Life has been crazy, rewarding, hard, hectic, slow and everything in between these past two months! Two months! Isn’t that crazy? We have officially been in quarantine for 61 days and part of us has felt like it has flown by and the other part feels like it is never ending. Even though some moments have been hard, frustrating and sad – we have been able to remind ourselves that we still have our health, family, friends and can be at home with our loved ones rather than anywhere else and for that reason, we are some lucky ladies. These little reminders have constantly gotten us through some harder moments and for that we feel grateful. Our hearts and prayers will always be with those that aren’t as fortunate, know that we are sending you love and support in these hard times. These past two months have also taught each of us a thing or two which we are sharing below!
We would love to hear things you are grateful for. Share your journey with us below…?
SHEENA
1) I might turn into a hermit after all! Though I am a super social person, I actually DON’T mind being home with the hubby and kids. Yes, I miss my “me” time while the boys are at work and school, but it’s actually nice not having social commitments to run out for so often. It has taught me that when things go back to “normal”, it is OK to say no and chose me over family and friends some times. FOMO is something I can definitely learn to live without!!
2) Hoarding pays off! I used to yell at my FIL for hoarding paper towels, toilet paper and disinfectant wipes when he had coupons and they went on sale. WELL, in your face, Sheena! Because of him, we are one of those families not running around like animals looking for those items. We have more than enough in stock.
3) I learned to use the InstantPot that has been sitting in my storage for over 3 years now! It’s def a game changer!!! Cooking isn’t so bad after all! I even started baking! What?!?! Biscotti, anyone?
4) The past 40 years, I have been taking my health for granted, thinking I’m invincible. No more! I need to step up and make my health, body, mind and soul a priority in life. It is a gift.
5) My boys are growing up wayyyyy toooooo fast!! These past 60 days has made me want to spend the next 60, 100, 300, every day till eternity with them and not miss one more moment! When did they get so big and independent? Makes me want to cry… I am able to focus so much more on them and see how smart, funny and talented they are that I wonder where I have been for the past 10 years missing all these small moments.
6) I have learned to appreciate my parent’s life long sacrifices so much more. When we were younger, they never ever left us to go to parties, vacations, take a break, etc…because they just didn’t have the luxury to do so. Without that luxury for the past 60+ days, I am learning how much they sacrificed for us when we were children.
7) I’m a hugger! There is nothing, I mean nothing (not even zoom) that can replace face to face interaction. The energy of another human around you is indescribable. Not sure how this world will every transition to AI.
8) Teachers are one of the most under appreciated professions in the entire universe. I truly and genuinely believe that now. The way my boys teachers have come together to make virtual learning seamless and fun for these kids is just unbelievable. They do it with their whole heart because they genuinely care.
9) While I do miss going to my gym and working out with my coaches, my Peloton has been a life saver during quarantine. I am NOT a runner and don’t enjoy running outside, so the bike has been my go to for my workouts while I can’t get to the gym. Having friends to ride with on the daily is also an awesome perk! And now all the boys have started using it too – what a great way to get in some cardio while having to stay indoors.
10) Meal planning saves money and creates less wastage of food. Having restrictions on grocery shopping has forced me to plan out meals every week and shop accordingly.
11) I am a stickler for routine. This time has made me realize how much I crave and depend on routine in my world.
12) Music is life…my boys have been focusing on their instruments (piano, guitar and saxophone) while cooped up at home and have become SO good that I’m genuinely impressed at how talented those little guys are. Jonas Brothers better watch out, these Dedhia Boys are coming for you!
13) Loss is hard. Loss without the comfort of your family around is unbearable. Unfortunately, we have lost two special people close to us and losing them was so hard. We all have to go one day but knowing that they had to go without their loved ones to hold their hand through it was just unbearable. Hold your loved ones close.
14) It takes a village and my village is my strength. Without them, I would crumble and for them I am eternally grateful.
15) I miss shopping 🙁 I love to shop and I consider myself more of a hands-on shopper verses on-line shopper, so the lack of limitless access to malls, HomeGoods, and all my favorite places to shop is torture.
16) I have learned how hard my husband actually works! HA! Seeing how demanding his work is and how much he puts into making his business a success has made me appreciate more and more what he does for our family. I’ll never complain again (at least for his first month back)!
17) I. HATE. CLEANING! – I will never ever ever complain about my cleaning lady again. I appreciate her so much more now that I have had to clean the house a half a dozen times. Not fun!
