With the initial national social distancing guidelines set to expire Tuesday, the president today announced that the guidelines would be extended through April 30. Considering that COVID-19 cases are skyrocketing and there is still a catastrophic lack of available test kits, the extension is not a surprise. As much as we’d like to get back to our normal lives, continuing to self-isolate is the only way we can stay safe for now.

What this means for us is at least another 32 days of self-isolation and working from home, while not seeing any of our family or friends. It means that Grant and I will celebrate our birthdays with just the two of us and we won’t get a chance to celebrate my dad’s birthday with him, either. It means observing Holy Week and Easter on our own. These are all sacrifices, but necessary ones— and there are others who are sacrificing even more than that, who are fighting for their lives or who are fighting to save others. Staying home right now is the least and the most we can do. Stay safe and be well.

This daily blog post series is our way of sharing our experience with you, our readers. We’ll talk about our daily routines, adjustments to working from home, recipes based on limited ingredients and any other topic that comes to mind. It’s our way of connecting with the “outside” world, while also giving us the opportunity to look within and reflect on what we’re experiencing and how we’re feeling. Thanks for your interest in sharing this journey with us. Stay tuned and be well.