June 2020 has made so many memories, happy, bad, mad and sad.

We’ve learned to deal with life as a family of three before we adopted another member.

My husband has experienced deep relief and cold showers at the same time. Our son had to deal with the unknown for the first time. I had to play the big roulette of reality, lose the job and deal with messed up feels.

And I’m so glad we managed to walk through times of uncertanty and broken reality together. Walking down the paths of horrors was not easy. But it was the only option.

If I went back to school from a summer break and had a chance to share a recap of what my days were like, I’d be lost. But if there’s anything June 2020 has taught me I’d say it’s: the importance of sharing memories and keeping them somewhere safe.

Follow along with my short recap if you’re eager to hear our happy ending and tips for dealing with the reality as it is today.

June 2020 welcomed a puppy to our home.

But not just another cute little puppy that likes to snuggle and squeeze a lot. We adopted a Jack Russell Terrier. She was one month old and scared when we drove her home, but she instantly fell in love with our kid.

It was the longest ride of our lives. We all were afraid of how she will adjust to living with us and even though I’ve already planned our new routines, I worried a lot. Was I ready to train an energetic terrier?!

Oh, and all the worries did bring a lot of sweating. First two weeks were near to terrible, but I’m so glad I kept it cool and not frightened my son. Yes, I stayed up late at night to pick up all the mess she has made. I got my hand attached to a sponge and the other one filled with treats to teach her where her “toilet” was. And she’s always so full of energy.

However, I managed to work on all the tricks and discipline methods with her. My two-months-old puppy now knows so much and we’ve finally established the perfect routine for all of us. She even sleeps throughout the whole night now!

There are many things we all have to still work on together with her, but keeping in mind her strong character and stubbornness, I’m so proud of my family. I feel so strong and loved!

We started kindergarten.

In fact, it really is a playroom where a well-educated teacher takes care of kids while they make memories together. Those who follow me for a bit longer now may remember that we decided on Montessori kindergarten for our 4-year-old Montessori-raised boy.

– Related: Seven steps to kindergarten readiness –

It felt right to finally let him go out and socialise and he was about to start a little bit before his birthday in March. But due to the coronavirus, we had to postpone everything for safety reasons on our own. Soon enough, our country went under a complete lockdown.

June 2020 felt right for kindergarten preparations. So, on July 1st I took him to the playroom for 2 hours. Three days later, out of nowhere, he felt so discouraged to go there without me. I was so sad for letting him go out there alone, but I reminded myself it’s about time for him to experience the world on his own.

I tried to make it easy taking him to as many adventures after I pick him up and we made his favourite breakfast and snack together. He likes to ask if I’d come back for him, why do I come back and why does he need to go there. I give serious answers, the same every time because those are serious questions for one little boy.

We learn and read while enjoying breakfast because it boosts his self-esteem and productivity. Then we either walk with dad and our puppy or I ride him on my bike. On our way there, we share positive experiences and talk about his best friends. Singing favourite songs also help him relax a lot and we always do the same goodbye.

In June 2020 I quit being people-pleaser.

I know I talk about this a lot. But, in all shapes of people-pleasing, I finally quit doing it for good (hopefully).

When I got asked to work as editor-in-chief for my friend’s friend company, I was thrilled. But soon I realised nobody from my team was eager to learn how to complete their tasks.

I was angry, sleep-deprived (because I stayed late at night to finish all of their tasks) and I didn’t have enough time to work on my growing blog. At the same time, I got another job from the director of the same company (off-page and on-page SEO for his clients).

One day, I finally said goodbye to one of the jobs I had and stopped finishing each and everyone’s tasks. People-pleasing might seem sweet at first, but it drains too much of our natural glow and energy later.

Three crucial changes and mixed emotions.

Since we’re still social distancing (it’s tricky to see what’s true in Serbia), no summer vacation for us, no gatherings, no parties. There has to be a lot of lifestyle changes and adaptations, but that’s okay.

From our point of view, more bonding time, more goal crushing, more learning. You should always try and see the brighter picture of what seems to be a broken reality.

If we miss the fact I got a bit lost somewhere in between this year, nothing else is wrong. I’ll definitely crush my work/personal goals this year. Here’s to the rest of the year, cheers!

And what you’ll be working on for the next couple of months?