Hi Friends,

I’ve missed writing to you so much these last few weeks! As you may know if you’ve been here for a while, I process SBA loans in my day job, and things have gone absolutely bananas since this Coronavirus pandemic began. I’ve gone from a causal and typical 40 hour work week, to working 50+ hours with no breaks to be had…and we are not yet able to see a light at the end of the tunnel. 

It is a bit surreal to be on the inside of this situation and see firsthand the impact that forced closings has had on our small businesses. The economic impact of the pandemic is every bit as great as the health impact, and it is both heartbreaking and exhausting to be in the thick of it.

Aside from the work side of things, the home front has changed as well. I am now working from home, which I admit has been so nice. I know a lot of people are chomping at the bit to get back to the office, but I am a huge homebody and I’m really loving this new routine and schedule.

The state of Missouri has decided to cancel school for the rest of the year, so the boys’ dad and I worked out a schedule to get us through until their summer break. They are now rotating between us one week at a time, which is the same schedule Michael is on with his son. Then when what would’ve been the last day of school comes around, the boys will be with their dad for the summer, coming home every other weekend until school begins again in August.

Last week I had both boys home, plus Michael’s son, while also working. It was interesting, but all three boys are pretty low maintenance so interruptions, thankfully, were brief and far between. I will admit that I’m looking forward to the quiet and solitude in the house this week, though.

Michael and I are in new uncharted territory as well. We are not used to having time together without kids. That only typically happens two weekends a month, but right now it is every other week, which is so crazy. I told him the other day that I feel like this is how normal couples in the early stages of a relationship are — before marriage and kids and careers, when they’re young and carefree and don’t have to focus on much besides each other. The rules are definitely very different when you come together later in life and each have kids from previous marriages to bring into the mix.

Speaking of our relationship – we celebrated our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY on April 4th!! We had planned a short weekend getaway to Gatlinburg, TN, where we were renting a cabin in the mountains with a hot tub and a view. We were going to do some hiking, eat some food, have a nice anniversary dinner out, and do a whole lot of relaxing on the deck overlooking a creek. COVID-19 had other plans, so we’ve postponed the trip until May 15th and celebrated at home in isolation instead.

We ordered appetizers, salads and dessert — an INCREDIBLE tiramisu — from a fabulous Italian restaurant in town, plus made some crab legs and scallops to go with it. We had a really nice, relaxing, quiet day together, our delicious dinner that evening, and totally vegged out watching House until bedtime.

He got me an anniversary present too:

Then I worked my tail off all week, including a little bit today. Today was supposed to be my spring cleaning day, and I got a little bit done, but I just couldn’t go anymore. I am so tired from the week, I just needed some downtime. I did our grocery shopping for the coming week, worked about another hour and a half, then came over to Michael’s to do my nails, and complete an assignment for one of my classes (I still have another big assignment to do for the other class, but the professor told me to turn it in when I can, so I’m feeling much less stressed about that one since I haven’t had a chance to work on it all week).

That assignment was all about visuals in video journalism, and it got me thinking about my own website, which led me here to write to you. I’ve been missing this outlet and I admit that it feels good to put fingers to keyboard (for something other than producing and uploading Promissory Notes). I wish I had time to tell you everything I have in store for you when my classes end (only another month!), my nutrition cert is complete (only one last book to go!), and the pandemic has ceased.

I have four articles currently sitting in my queue to work on, including the update about my month of going 100% plant-based in March. Hint: it was ALL positive! Acne went away, no cramping AT ALL with my period, my anxiety went away, and my sleep has improved drastically. But I will expand on all of that at a later date!

For now I’m going to sign off, order some more food from that lovely Italian restaurant downtown for our very quaint and quiet Easter (just me, Michael and his son Gabriel, because the boys are with their dad for Easter this year), and get out a book and read — not for school, just for me. Remember, when things are stressful it is so important to take some downtime to let yourself heal and rejuvenate. Everything else can wait a while.

Love,
Loren