Motherhood

Surviving the Pandemic + the Good Things that Happened in Between

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It has been more than one year now since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out around the world and we are still nowhere near the herd immunity that we are dreaming of. Every day is a battle and what we are doing is basically staying healthy and surviving the pandemic. However, there were also good things that happened (in spite of) in our family and my personal life. So I am keeping tabs.

We Went to Bed One Night and Woke Up to a Different World

On the morning of March 16, 2020, Monday, the streets around our building were eerily silent. Living in a commercial area in the metropolis for decades meant that vehicular sounds were ambient noise. While the streets were quiet, social media was ironically noisy and ablaze because people were complaining about canceled plans. That was the first day of the rounds of community lockdowns all over the Philippines in the light of the global Covid-19 pandemic.

note to self, surviving the pandemic, Covid-19, coronavirus, safety protocols, community lockdown, Covid-19 pandemic, health risk, infections, face masks, face shields, curfew, frontliners, Covid-19 vaccine, getting vaccinated, herd immunity
~ Our daughters today in their matching PJs. I pray for them and over them and we help fight the pandemic so that they can have a future. ~

Restrictions were set, checkpoints were put in place, and a curfew was imposed. Streets were deserted and only uniformed military, policemen, and healthcare personnel were mostly allowed to go around. It really felt that doomsday was coming.

The Saturday before that, our family still attended a children’s party because it was the birthday of a co-homeschooler here in Bacolod. Days before that, hubby and I still traveled to Iloilo for a one-day event. In all these instances, we didn’t wear facemasks, and the thought that we might have encountered somebody with the virus and that we brought it home was mentally exhausting.

Thankfully, we survived that, and ever since we have worn our facemasks and shields when going out. These are not just to protect us but also to protect others in case we are asymptomatic carriers. Furthermore, these protected us from other airborne infections, because we needed to keep our immune system in tip-top shape.

How We Survived: Physically Well but Emotionally and Mentally Scarred

With our business closed for two months, we were safe behind our walls but we couldn’t help but wonder what life would be like afterward. We had hoped that once the lockdown is over, we can already go back to our normal lives.

note to self, surviving the pandemic, Covid-19, coronavirus, safety protocols, community lockdown, Covid-19 pandemic, health risk, infections, face masks, face shields, curfew, frontliners, Covid-19 vaccine, getting vaccinated, herd immunity, tips to staying safe during the pandemic
~ When hubby and I go out for essential errands, we wear face masks and face shields. As for the kids, we bought these for them, just in case, but they never really got to use them. ~

When we re-opened our business two months later, our family held a meeting amongst ourselves and our staff (both stay-in and those who go home to their families daily or weekly). We noticed that not everyone was strict in implementing safety protocols. Everyone had different thoughts about the pandemic and was very active in voicing out their opinion. Honestly, we had difficulty getting through to our employees at first.

It was just so hard to get them to realize that in the light of the pandemic, it’s okay to be OA. Being careful to the point of being paranoid went a long way in keeping us all safe. Rubbing alcohol (70%), disinfectant footbaths, handwashing, face masks, and shields were all part of our routine around the building.

We also obeyed the rule of the community that young people below 20 years old and senior citizens above 60 years old were not allowed to go out to public places, unless on necessary errands—like going for a check-up or buying medicines. Only my sister-in-law is doing most of our errands, therefore risking her safety every day. But we had been the most law-abiding and cooperative citizens, doing our part to end this pandemic.

Like everyone else, our business suffered during the early stages of the pandemic. We have no choice but to close down for many weeks in order to follow safety protocols, as mandated by the city.

When restrictions were eased, we resumed business but with safety measures in place. We no longer allowed customers inside the store but instead opened a counter where we can transact business. A plastic barrier was also installed to keep the staff from face-to-face interactions with the customers.

All these made our sales suffer because customers can no longer just roam around the store and see what we have in stock. It also alienated some of our suki (frequent customers), who were so used to us being a neighborhood store and would often chat with my father-in-law about business and life inside the premises.

note to self, surviving the pandemic, Covid-19, coronavirus, safety protocols, community lockdown, Covid-19 pandemic, health risk, infections, face masks, face shields, curfew, frontliners, Covid-19 vaccine, getting vaccinated, herd immunity, future, tips for staying safe during this pandemic
~ Our top 10 tips in staying safe during the pandemic. These are the basic safety protocols. We do not even disinfect packages anymore as we learned more about the pathology of the virus. ~

But since we do business in the same building where we live, this was a sacrifice we had to make for the sake of the safety of the whole family and our staff—especially for my in-laws who are already blessed with so many years. We cannot put them at risk.

