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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.

The pandemic is affecting my life many ways -- but, in other ways, not really at all. That probably sounds like a really confusing sentence. I will try to explain... My grandmother turned 101 yesterday, and I am trying to stay positive and to be grateful that we were able to join the beautiful celebration for her at her assisted living via Zoom. But, I would have done anything to have been able to see her and celebrate with her in person (and, at 101, I wonder if she will ever get to celebrate another birthday). Besides my grandmother's birthday celebration, which was a one-time event, the way in which the pandemic most affects me on a day-to-day basis is the lack of decent childcare options. I have two little kids -- a 2-year-old daughter and a 5-month-old son -- and current circumstances have pushed me into being a stay-at-home mom. But, I am also an child psychologist in independent practice. I test patients on the weekends and spend my evenings and free moments working on reports and patient communications. It is a lot and I have been feeling very stretched thin. I love getting to spend quality time with my kids, but once we are on the better side of this pandemic and childcare becomes somewhat more accessible, I think the QUALITY of that quality time will be a lot greater. Mainly, I cannot wait to have more say over what my day-to-day activities look like, and to have more time to myself (that isn't devoted to childcare or my work as a psychologist). In other ways, the pandemic lifestyle suits me fine -- it is even be a "beard" for some of my sedentary tendencies (e.g., not wanting to go outside at all on a cold or snowy day, not wanting to run errands, feeling tired and not wanting to get together with friends). My husband is AWESOME, but I know that he would love for me to be like, "I'm going to take the baby on a long hike!" and that is just not me. Like, at all. So, "safer at home" has given me a cover for not doing certain things that I do not like to do (but feel like I should do). I am trying not to get too upset or too bent out of shape over things that are temporary (and hint: everything is temporary!) The pandemic is NOT forever. I am halfway to being fully vaccinated -- as a psychologist, I was able to receive my first shot last week. I do feel hopeful that things will change, for the better, before too long. I was saying to my husband the other day -- just like the Great Depression permanently shaped the people who lived through it (like my now 101-year-old grandmother), I am positive that this pandemic is shaping us too. Exactly how remains to be seen, but I am positive that it is happening.