18) I have learned to appreciate the earth more and realize how much it was abused and taken for granted. I pray that everyone is giving our earth the time it needs to heal and will learn to take better care of it moving forward.
19) 2020 has been a horrific year so far and I am 100% ready for it to be over, but it has taught me so much and for that I am grateful. The biggest thing is that life is SHORT and we are responsible for what we would like from it and what we would like to leave behind after it. I, for one, want to enjoy, cherish and remember every moment I have to spend with my family, friends and you guys.
20) We will all move on! Promise! This pandemic will never be forgotten but life will go back to normal, even if it is a “new normal,” and we will all come out of this on the other side as better human beings, more compassionate, understanding, humble and appreciative humans. What more can we ask for?
NINA
21) Cooking – I thought I loved cooking – and I do – but enough is enough. I cannot wait to eat out at a restaurant!!!! New appreciation for talented chefs, restaurant owners, waiters/waitresses, cleaning crews, and mom & pop restaurants around the world!
22) This quarantine has given me a chance to slow down and really look at things without urgency, though I still feel like I am always rushing.
23) I have started my own garden and it is a beautiful thing. The girls and I planted basil, tomatoes, peppers and a few other things – we can’t wait to see them in full bloom.
24) It is okay to ask for help with mental health…. this is a really challenging time… know your people and lean on them to help you.
25) I know people have it way way worse, but everyone’s individual experiences are also relevant – so do not let others discount your stress/hardships as irrelevant.
26) I am loving that the kids are into exploration – they go on hunts, make rooms/gadgets out of cardboard, create beaches in Tupperware, and are teaching themselves gymnastics! I hope that it is balancing all the screen time that they are getting for school.
27) Let it go – I am learning to let things go… high expectations, spic and span home, needing to cook meals from scratch, folding laundry right outta the dryer (kids live out of hampers these days), and so on. Its freeing for sure!
28) Read, read, read – Trying to get the kids to read, but more so I am reading a ton of amazing books that are really opening my mind up – intellectually and spiritually. I will share my top books soon!
29) Grit and perseverance – I have realized that these are two of my strengths… my doctoral work I have worked on for 2 years completely fell apart – but instead of letting it break me – I just keep going… Lots of challenges have come up for me – and I am doing my best to leverage my strengths so I don’t break! Ha.
30) Realizing how much we took for granted – simple things like going to the post office, or walking into a grocery store – now we wait outside until our turn is called – and when you get inside you are not guaranteed everything will be in stock. It is an eerie feeling.
31) Love – in all of this if we have learned anything it is that love will get us through – having people to love, loving yourself, giving love, feeling loved, love is love.
32) Framily is EVERYTHING – There is family and there are friends like family – together we are all one – without these people we would be incomplete. Let your people know how much you love them.
33) Purging – I have realized how much in excess we live – I have been happily giving all things extra away because they can serve someone way better than sitting in my storage room… It is also really nice to see the floor or shelves empty again.
34) Being present – this one is huge – you cannot change the moments that have passed by and you cannot control the next moment — so being content in where you are RIGHT NOW is the winning formula!
35) Secondary guilt is a thing – not being on the front lines is really tough – but using that energy to make a difference in other ways is just as valuable… I have NEVER been MORE PROUD to be a NURSE! 4 million strong in this country, and the largest health care sector in the world!
36) I love my front porch. I always dreamed of the day that I would sit on my porch and enjoy a cup of coffee while snuggled in a blanket reading a book – I do that now… Even sometimes when it rains.. I just sit – reflect, appreciate, sit in awe of what is happening on the outside and the strength of those getting us through this.
37) Everything is fine the way it is – we set all out expectations on these ghost ideas that we think are true but are just imagined in our minds – we think people are judging us, we think we are not as good as her, we think that someone is mad at us, etc etc…. its just figments of our imagination – just learning to let all that go and just doing me has been liberating.
38) Growth – I think that in this time I have really been finding people who are also on a journey to finding their higher self – once you find like minded people around you – its a new wave of energy to know and share more..
39) Colors – I have started noticing more colors – peoples true colors, colors in nature, colors that I am reunited with (as a kid I loved yellow so much but it was always too loud – but now I love yellow and embracing it), colors that make me feel a certain way, and colors as the spice of life… life is very colorful :).