Despite all of these setbacks, our gratitude to High Heavens is outpouring because by the grace of God, we have all been spared from the dreadful virus and we are still earning to keep us all afloat.

Why the Emotional Scars

One night in May 2020, while our children were sleeping peacefully and my husband was resting beside them, I thoughtfully looked at them. Maybe it was hormonal fluctuation or the anxiety about the pandemic, tears flowed freely. I couldn’t hold them back, as melancholia flooded.

The biggest questions were:

What will happen to my kids? What does the future hold for them? Is there even a future for them after this episode, if ever we survive the doomsday scenario created by the global pandemic? Is this really the end of the world?

I whispered a prayer to God and my emotions settled. As new thoughts came over me, I mentally took note of this very personal message:

note to self, surviving the pandemic, Covid-19, coronavirus, safety protocols, community lockdown, Covid-19 pandemic, health risk, infections, face masks, face shields, curfew, frontliners, Covid-19 vaccine, getting vaccinated, herd immunity, future

Note to Self: Do not overthink about the future because you cannot do anything about it. Instead, focus on the present—what you have and what you can do.

It was a short time of connection with God but the effects on me were life-changing. I turned the wheels on my head and since then re-focused my efforts on my blogging and writing, homecooking, gardening, and spending time with the family.

Instead of joining others complaining on social media about every issue under the sun, I strengthened my social media presence so that I can share valuable and factual information that can help keep families safe and contribute to ending the pandemic. Moreover, I also tried to come up with sardine meals and other budget meal recipes to help keep the average Pinoy with extending whatever they have in their pantries during these difficult times.

Note to Self: Cheers to us who have fought and won battles that only we know about.

That late-night episode was the first and last during this pandemic. After that, my life changed and my efforts were rewarded. Who would have thought that I would end up with three blogging awards—all during the pandemic?

Imagine that: I never would have expected that a stay-at-home mom like me could make such an impact on society during the pandemic?

But despite the positive things, there are still invisible scars brought about by the pandemic.

Here are some of them.

Distance

We had to keep ourselves safe and the best advice we got from doctors was to consider everyone suspect (of being a virus carrier). Despite not having symptoms, anyone could be an asymptomatic carrier. If ever we got to talk to someone else, we wore our face masks, like when receiving deliveries.

note to self, surviving the pandemic, Covid-19, coronavirus, safety protocols, community lockdown, Covid-19 pandemic, health risk, infections, face masks, face shields, curfew, frontliners, Covid-19 vaccine, getting vaccinated, herd immunity
~ Err on the side of caution. I would rather be safe than sorry. ~

Moreover, we avoided gatherings, like birthdays, weddings, funerals, and even small group fellowships because everyone takes off face masks while eating (naturally) and talking. It just feels uncomfortable, knowing that we are putting ourselves and our family back home at risk. The lesser the exposure, the better.

But because of this, we have physically distanced ourselves from many family members and friends. All we have are messaging apps so that we can connect with virtually.

Debates

Just like the last presidential elections, the pandemic has divided people. There are people who are extremely paranoid about the pandemic and refused to go out even for necessities. Then there are us–people who took all necessary precautions and stayed at home if there are no necessary errands. And lastly, there are the people who are against the vaccines and those who deny Covid and are refusing to wear face masks.

Personally, I am advocating to get vaccinated against Covid-19 so that we can develop herd immunity as a country and eventually get back to normal. However, I respect those who do not want to get vaccinated because it is something invasive and they can decide what to have in their bodies.

note to self, surviving the pandemic, Covid-19, coronavirus, safety protocols, community lockdown, Covid-19 pandemic, health risk, infections, face masks, face shields, curfew, frontliners, Covid-19 vaccine, getting vaccinated, herd immunity
~ At first, I was hesitant to get vaccinated against Covid-19 because I wanted to observe first. We do not normally get flu or pneumonia shots, but instead, we just work on our personal immunity. But since we are talking about herd immunity in this pandemic, I went with my husband to our barangay center and had the Astra Zenaca shots. We want to be part of the massive solution to end this situation. As of this writing, we are yet to get our 2nd dose scheduled next month. ~

What I cannot understand are those who are refusing to wear face masks because they feel that the coronavirus is just like any other flu virus that can be cured with simple home care. What is worse is that they feel that that the deaths are caused by the wrong management of doctors and hospitals. Wow! Honestly, I cannot wrap my head around those conspiracy theories and I feel ashamed for the doctors and researchers who work tirelessly to put a stop to this global chaos.

