Film Makes Staying Home a Little More Fun

At least it does for me! I knew I would end up documenting our stay home. It’s the photographer (journalist) in me. It also helps film labs with their business since many photographers are not working, the labs have been losing a lot of foot traffic and usual business. The great news is that my local lab, Dunwoody Photo has placed a drop off box out front for customers to drop off any film if they do not wish to mail it in. So film shooters support your local business and keep shooting film! Send them in!

Like any crafty DIY person, we had a few projects to complete around the house. For me, it was fun working on baby boy’s nursery. Vu and I painted the walls (and it was no easy task since it was originally wallpapered). For the statement wall Vu created a batten panel accent. I’m so in love with the nursery and cannot wait to do a reveal once our baby boy is here.

During the shelter-in mandate, Vu ended up having to fix a busted water pipe out front and changing out our water heater. Home repairs just ‘happened’ to be on the to-do list. Darn the timing of it all! I mean, it worked out cause we had plenty of time but just darn it cause I didn’t expect to dedicate a couple weekends for repairs. Then again no one really expected to be home for 2 months because of the pandemic so I shouldn’t be complaining eh?

We also ordered pizza and did a pick up. While waiting around for the pizza I decided to walk a bit and stretch my legs. I came across this “we’re closed” sign on a barbershop door and knew this would be one of the biggest reminders of how Covid-19 has impacted all small businesses. It has impacted me but not as bad. Thankfully Vu is still working and even though I take clients as a part-time basis, I still had a couple sessions that needed to cancel/post-pone. I was bummed but then I thought about all my other friends in the industry. They have had to cancel all their bookings for Spring and Summer and many of my friends are in this full-time, making the small business their only source of income. The stay home has really challenged my prayer times. It is filled with a mix of fear, worry and hope. It is spent working out my fears and sharing my struggles with the Lord. I’ve yet to have any anxiety but I’ve had plenty of sad days. Days where I feel isolated because I can’t see my friends and days where I feel as though I’m being robbed of getting to experience this long awaited pregnancy ‘bliss’. But I don’t entertain that thought for too long because deep down inside, I know God is a faithful God and I’m more than grateful for this time to be able to grow and nurture this babe inside me and he’s healthy, thriving and growing!

On one of the weeks staying in we really wanted to ice cream (cough cough, I wanted ice-cream) so we went to Brusters right around the corner and helped ourselves. We couldn’t sit around since the outdoor space was closed for customers but we didn’t mind grabbing and going anyway. Here I am, not at my cutest but was that ice cream yummy!

Walking around the neighborhood included lots of photos of pretty blooms. I was so tempted to work on the front yard (even though that was our actual plan for March of 2020) but I refrained. I didn’t want to make multiple trips to Lowe’s or Home Depot where most people were congregated because there was no where else to go! I love this collection and seriously want to print them out!

Then there were days where there was absolutely nothing new to do (exhausted Netflix, walked the neighborhood three times, watered the plants, napped, played with the dogs, cook and clean) so it was just sitting around. Jordan still had online digital learning and my class also converted to online. But when we needed breaks, our pups were the perfect companion to lounge around with.

We also did a non-traditional Easter hunt (with money). The kid isn’t into sweets like he was before but he definitely loves money lol. So we hid some spare bills around. That was our Easter. A family meal together and a money hunt.

I did meet up with a couple different friends here and there to do some walking and we definitely followed the 6 feet apart rule. That was the only way I could really hang out. Walking was usually short though, maybe 30 minutes. At this stage of the pregnancy I have to use the bathroom ALL the time. And it’s not fun having to use the bathroom in public so once walking was over, I had to head home right away.

On one of the walks I met up at Atlantic Station over at the Millennium Gate Park. Which by the way, is where Vu and I had our maternity session. I’ll post on that in another blog. But here are a few photos I grabbed when I did my walk.

