“My life was ‘picture perfect,’ you could say. Now, I look at myself and I don’t know who that woman is. I have no idea who I am without her. A part of me died when she died.”
‘I used to get in pictures with my kids and husband to take selfies, but everything feels and looks different now.’: After losing daughter to flu mom says ‘I will always and forever be beautifully broken’
‘Today I’m going to grill our favorite foods and make s’mores!’ The next day: ‘Go fix your own food. I’m not moving off this couch all day.’: Mom of 4 shares hilarious reality of quarantine
“It’s either, ‘Come sit in Momma’s lap and let’s read a book!’ or ‘Please don’t touch me. I feel claustrophobic.’ I’m probably the most bipolar stay-at-home mom right now. Poor kids never know which Momma they’re gonna get!”
The Empty Walmart Shelves Remind Me That COVID-19 Has Brought Us Together
“Coronavirus has done some very ugly things. But today was the most comfort I have felt in the midst of this pandemic.”
‘They put him on my chest for the first time. The doctors did a double take and immediately took him back. ‘Treacher Collins? WHAT?’: Little boy with Treacher Collins Syndrome spreads kindness and acceptance
“FINALLY! I was induced, and FOUR days later, PJ came out! His dad and I cried tears of joy. Then the doctors did a double take and took him away. I thought he was the most beautiful boy, but I feared how he would be treated by other kids. He will always look this way.”
Dear Teachers, Our Students Are Experiencing Life Stressors We Know Nothing About
“Sitting on the ground outside of a Subway, he told me his dad does concrete work. His company has threatened to shut down, so having internet at home is not a priority right now. This young man is TRYING, but life is hard right now.”
‘I kept asking, ‘Is my baby okay? Why has no one updated me yet?’ I don’t want to touch him. I don’t want to even look at him.’: Baby born with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, ‘They avoid us like the plague’
“‘Termination should be strongly considered,’ was rubbed into my face. For 2 weeks after his birth, no one but myself and my husband were allowed to see Preston due to isolation. Our 2-year-old daughter wasn’t allowed to meet her new little brother. I didn’t ever go a day without having hope.”
‘Right now I’m cherishing the everyday, the overlooked moments we take for granted.’: Mom of 3 says her lesson from isolation is ‘being present is better’
“I study my kiddos more. I just sit there and watch, observing them. It’s a good thing for life to be lived in the slow lane. I don’t want to forget.”
‘Can you just let me get this done?’ I ask. It breaks my heart. ‘Distracted’ is not the kind of mom I meant to be.’: Mom admits ‘I am a distracted parent, and it is exhausting’
“I’m distracted by the news. What disaster is waiting to greet me this morning? Fingers crossed — maybe my faith in humanity will be restored for a few hours. Not yet? Realistically, it’ll just keep giving me things to worry about. But I’ll keep trying. I’m not sure why. I sometimes take it out on my family in the heat of the moment.”
‘Our preschool abruptly closed. ‘I’ll see you every morning, right here.’ I had to regain my focus, if only for 30 minutes a day.’: Preschool teacher creates virtual safe space for students, ‘Whatever your gift is, beautify the world with it’
“A parent messaged me, ‘We were having a rough morning, and I insisted we all watch your circle time. It calmed us all down. Thank goodness for you!’ Each morning, I get up and gift my students a safe space, and they gift me back my world.”
‘He sent me a message apologizing. ‘I have potentially exposed us all.’ They had one kiss as a couple before entering weeks of not seeing each other.’: Mom says ‘if two 19-year-olds can love in the time of coronavirus, so can we’
“He heard from his workplace that a co-worker tested positive for COVID-19. They’re writing each other letters, leaving sanitized little gifts, and cooking together over FaceTime. This week, he left a video game in our mailbox with a love note: ‘I wore a mask and gloves to sanitize this for you. Wash your hands and don’t touch your face. I love you.’”