Many relationships have been affected because of these extreme stands about this pandemic that erupted in online debates and ended in severed relationships offline.

But for me, it is better to be safe than sorry. I have a family to think of and I don’t want to put everyone at risk. Even if the family survives, the trauma and anxiety, as related by friends who are Covid survivors, can be overwhelming. Additionally, there are medical expenses that we have to think of. So I would rather stay away from people, and even businesses, who are taking this pandemic lightly.

Death

There came a point that I avoided going through my Facebook newsfeed and instead focused on my Mommy Sigrid on Instagram account. It was so depressing to see friends continually posting black boxes or candles as profile pics because they lost a loved one. I avoided the news not because I don’t want to sympathize but because I just couldn’t bear the losses. The premature deaths were just so heartbreaking and too much for my mommy heart to handle!

Furthermore, it cemented the fact that Covid is sooo real and sooo near! Just last week, my first cousin died from complications due to Covid-19. That is why I could not understand why there are still groups of people denying it!

Denying Covid-19 is an affront to healthcare workers, other frontliners, victims, and families who lost loved ones. Let us be more considerate and kind.

Surviving the Pandemic and The Good Things That Happened

Despite everything, including the rising cases of Covid-19 positive patients here in Bacolod City (2000+ active cases as of this writing), I am more relaxed nowadays.

Looking back, I focus on the good things instead of the things that could have been. There is just no point anymore.

note to self, surviving the pandemic, Covid-19, coronavirus, safety protocols, community lockdown, Covid-19 pandemic, health risk, infections, face masks, face shields, curfew, frontliners, Covid-19 vaccine, getting vaccinated, herd immunity
~ Allow me to count our blessings despite the pandemic. There is a big difference when we focus on gratitude more than our problems–it changes our perspective. ~

If there is anything that I am most thankful for is that we have always been a homeschooling family. Even with the problems around us regarding the shift to online schooling, we just continue with our usual practices.

Family is Strengthened

Since we stayed at home practically holed up in our bedrooms, we got to spend a lot of time together. Talking, playing, watching TV together, and just goofing around strengthened our bond. This is also especially true in our marriage. While hubby just works in the building and I can easily talk to him, having him beside me all day was actually refreshing.

One thing that I really appreciate was the time spent with our eldest daughter in the kitchen. Teaching her to cook did not only impart basic culinary skills to her but I believe that she appreciated the fact that I spent more time with her. We needed this bond because she is soon going to be a teenager and parenting by that time will become an entirely different ball game.

note to self, surviving the pandemic, Covid-19, coronavirus, safety protocols, community lockdown, Covid-19 pandemic, health risk, infections, face masks, face shields, curfew, frontliners, Covid-19 vaccine, getting vaccinated, herd immunity
~ Achi has learned a lot of things in the kitchen during this time that we stayed at home. ~

Achi Shawna is already 12 years old. She was the last family member to have a birthday party held with friends at the salon on March 7, 2020–a week before the lockdowns.

Faith is Reinforced

Every night, we pray as a family before the kids go to sleep. Sometimes, they say their own prayers. I am really amazed with how the children have grown spiritually in this pandemic. Their prayers no longer included what they like or want but rather for the protection of the family, our staff, and the health workers and other community helpers working against Covid. They are praying for healing for those who are sick and for a solution to this pandemic. With that, my mommy heart is glad.

Friendships Were Formed Among Former Strangers

Many campaigns and movements were launched during the pandemic and these have one common goal–to help in the fight against pandemic. Some of these people organized themselves to put community kitchens to feed frontliners in hospitals, checkpoints, and other necessary service departments.

The barter movement was also very strong last year and it really helped many people who were in need of daily supplies and those who were short on cash.

