I can manage, sticking to my weekly cleaning schedule that I've been loving the past few months and making to-do lists for our low-key days. They are all low-pressure items, but it allows some direction to our days at home. Usually the daily items are laundry, emptying the dishwasher, sorting mail, etc.
Walks! Cooper loves stroller walks (as do I). We venture out, keep a safe distance, and it does wonders for my mood. Plus, it feels good to move my body. And do you see the bits of green?
Marveling at a baby who's nine months old! He has eight(!) teeth, claps his hands, shakes his head "no," babbles so much, gives us big, sloppy kisses, mimics kissing noises and other sounds, crawls backwards (often getting stuck, lol), tries to pull up and chew on the coffee table, and genuinely makes me laugh every day. He is a joy.
Soaking in much more time with Nicholas, since he's working from home for the foreseeable future.
Memorizing scripture with a friend, specifically this verse: We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

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