When the World is Crashing Down, Do What You Need to Feel Normal…

People think we’re crazy.

They tell us all the time and for a variety of reasons. This isn’t a new development.

But this year is different.

Right now our neighbors roll their eyes driving by because our house got it’s halls ALLLLL the way decked last weekend. The icicle lights are a great compliment to the fall mums that are also still out.

But, friend, hear me when I say:
We. Don’t. Care.

This is the time of year that should be filled with excitement and joy.

But we are coming off of an election that felt like it might bury all of us under the weight of anxiety.

We are living in states where Covid numbers continue to climb and when we should be packing bags to travel to family and trimming our turkeys together, we are instead hearing our governors issue lockdowns, limit family gatherings, and scrambling to cancel travel plans worried we will disappoint the people we love the most.

We are sending a second wave of our first responders out in a spike of something we still don’t fully understand when they should be home wrapping presents and eating cookies together.

We are running around to manage the logistical nightmares as schools return to virtual and we are SO tired of basically binge watching our own children for the last 7 months.

We’ve already watched everything on Netflix and we are actually growing tired of our favorite yoga pants and wondering if our butts will ever fit back into actual pants again.

We are worn out,
Stressed out,
Overwhelmed,
Over it,
Confused and scared,
Frustrated and fraying.

If Christmas lights or a dozen cookies get us through, let it be.

If setting up the tree or buying an updated version of our trusty sweatpants brings us joy, do it.

If befriending the postman who brings your daily Amazon surprises or hanging twinkle lights before the leaves have fallen gives you something to look forward to, Get. On. It.

Friends, this year has kicked our WHOLE butts.

No matter who you are or which way you vote, we could ALL use some extra joy.

We are under hugged,
missing smiles under masks,
and living in a fairly constant state of hypervigilence.

As the caregiver for an extreme child, this is a way of living I’ve grown accustomed to but many have not.

Friends, it is HARD.

So stop judging.

Check your attitudes.

Adjust your wonky-masked frown into a smile.

Because even if all we can see are the creases beside your eyes, we’ll take it.

We need each other.

This year we decorated ridiculously early.

We will be wearing matching Christmas shirts for the first time ever.

We will make a disasterous mess out of gingerbread houses and eat our body weight in macaroni.

We will buy lunch for our local nurses and bake cookies for our UPS man.

Not because we have the extra money but because it may be the only ounce of kindness someone has to hang onto.

Because this year hasn’t been a cakewalk for anyone and if I can’t hug you, I will love you in the form of delicious food and I will give you the toothiest smile from my twinkle-lit porch as you throw my deliveries to me from a safe distance💜

-B.

**Follow me on IG @themamaontherocks

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