Gender: Female

#JustADayAtATime

Coronavirus has made me gain a lot of patience and helped me have more spare time to bond with my kids. My whole life I’ve worked. Its helped me take things day by day. It’s a challenge as I have my own business. I’m a stylist and I have had customers all week but not any last week. its made me appreciate the things that were once there like going out to eat. It has showed me how serious life is. I’ve gotten a lot of rest…which is rare! Many people around me look at it bad but I see it as a chance to get closer to God.

Keeping Faith, Adapting and Balancing

The CORVID-19 pandemic has completely changed the route of my family’s daily activities. In order to keep our family and community safe from the coronavirus, we’ve had to be receptive and adapt. I’m a single working mom with three children (1, 5, and 8) and I’m an MBA graduate student. Initially, the lifestyle changes were very overwhelming and challenging. In the beginning stages of the pandemic, my family experienced a death in the family. There was concern for the funeral arrangements due to the coronavirus. On the day of the funeral, the executive order of ten individuals or less was not mandated. However, there were still modifications to the arrangements for public safety. Our family opted not to host a repast to gather and fellowship, instead to-go dinners were provided to all that attended the funeral. It was an odd feeling to not stay for a traditional repast to celebrate the life of our loved one while consoling family and friends.Weeks prior, an announcement was made that schools for grades K-12 were suspended until further notice. As a working mom, childcare is a necessity to be able to work and provide for my family. My 1-year old’s daycare opened their facility to grade school kids that were misplaced due to school closures. This was truly a blessing, but a couple of weeks later the daycare made an announcement that they were closing their doors to keep the staff and children safe until further notice. In order to keep working, I had to send my two oldest kids to Georgia to be with my mom. My 1 year old was able to stay with her dad during the day while he teleworked from home. During this time, my University announced campus closures and the transition to online classes.After two weeks of submitting a request to telework from home, it was approved! Even though my children were in good hands, I was eager to return them home and to able to help them with distance learning school. Then again, I had no idea how challenging it would be to telework with two children attending live classes twice a day, attend to my 1 year old, and attend a demanding online graduate class. Not knowing what to expect, the first week was extremely unorganized and challenging. There were missed assignments, I got caught up with telework and forgot to log one child into live class, lunch was served late, house was a mess, etc. We have since established a routine and balance to this new way of living, but it is still a challenging process. Nevertheless, I’m blessed I’m still able to work and provide for my family.Another adjustment to our lifestyle is how we attend worship service. We now attend worship services and bible study via Facebook live. I really miss attending church with my family and worshiping with my church family.It also stressful going to the grocery store not being able to find necessities for the family like toiletries and having a limitation on buying meats and produce. I can’t leave the children at home alone, so I must take them with me to the grocery store. We all wear mask and the trips are quick, but I don’t like taking them into crowded spaces. Over the past weeks, I have slowly seen improvement with challenge of finding necessities. Even though there has been many changes, challenges and struggles adapting to the impacts of the CORVID-19 pandemic, there are some positives. For instance, I’m able to spend more quality time with my family. Instead of waking up early to get myself and three kids ready for work and school, I wake up early to make breakfast. Instead of rushing home from work and school to cook dinner, we can take walks together in the evening after having an early dinner to get out of being in the house all day. I also noticed a savings from not having to commute to work and school, also from not eating out and less entertainment activities. Also, a mini family vacation was planned for the spring and summer, which had to be cancelled. Sadly, those mini vacations were something we looked forward to attending for a while. Society and my family crave returning to their life of normalcy before the pandemic of CORVID-19, and it will happened in due time. However, as I watch the news, I hear concern about the upcoming forecast of a very active hurricane season. So, I just take one day at a time, pray, stand fast in faith, and count my blessings.

Life Interrupted

Well my husband was temporarily laid off and we were applying for unemployment and have had many worries about money but we are grateful to be healthy, we are staying home so we will will stay healthy.

A Sad Situation But God is In Control

I can’t work. I was furloughed off of both jobs. I basically have don’t any income. I have no applied for unemployment because people have said it was too hectic and a waste. I don’t like standing in food lines. It’s been an entire change. Cant go to work, you can’t see your grandkids. I miss my friends! Everyone is tense but I’m learning to cope and live with things I thought I needed like hair and nails. There are people doing worse. I’m doing my best to help out my neighbors. Someone at my church had the virus and she said it was no joke. She almost died. This made me so paranoid! But I’m trying to remain positive and wear my mask if I have to leave my house. I had dental work that I wasn’t able to get finished. I paid them over 3,000. Horrible timing. I had a prepaid trip for March that was cancelled

College life

Im in college and the corona virus has sent me back home closing campus. I lost my job on campus and now has to depend on my parents. Also the college students don’t qualify for the stimulus checks for some reason.

Serve to Fill

I have been very fortunate to still be able to receive an income throughout this trying time. It has definitely been difficult to not be with my students or visit my loved ones. My mother and boyfriend both work in the hospital so it’s a constant struggle when cleaning and worrying if I got everything clean enough and not making him feel alienated in the home. Wanting to give back as much as possible is my main concern. When I’m in service, I feel my most purposeful.

Unknown Mystery

I’m trying to stay in and be obedient. I go to the store about every two weeks. It’s every scary. I don’t like wearing the mask. I make sure to put it on going indoors. I am a hairdresser. I’ve been out from work for three weeks. I’m getting behind. I was thinking about May 1st but I may not. A lot of my clients are older and cannot come out. Many call to say they are worried! I don’t like to sit still very often, so I’m hoping . Our church is closed, so Ive been watching on YouTube. My sons have taught me to use it. I am still having to pay bills with less income but I am trying not to let it worry me.

#necessities

Covid 19 has impacted my family financially. I’m extremely careful on how I spend money, I’m prioritizing what bills to pay. At this point, credit scores isn’t important, but my family being feed is.

N/A (Story #307)

I wouldn’t say it impacted my life but it help be bond more an more with god an find out who I am as as a person.

Coping With Corona?!

Well, I got Corona. So, that has had a huge impact. I’m 26 days with the virus, and it’s been pretty rough. My business was also deeply affected, as our summer and fall enrollments were stopped in their tracks. I’ve also had many happy surprises and some awesome successes. My team got our students pivoted to an online learning environment seamlessly and well before the public schools did. I bought a new car from my living room and saved on my monthly payment. I’ve made some new friends, found some new business colleagues and discovered some new music online. Overall, I think the worst part (other than getting sick) is seeing the further divisions in political morals between my neighbors, some family, some friends and myself. I am not sure how the nation recovers.