Posts by Melissa Menny
Pandemic Motherhood Diary, Entry 49: Toy Story Lessons
It was Friday, June 19, a day my kids had been counting down to all month long. The trailers for “Toy Story 5” no longer would suffice. They were beyond excited to finally see the movie. I raced home from work, caught a 6:20 show by settling for corner front row seats, and I watched…
Read MoreDoomscrolling Hantavirus
I find myself doomscrolling on my phone more than I would like to nowadays, with the idea that I just need to stay informed. However, recent doomscrolling felt like deja vu when I read that several individuals on a cruise became gravely ill with another virus. The hantavirus, to be exact. After reading the headlines…
Read MorePandemic Motherhood Diary, Entry 48: The COVID Time Warp
“Mama, I already know what I want to do for my birthday. I told my friend, and he says he wants to come to my party.” I looked at my son, puzzled, since he has only been six for three months. However, he knows it’s a new year, and he’s already imagining what his seventh…
Read MorePandemic Motherhood Diary, Entry 47: Pulled Away From the Church
When the pandemic began, the first place my family and I pulled away from was the church. Because I am Catholic, all I could think about was sharing the chalice, dipping our fingers in shared holy water, and shaking hands to wish each other peace. That was too many opportunities for the virus to spread.…
Read MorePandemic Motherhood Diary, Entry 46: Post-Pandemic Education
School being back in session means open house for our five-year-old. He couldn’t wait to show us his favorite place on campus, the library. Our son has become an enthusiastic reader who loves visiting the library almost as much as he loves going to the playground. We listened as his teacher went on about how…
Read MorePandemic Motherhood Diary, Entry 45: First Day of School Blues
It was the first day of school for my kindergartener. With class officially back in session, I had to readjust my morning routine from getting up solo to getting three bodies to three locations on time. I was a wreck. When I turned the corner to pull out of my neighborhood, I saw the drop-off…
Read MorePandemic Motherhood Diary, Entry 44: A COVID Notification From Daycare
It has been a couple of weeks since my toddler started daycare. I have finally gone from checking the childcare app every hour to every two hours while at work. In my efforts to focus more and not obsess over my kid being away from me, I somehow missed a message. “Did you see the…
Read MorePandemic Motherhood Diary, Entry 43: A New Routine
“I don’t want to go,” my three-year-old told me while we were getting ready for the day at 6:30 a.m. He had been adjusting to daycare and experiencing separation anxiety while I was starting my first week at a new job. So, going through our morning routine only meant one thing to him: he was…
Read MorePandemic Motherhood Diary, Entry 42: Happy 10th?
I was brainstorming potential plans for my husband and I’s upcoming 10th wedding anniversary this summer. While pondering a way to acknowledge our milestone, I stumbled upon a beautiful Ethiopian restaurant that leases space for events. A dinner party with a sprinkle of family and friends sounded like a feasible and exciting way to mark…
Read MorePandemic Motherhood Diary, Entry 41: “I Miss Brother”
Every morning, I get my five-year-old ready for school with my three-year-old right beside me. When I leave the drop-off line, my youngest says to me, “I miss brother.” When we bring the older one home, my youngest always picks up his brother’s backpack and wears it around the house. He tells me he’s pretending…
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