Even in Confinement, We Can Teach Our Kids About the World
We’re six loaves of banana bread into this quarantine and I’m no longer sure what day it is. We’ve had time to relax and do things we don’t usually have or make time for. We have what we need. More than that…
Check in with your pregnant friends. Because the weight of the coronavirus pandemic isn’t what they thought they’d be carrying. And it’s doing its darndest to prevent joy. Pregnant women are trying to manage fear over serious health concerns that didn’t exist…
What God Says When Society is Spinning Out of Control
Society: What about my plans?! God: My plans for you are always better than your own. Don’t worry. I’m going to work this all out for your good. Society: We’re not going to get anything done! God: That’s the point. You know…
Four years ago, I was pregnant with my rainbow baby—or the baby I hoped would end up being my rainbow baby. The one who would live. The one whose breath would lighten the darkness of grief that had hung over our family for two years. Uncertainty was as much…
In the Age of Coronavirus, We’re Praying for the Grandparents
“I’m worried about my grandparents,” my daughter said as our family discussed the latest developments in the spread of COVID-19. With the relentless media coverage becoming almost impossible to escape and discussions about coronavirus ongoing, like most of us, she has some questions and concerns. When the…
Whatever Your Love Looks Like Today, It’s Enough
I sat outside of the grocery story around 5 p.m. this evening and chuckled at the line of men filing into the parking lot carrying last minute gifts. Some had flowers—the selection no doubt already picked through. Others carried half-delated balloons, or a heart-shaped box of…
My Husband Doesn’t Love Me By Spending Money on Me
My husband doesn’t love me like society says he should. He’s not much into fancy nor is romance his first language. Buying gifts is the last thing he thinks of doing for me. And even when I do present him with a list of gift ideas…
Pregnancy After Loss and Social Media: To Post or Not to Post
I cringe when I think back to my social media habits during my first pregnancy. Not only did I regularly post photos of my own growing belly along with some cutesy caption about how excited I was, but I often posted group photos that included a few of my…
Please Stop Asking Moms When They Are Going to Have Another
S“It’s about time to have another one, don’t you think?” an acquaintance said as she watched my little girl wrap her arms around my legs. I brushed off the comment, responding with something along the lines of “we’ll see” or “maybe someday.” She…
This Is What 5 Years After Stillbirth Looks Like
This is what 5 years after pregnancy loss looks like. It’s more celebration than sorrow. It’s not just grief for the life lost, but gratitude for the life you got to carry. It’s wondering ‘what if’ and ‘how come and ‘why me’ and awaiting the day you…