Another Update

I hope everyone is staying safe and sane! I just wanted to update everyone with what's going on, and what to expect going forward.

When this year started, I doubt any of us thought our lives would be turned upside down. Even when the stay-at-home orders started being issued, I wasn't overly worried. I work from home. I have anxiety, so I don't leave my house much anyway. To be honest, I didn't expect things to change too much for me. 

I was wrong.

While not leaving my house hasn't really changed, so much else has. My anxiety is on overdrive all the time. Even something as simple as taking my dog for a walk around the neighborhood has become a study in how to actively avoid other people. The grocery stores are getting better, but there are still times when I find empty shelves, or my pick-up order is missing more than half its items, which then necessitates a trip to yet another store. 

The biggest change has been having both of my teenage boys home. I love them, but being surrounded by three men (including my husband) 24/7 with no break has been...challenging.

And, OMG, they eat so much!!!

Online Distance Learning with my kids takes up a huge portion of my day. Not just from helping/teaching them, but from learning the material myself. My Freshman is a special education student with Autism, so he needs a lot of extra help, especially in Algebra.

And I am terrible at math, guys! 

Every week, I spend hours at night watching YouTube videos and trying to figure out what the hell is going on so I can help him understand it. For whatever reason, my brain just doesn't seem to be programmed for math. It is demoralizing and soul-crushing. That may sound dramatic, but I barely passed this math the first time around! 

Now, I say all of this to explain that my days don't leave a lot of time for writing anymore. I'm still working on Night and Fae, but the progress is slow. It's coming. I promise. At this point, though, I just don't know when. I really hope to have it finished before the end of May, but right now, I can't promise that. 

Of course, that means that the rest of my schedule will have to be pushed back as well. The school year officially ends the last week of May, which should free up a lot more time for writing, but that's still a whole month away. Like everyone else around the world, all I can do right now is take it one day at a time and do the best I can. 

So, if you're struggling like me, know that there is nothing wrong with you. You haven't failed. We're all adjusting to this new "normal" and some days are easier than others. That was really hard for me to accept at first, but we're going to get through this.

So, stay safe. Wash your hands. Be kind to each other, and just as importantly, be kind to yourself!