Frequent Feastings

Since business was at a standstill, there was no work and we cannot go out, I was in the kitchen often!

I thought, how glum it would be to stay at home and to keep eating the usual stuff made by our in-house cook. This was especially true for my in-laws who used to enjoy restaurant dinners from time to time or meetings and church fellowships over their favorite food.

note to self, surviving the pandemic, Covid-19, coronavirus, safety protocols, community lockdown, Covid-19 pandemic, health risk, infections, face masks, face shields, curfew, frontliners, Covid-19 vaccine, getting vaccinated, herd immunity
~ Cooking became a therapy for me. Plus, it made everyone happier to eat good food. ~

To help ease the boredom, I brought it upon myself to cheer up everybody with restaurant-style cooked meals. I have come up with different dishes from Chinese, to Korean, to Greek, to Japanese, to Filipino, to American, to Italian, and even homemade gelato.

There was even one time that our youngest Shane made me cook an Irish-style roast chicken. You wouldn’t believe the things I have whipped up in the kitchen during lockdown — all for celebrating every day that we are happy and healthy.

Cooking became both passion and therapy for me. It helped me cope with the stress and anxiety of the pandemic, plus, it made the family happy. These are just some of the dishes I cooked during the 2020 lockdown.

Financial Management

We have become more prudent with our finances. At the height of the lockdowns when income and supplies became scarce in our community, people were forced to be ingenious. The Barter movement was born out of a need to dispose stuff in exchange of much-needed supplies.

People have realized that a lot of the things that we have are not NEEDS. These things are mere things that add to our collection but would not help us during survival mode.

Since people stayed home most of the time, we were able to declutter and barter. Our homes became cleaner and more organized plus the activity gave us respite. It kept us busy and plucked us out of the foreboding dread brought about by the pandemic.

Fresher Air and a Freer Spirit

I believe that many people have gone through personal retreats during the pandemic. There is nothing like a doomsday scenario to make us think of the things that we give importance to.

Since we can no longer travel, we stayed at home and pondered. The slowing of land, sea, and air travel as well people taking on gardening has helped improve our air quality. You can just imagine the carbon footprint of jet planes, cars, ships, and buses plus the people going around the world.

note to self, surviving the pandemic, Covid-19, coronavirus, safety protocols, community lockdown, Covid-19 pandemic, health risk, infections, face masks, face shields, curfew, frontliners, Covid-19 vaccine, getting vaccinated, herd immunity
~ The kids miss the water. But Shane would just make do with a washbasin and a hose in the garden. ~

And since we were stripped of social media posts that encourage YOLO and FOMO, our minds and spirits have been freed with a lot of things that we usually clamor for.

Moving Forward and Surviving the Pandemic Everyday

Even if conspiracy theories are right that this pandemic is man-made and the number of cases is “doctored”, for me, these don’t matter. The fact of the matter is, this coronavirus is wreaking havoc around the world and the damages are real.

As common citizens, my hubby and I are also very tired already. I am an introvert and the stay-at-home setup has become very comfortable for me. Even though they miss swimming, the kids actually enjoy staying safe at home because they understand the pathology of the virus. Several times, I had to bribe them with something that they like to eat just so they would come with us for a drive to a nearby open space for some fresh air and a change of scenery.

But sometimes, I have to remind myself to continue to be a productive citizen of our society — to live and not just to exist for the sake of surviving the pandemic.

note to self, surviving the pandemic, Covid-19, coronavirus, safety protocols, community lockdown, Covid-19 pandemic, health risk, infections, face masks, face shields, curfew, frontliners, Covid-19 vaccine, getting vaccinated, herd immunity
~ An existential problem: to live or to survive? ~

We do miss our family trips with the kids as well as the freedom of being able to go out at will and have playdates with other homeschooling families. So I would like to enjoin everyone to take part in the effective solutions presented to us so as to get back to a semblance of normal at the soonest possible time.

Our family is being a part of the solution and every family should have a mentality of healing and cooperation like that so that our world will heal faster. Let’s all move forward.

