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2020-06-05
Love in the Time of COVID: Cheers to 10 Years!
June 5, 2020 marked our 10 year wedding anniversary. Due to the uncertainty of things, we had no plans to celebrate. Literally none. Our extended family, however, could not let this moment go uncelebrated. We live on the same property as my mother and father-in-law, as well as my sister-in-law and her 3 girls. They decided to surprise us with a dinner for two at "Cafe de Gagnon." They sent us an invitation asking us to dress our best and to knock on the door of my in-laws promptly at 5:30 p.m. Upon arrival, our 3 children greeted us, dressed to the nines, with warm smiles. They proceeded to serve us a multiple course dinner, prepared by my father-in-law. While it wasn't what we had imagined for our 10-year wedding anniversary, it was absolutely perfect. And a great reminder that true joy is possible during these challenging times. -
2020-05-29
Barbie in a Mask
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, so much has changed for our children. They have faced school closures, altered family dynamics, the loss of extracurricular activities and nationwide protests. The reality of this new unprecedented world is impacting how children are playing. This photograph was shared with me by a friend who was observing her daughter quietly playing in their backyard a couple of months into our region’s shelter-in-place orders (May 29, 2020). She went over to check on her daughter and noticed that she had placed a mask on her Barbie. The mom sent me the photo along with a text that read "Cute and clever but heartbreaking at the same time." This simple photograph shows how much our children are absorbing and adapting as they navigate life during a pandemic. Shelter-in-place orders in the San Francisco Bay Area have been more strict than in other areas in the state and throughout the country. Will children in this region be impacted in ways that other children will not?