A lot of things have prepared me mentally for the current quarantine situation we all find ourselves in: Moving back to Washington in 2016, treating my diagnosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in 2017, reentering the traditional workforce in 2018, and separating from my husband of eleven years in 2019. In 2020, as I have dealt with stress, heartache, anger, anxiety, and depression, I am discovering just how strong I am.

My brother moved up from California in May (after separating from his own partner in April) and he is now living with my 9-year-old son and me.

We also began raising backyard chickens, which has brought all three of us more joy than we ever could have imagined. The chickens were my son's idea three years ago; it just took him that long to convince me to get them. The timing for them was perfect, and I didn't realize I was preparing for them mentally, too. It's been the best part of quarantine, and it's been such a fantastic bonding experience for my son, brother, and I.

-- Margie Overhauser