************

note to self, surviving the pandemic, Covid-19, coronavirus, safety protocols, community lockdown, Covid-19 pandemic, health risk, infections, face masks, face shields, curfew, frontliners, Covid-19 vaccine, getting vaccinated, herd immunity
This story is an entry to ComCo Southeast Asia’s “Write to Ignite Blogging Project Season 2: Dear Survivor”. The initiative continues to respond to the need of our times, as every story comes a long way during this period of crisis. The initiative aims to pull and collate powerful stories from the Philippine blogging communities to inspire the nation to rise and move forward amidst the difficult situation. The “Write to Ignite Blogging Project” Season 2 is made possible by ComCo Southeast Asia, with Eastern Communications and Jobstreet as co-presenters, with AirAsia and Xiaomi as major sponsors, and with Teleperformance as sponsor.
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35 thoughts on “Surviving the Pandemic + the Good Things that Happened in Between

  1. We’ve been facing this ,so long ,family and each and everyone are absolutely doing precautionary measure about this ,things change ,our lives change,at the end of the day ,we are thankful, we are Alive ❤️

  2. Sobrang hirap talaga ng pandemic na ito, buti na lang kahit papaano nkaka survive kami sa maliit naming business, sobrang thankful din at hindi kami nagkakasakit lalo na mga kids, stay at home lang po talaga.
    Naging plantita na din ako 😁 dami kong inaalagaang halaman naging bonding na rin naming magiina ang pagtatanim 😁

    1. Ay ang saya naman. Gusto din mag join nga mga bata sa akin sa garden. Ang ending ako na lang kasi kawawa ang plants. haha

    2. Nung nagkaroon nang pandemic, damang dama namen nang pamilya ko ang hirap, krisis, sakripisyo at adjustments sa lahat.. Naranasan namen mawalan nang mahal sa buhay. But, During that time din, nagkaroon kami nang quality time with each other.. Naging matatag kami at dun namen nakikita ang unity as one happy family despite of the situation lahat kami positive lang.. And we Put God Always in the center of our HOME and relationships.. Love in each other and continue living in different situation. We appreciate even small and little things.

  3. Napakarami nating napagdaanan at naranasang sakit ng tumama ang pandemya. Nagkaroon ng tag gutom at halos lahat nawalan ng trabaho at pagkakakitaan. Pero lumabas yung pagiging matulungin nating mga Pilipino sa ating kapwa. Na andyan yung nagsulputan ang BARTER at ang COMMUNITY PANTRY. Pero para sa akin may magandang epekto din ang pandemya dahil mas naging malapit ang pamilya sa isa’t isa, nagkaroon ng oras sa pamilya at higit sa lahat ipinamukha sa atin ng pandemya na walang mahirap at mayaman sa sakit na ito. Na kahit pera mo di ka maisasalba ng sakit na ito. Mga medical frontliners na nakikibaka para sa atin at sila ang mga nauubos. Iilan lang ito sa mga matututunan ko ngayong pandemya, dahil napakaraming mare-realize dito at mga lesson na ibinigay sa atin. At kame rin po ni partner nagpabakuna na para sa pakikiisa na labanan ang pagkalat ng sakit at makatulong sa ating mga medical frontliners na unti unting nauubos na. At para na rin sa ating gobyerno na ginagawa ang lahat para maprotektahan tayo sa sakit na ito.

    1. Tama! Kaya mag tulungan na lang para ma sugpo ito. Ingat kayo sis and na happy ako na nagpa bakuna na pala kayo. 🙂

  4. I really love this blog post Mommy Sig. Sharing your experience/journey through out this pandemic is such a inspiration, a great story to tell and share to everyone. I agree with you mommy that pandemic made us all feel so stressed, and that’s the main reason that affects our mental health nowadays. I really admire you mommy for being so strong for your family. I also agree mommy na, prayers can overcome all the hardships & trials especially in this time of pandemic. Keep on doing din po ng mga blogs like this because it helps a lot to us, because your blog post is so informative. To be honest, through your blogs I’ve learned so much. You gave us a lot of informations about covid, sharing your different tips that can be use everyday & sharing recipes na talagang ang laking tulong for us ‘coz through your recipes nakakapagluto ako ng budget friendly yet nutritious & masarap. Thanks for sharing this Mommy.