Other things we did to try and keep social was Saturday takeouts. We would order take out and eat in the car while ‘people watching’. That helped get us out the house and still contributed in some way to the restaurants. We also took advantage of our bonfire space outdoor. We had the same couple over once a week to hang out around the bonfire. I’m very thankful for that. I know it’s soooooo hard not getting to see anyone. In the past, we’ve had our neighbors over before too, for the bonfire and to enjoy sipping wine. During the shelter-in, we spent a lot of time chatting with our neighbors between the fences instead. One of our neighbors has the prettiest wisteria so of course, I took a photo of that too.

I love our fragrant roses! This Spring the roses have been so beautiful and blooming quite nicely. In the mornings after I let the dogs out I trim a bunch and make myself an arrangement for the living room and kitchen. And they smell heavenly! Do you guys see the amazing film grain on the rose and wisteria? My oh my. This is Kodak Ultramax 400. I snagged a roll from my friend Steven, who was generous enough to share his stash that he received from Kodak, during sheltering-in. I really love this look and will have to start a stock pile for my everyday snaps. It’s getting a little expensive documenting family life on Kodak Portra 160 lol.

One weekend we met up at Brusters to give my nephew custom face masks. We know things will not be getting back to normal any time soon. I know we can’t stay indoors forever. Life has to go on. So I ordered my nephews face masks. It was so great getting to see them even though I couldn’t give them kisses I was still happy to have been able to see them. It made sheltering in so much more bearable, being able to see their cute faces.

Many of my favorite restaurants were offering take out BUT one that couldn’t get on the take out train was KBBQ. So we did our own. It isn’t too bad doing KBBQ yourself but it doesn’t quite come close to the seasoned meat and side dishes you get actually eating at a KBBQ restaurant. But we made it work and it was nice sitting outside with the family enjoying dinner.

And finally, we gave our pups a bath outdoors!!! Yes, we spent a lot of time outdoors. I’ve complained about Georgia not getting enough Spring weather but somehow, during all this craziness, we’ve gotten great mild weather.

Here’s Napoleon wondering “what about me?” Napoleon already had his bath a few days ago indoors so he didn’t need one and besides, I know he wouldn’t like it outdoors. He’s just wondering why the other dogs are getting their bath outside lol.

More plants from our own backyard!

There were so many plans I had for this Spring. And I know many of us did. At first it was so sad thinking of those lost plans and the grieving process was so hard. Yes there was grieving. For all the plans lost, get togethers that were canceled, memories that could have been made in celebrating. But now that we’re in our third month of all this, it’s gotten easier. Not that I don’t get sad anymore, but that it doesn’t last as long as it first did. I still missed out on my baby shower, the experience of shopping for this little one, hanging out with friends catching up on life and sharing how my pregnancy is going so far.

Oh hey, I did do a print giveaway on social media! I wanted to find little ways to add joy during such blurry times. I also did a ‘front porch session’ where people could get photos taken on their front steps/yard in exchange for making a donation to any food drive (I’ll blog a few of those sessions later too). It was a good turn out!

I’m still shooting a roll at home even though the stay home mandate has been lifted. We aren’t in a rush to congregate with the crowds.

I know when I look back on these photos I’ll say to myself, “what a time to be alive, what wild times we were living.” And I’ll be able to tell this story to our little babe. For my generation, we’ve certainly not experience anything like this before. It makes me aware of how this time will become history one day. It makes me aware of grandparents that lived through so many uncertain times and how scary it must have been for them. The silver lining in all this for me is that I’ve developed a greater appreciation for the simple things, like going out to eat and ordering coffee. That freedom of being able to just go. I’ve also been reminded that I still need to walk the path of being ‘mindful’ and ‘present’. To not check out just because the world is on pause. I’ve also been spending more time in prayer and leaning on God’s goodness and truth instead of worry and fear. It’s hard to imagine God’s plan in all this but it’s what I’m living and I have to trust Him! I’m praying for everyone’s safety and mental well-being! To all my family, friends and supporters–I’m thinking of you!