40) I have found that biking outdoors has become a sort of meditation for me. After hurting my knees in HIIT training, I was having a hard time finding something I like. Biking has become one of my favorite ways to escape into a world that is completely free and take a break for some “me” time.
DIPTI
41) I thought I was a homebody, but turns out I really do need and love to be around people
42) Everything doesn’t have to be planned and scheduled.
43) This is hard for the kids too – they miss their friends, they miss school, they don’t know why they can’t see their grandparents and aunts and uncles. These little heros have endured their life being turned upside down and for that they deserve an extra special shout out!
44) Hubby will step up when things are tough – he’s been keeping the kids busy while I’m on calls – feeding them, making art projects, and playing pretend
45) Turns out Sachin doesn’t have unlimited patience. He’s the most patient man I know and even he will lose it when things build up – makes him more human 🙂
46) My kids are actually very creative – we’ve snuck in on them playing by themselves and caught them making planes out of boxes, babies out of stuffed animals, and creating their own music!
47) Never Have I Ever might be the cutest show of 2020! Loved it!
48) I’m not a super mom and I’m ok with that. This quarantine made some moms cook new recipes, play new games, do big projects. I am not able to do any of that – we are in survival mode in this house.
49) Thank goodness I don’t have social media. Being okay with not being a super mom comes from not comparing myself to social media moms.
50) I learned to do a pretty good fade! I’ve been cutting Diav’s hair for about a year here and there but now that we have no other choice, I’ve learned how to do a fade! I cut Diav, Sammy, Shaan, Shailin, Saiyan, and Poppa Vaid’s hair and I’m getting better with each cut! I charge $100 per cut – and all my bills are still pending (eye roll).
51) The kids are really talented too! We had them learn a choreographed dance for their Nani’s birthday and they were amazing! Diav has also started composing his own songs on the piano, and they’re pretty good!
52) I love looking outside. I don’t know how I’ll ever return to my windowless office again.
53) Maybe I’m not as OCD as I thought. The house has been in a constant state of “mess” and I’m okay with it right now – survival mode!
54) I love taking walks. I was never an outdoorsy type person but lately taking walks outside with the kids and hubby is the best part of my day!
55) I have the best support system. Quarantine has been lonely and mentally draining. Without my parents, sisters, and the most amazing friends, I don’t know how I’d survive.
56) It’s okay to drink every day. It doesn’t mean you have a problem, it’s just a relaxing mechanism. But know your limits.
57) My essential worker friends are incredible and i will never ever be able to appreciate enough how selfless a human can truly be.
58) It’s okay to be sad for no reason sometimes. We’re safe, healthy, and working. But sometimes I get a wave of sadness about what’s going on around this world and I think it’s okay and normal to feel that way.
59) I can help. I can donate, send food, help spread the word, support someone, make someone smile.. I can help.
60) Tell people you love them and appreciate them and are thinking of them. It feels so good to say it, and even better to hear it!
Love, SND
61) Magic – Time is the one thing we will never get back. Although this time is really, really, realllllly challenging all three of us in ways we didn’t know we could be – we realize there is also magic in this time. When did the world ever slow down and essentially hault to let us take a second to realize what we have created as a society? We came to a point where bankers were making more than neurosurgeons, and now we realize the value of our TEACHERS, NURSES, HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, ANCILLARY STAFF, CUSTODIANS, VETS, MAIL DELIVERY FOLKS (USPS, UPS, FEDEX, all of them), LANDSCAPERS, CHURCHES, GARBAGE COLLECTORS, FARMERS, GROCERY STORES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, RECYCLING CENTERS, SHELTERS, MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS,… AND so on (we are clearly missing so many other essential workers)! We salute you all!!! There was so much value given to non-essential things… but magically we have the opportunity to RE PRIORITIZE our values and morals – and give respect where respect is due… and recreate the world we want for our future generations so they too can pay forward what the essence of life is about and at the end of the day really focus on what to leave behind as a personal legacy.
Our front liners have been irreplaceable in these days and it touches our hearts to see the entire world get behind them and appreciate their efforts during these times. We learned most that when the world needs to come together and work as one, we will! We really are stronger together and we truly believe this pandemic will teach us, our kids and generations forward just that. It is time to heal – heal our society, heal our minds, and heal our Mother Earth.
We can’t wait to hear what has inspired you, guided you, supported you, lifted you, challenged you, fought for you and been there for you. Share your journey with us and tag us at @_lovesnd_