  5. Yes, the Pandemic has brought businesses down, family ties were cut short since we are not able to hugs; see each other often even special occasions are not allowed, but God always turned evil to good, Praise God for the technology that despite the distance that set us apart, we can talk and see each other through social apps and online worship is available pa din, glad vaccine is already here, yehey! Protocol should be and must be followed vaccinated or not, ❤️❤️❤️

    1. Agree, Chel! We still wear our faceshields and masks when going to public places though we already have our first dose. It’s not just for us but for the other people in the house.

  6. Ang dami ding nangyaring hindi maganda na dala ng pandemic na ito. Isa na rito ang pagkawala ng trabaho ng partner ko. Pero kahit na ganoon ang nangyari nagpapasalamat pa rin ako dahil buhay pa rin kami ngayon at wala kaming sakit. Thankful din ako dahil sa pandemic nakabuo kami ng isang anghel. 2 months na siya ngayon.

    Isipin na lang natin ang mga magagandang bagay na hatid ng pandemic na ito. Magdasal tayo palagi na magiging ok din ang lahat.
    Si mama at isa kong kapatid nakapabakuna na. Kapag may chance magpapabakuna din ako. Para sa kaligtasan natin. Para bumalik na tayong lahat sa normal. Pinagdadasal ko yan palagi. A healthier and peaceful world for our children.

    1. Happy ako that naka bakuna na ang mama and sibling mo sis. That’s 2 additional people in Bacolod who got vaccinated. Bantayan na lang natin sis na mag open sa A4 ang priority set dito sa Bacolod. Ingats kayo!

  7. Virtual hugs mommy Sig. 💓 Sobrang dami po talagang napinsala ng Pandemic like my family din po. Everything would be alright po and hoping real soon magiging okay na ule ang lahat. 😊 Thank you for sharing your Family and Personal experiences during Pandemic and Inspiring us readers.

  8. Mommy Sigrid, your article sums up a lot of the general sentiment. Survival was a topmost concern last year. It was like we just needed to be alive, and we focused on the basics to get us through. The pandemic was/is a huuuge life-changer unless one is living as a hermit. It reset our values and lifestyle, and made us appreciate life more. Manhid ka na talaga, o napakababaw mong tao if you learned nothing from this.

    1. My heart aches every time I think about our kids gd bala. Kadako gid ang impact sa ila tungod ni sa pandemic, esp emotionally. I’ve noticed my child has somehow changed – kng ano sya ka outgoing before, now she likes to be alone, and sometimes I don’t understand her anymore. I don’t know if tungod sa pagdadalaga lng ni, but I know somehow may labot gd ni ang pandemic grrr.

      Anyway, grabe gd ang natabo sa aton. Daw gin baliskad ta 360. But despite sa gakalatabo, I’m happy that healthy kita kag kahit papanu nka survive. And damo gid learnings because of it. I just hope and pray na matapos na ni tanan so that we can be back to normal.

      1. Ahay… huo no? Now, it’s hard to distinguish if it’s teenage angst or anxiety brought by Covid. hayyy Same here. Kids no longer want to go out. huhuhu Unless if it’s to see Jammy when we go to Tita Pynky. huhuh

  9. I want to concentrate reading the blog pero Pag nakikita ko Ang picture Ni SiobeBaby natatawa ako😅 Ang cuteeee😍😍 Ang kuliiit😅😅.

    Imagine it’s almost 15 months na po tong pandemic but look at us. We are strong, pretty much stronger because of this situation. Mas pinatatag tau nitong pandemic. Andaming lessons actually, yun ay Yung mas pangalagaan or mas e appreciate mahalin natin the people around us ung nga nagmamahal Saatin. Mas maging mapag impok para in case of needy like emergency merong madudukot. Mas maging aware sa health. Maging heath conscious as we know halos Lahat ng nag kaka covid e ung mga may dating sakit. I think 20 percent Lang ata ng Covid positive is not Comorbidities at all. Every night lalo na before going to bed me and my kids kept on praying na sana maging okay na po ang Mundo. Maging covid free na tayo. Para stop n Ang pandemic. Very good Ang kids ko. Kahit di ko Sabihin they always include our World in their prayers. Na sana daw po Papa Jesus wala ng Covid sa mundo esp Philipines. Nakaka suffocate na din po Ang Pag susuot ng faceshield. Wearing mask is okay. But faceshield! Goodness. sobrang nakakahilo po tlaga😔

    Thank you for sharing your story to us Mommy. Always worth to read and you never fail to Inspire me❤️

    1. hahahaha Si siobe talaga nakaka distract! Thank you, mommy. And tama ka, ang faceshield talaga. Nag fog pa kasi glasses ko, tapos may faceshield pa. Tinatanggal ko pag nag tawid kasi baka ma bangga pa me. Ingatz mommy!

