For about five weeks we have been surrounded by forest fire smoke since lots of Oregon right now has fires. Our hills have been smokey most days and we have gone from unhealthy to sensitive people to hazardous in air quality, changing on a daily basis. So this summer has not been easy but at the same time there have been some incredible life lessons for me as a mom.
First off we usually are outside at Emigrant Lake or swimming at Daniel Meyer pool most the summer. But we have been stuck inside most days and resorted to wearing a mask if we do go outside. Some days I think me and my girls and driving each other crazy being stuck inside the house so much together. Other days, we are laughing, dancing and actually bonding over being stuck inside so much.
I am thankful for the YMCA up the street from us which has an indoor pool and air purifiers all around the gym and near the pool. I cannot smell smoke in there and the air feels clean. Bella has taken off with swimming from all the times we go to the pool to get exercise, have fun and get out of smoke filled skies.
I have found, along with the rest of my family a finer appreciation for blue skies and a star filled sky. We have had some random days where blue fills the sky for part of the day and I get so excited and tell my kids to come out and sit on the porch or play outside. And the evenings where the smoke does not cover the stars is amazing too and we are doing more star watching than we used to do.
We have had some fun short trips to the Oregon coast and to Roseburg to escape the smoke. Playing in the lakes, rivers, walking outside where blue fills the sky, paddle boating, sand boarding, hiking thru the forest in these areas we escaped to, watching our dog become a better swimmer, made such a huge difference in the quality of our summer time.
Each day I try to keep my head high and find the optimism in our situation. I hug my kids, remember to say I love you to them and my husband, rejoice when we have blue skies and remember we still have much to be grateful for, despite our temporary smokey air situation.