We are social distancing at the moment. That means: no friends, no play dates, no playgroups, no church, no parties, no football lessons, no moo music, no nursery, no visitors. But I am absolutely *determined* that Otis doesn’t recognise this change. I want him to enjoy every day so much that he doesn’t notice the turmoil the world is in currently. I want his smile to be so big that it banishes even my own anxieties away from my thoughts.

I want him to be as happy as he was on Tuesday. These are the photos from our little family day out on his birthday on Tuesday. I say “little” because we were only out for an hour and a half, but as you can see that was plenty of time for lots of smiles, laughter and happy memory making!

Our kids are watching us. They will remember this time. They are learning how we cope with stress and uncertainty. I want to teach my boys that we respond to it without panic. That we make the most of the opportunities we have to just be with each other: no schedules, no time restraints and no distractions.

Instead we have the chance to embrace fresh air and have a new gratitude for freedom.

We have a chance to look up at the sun, watch the trees move in the wind, listen to the rain on windows and be grateful we are living for today.

We have the chance to be grateful for living and not just existing.

We have a chance to acknowledge what we took for granted and really love the world we have built.