And in this topsy-turvy moment, I'm reminded again that the gift COVID-19 is to appreciate the small things in life: downpours, good friends, lazy summer days, the love of family, visits to the country and all the natural charms of early summer.

Today, we start a new normal as Minnesota’s “Stay-at-Home” order is lifted and I’m able to return to work. What will the coming weeks bring? Other than a new set of hurdles, one really can’t say. It’ll be an adventure, regardless.

I’m not sure what day it was... Tuesday? Or maybe it was Wednesday... when I realized Anton had been wearing the same shirt for three days. Like any family, we can be really, really lazy, and, confession, we have stayed in our PJs for an entire weekend a time or two. But, the same shirt for three days? That was a little extreme.

Knowing how to adjust the dials has been interesting. We’ve been really, really good at practicing social distancing by obeying our Stay-at-Home order, wearing masks during grocery runs and maintaining six-foot distance from anyone we interact with.

As things start to change yet again with the next phase of the pandemic, there will no doubt be plenty of things to worry about. Let's hope we can all live in the moment and enjoy what's directly in front of us. It might save our sanity.

This week felt a lot like last week (which felt a little like the week before). We are now locked into a quasi-mundane routine, snow and gloomy weather included, and it sometimes feels like we're floating in the doldrums.

It's been one month since our family began practicing shelter-in-place. Other than the anxiety (and the constant noise in the news), it's sometimes hard to tell that we're in a crisis. But, everyday little signs show us that this is not normal. Our playgrounds are closed and there are little marks to indicate where we are supposed to stand at the grocery store. In fact, most of our shopping is done out of the store which is probably good because the urge to hug friends is strong these days.

This week it snowed. Big, sticky, flakes spewed down from the sky like cotton candy in a blender. Spring snow storms are rarely welcomed, and this one was no exception.

"We all have seasons in life where we need to focus our energy on certain things… and that’s okay. Embrace it and know that this too will change."

Over the weekend I made the decision to stop taking any face-to-face work for Britta the Photographer and my Ekta brand until the majority of this threat has lifted. Obviously, this decision hasn’t come lightly but I have no doubt it is the right decision for my community, my family and the world right now. And while I think the work I do can be important, it’s not essential. We need to protect those who are vulnerable, those who will take care of us, those who feed us and those we love.

ve two favorite areas in Vietnam, and the Nihn Bihn province is one of them. Tucked into Vietnam's Red River Delta, this beautiful landscape has sometimes been nicknamed "Ha Long Bay on land."

Forever and ever I will link awesome boat rides with Vietnam.

I think my brother was right when described the old quarter as "quintessential Vietnam". I think an alternative description could be "Vietnam on Steroids".

I have a hunch that blogs are going to be en vogue again. Or, maybe they’ll be more like vinyl records; not for everyone, but adored by a few devoted readers.

Today is the day we put our house on the market.