  10. It has been more than a tough year, and all of us are exhausted. But thank God (literally!) that we are still here, and hanging on. When the worries and realities seem too real, I keep them at bay with counting our blessings and prayer-pleas, like you also do. ‘Cause really, what can one do?

    It is a true dilemma, the question you posed: Do we live or do we survive? But the answer to that boils down to how the person feels/thinks. I doubt we will ever get back to our past normal. I am getting used to this new normal mode because, honestly, there have been some good out of it. I only pray this will not worsen anymore. 🙏 So, I guess it’s “we survive to live and teach the new generation enough so they can live and not just survive” mode-on for me. ☺

    God bless us all.♥

  11. nakakalungkot talaga ang nangyari nitong pandemic.. marami ang nagutom at nawalan ng trabaho..p ero di pwedeng magpatalo lalu may pamilya tayo.. kailangan gumawa ng paraan para sa pamilya.. ang asawa ko nagpabakuna narin dahil sya ang laging nalabas.. ako na man po hinihintay ko nalang kung kaylan ako tatawagan ng barangay.

    1. Magaling sis! At least one of you is protected para ma increase ang immunity. Follow up mo na din sa barangay. Dito kasi, parang need pa mag follow up para matawagan 🙂

  12. When we look on the positive side about what pandemic brought us, there are really good things that happened, like we were able to explore new skills in cooking, having more bonding time with our kids or family, and many more

  13. Ang daming adjustments at pagbabago talaga ang nangyari last year na biglang lumabas ang covid 19 sobrang hirap talaga lalo na ang mga nawalan ng trabaho at mga bata na hindi makalabas . pero madami din nman tayong nagawang magagandang nangyari nkabonding ntn ang pamilya dahil araw araw magkasama . madami tayong natuklasan na mga kaya ntn gawin at more time bonding with the kids . Sana matapos na ang pandemic para magbalik sa normal ndi man ganung ka normal at least ung pwedeng isama na sa mga public places ang mga bata pra naeenjoy nila ang ganda ng labas . praying na matapos na ito

    1. Tama yan. At least maka labas lang kids ba. And sana madala natin sa new normal ang na learn natin sa pandemic.

  14. Ang daming mga magandang naidulot din po ang pandemic sa atin ma, looking on the positive side.. explore new skill or idea tulad ng pagluluto, pagtatanim at nakakasama mga anak at lalo natin silang nagagabayan pa.

  15. The message is so clear. I love how the family coped with this unseen enemy and getting back the life it stole. Proactively living a healthy lifestyle despite the limitations. The children’s mental health is protected causing them to be productive and involved in the change. Mostly, how faith is being renewed and fired up is so beautiful. Your family is an inspiration. <3 Thank you!

  16. Ang Dami po talagang struggles sa mga nakalipas na malala ang Pandemic.. Thankfully na most of us survive at patuloy na lumalaban.. Hoping soon this will end at maging okay na ang lahat.. Cant wait na naging okay na lahat at maging free na ulit tayong lahat..

    1. Hay naku, mommy, mas malala ngayon. Nung nag lockdown tayo, onti lang cases. Ngayon in the thousands na. Kaya nga overwhelmed na ang hospital system. 🙁

      1. Kaya nga mommy..Nakakatakot ng Lumabas..Kung pwede nga lang na nasa bahay nlng kami..kaso kailangan magwork para mabuhay

  17. Indeed, we are in this what we now call the new normal.
    IT’S been more than a year we are still in pandemic,its been this long that my family are separated – dalawa lang kami ni bunso mag kasama ngayon,mahirap mag byahe daming requirements and pag inabot pa ng mga ECQ status – cancelled flights pa. 🙄
    During these times, Mas maiigi na ang needs kesa wants.
    MASAYANG NAUSO din ang barter/trade, we get to dispose our unused stuff in the house kapalit ng pagkain. 😍
    Maraming realization na nangyari sa buhay sa pagkakaroon na nagmumuni muni noong lock down.
    Thank for sharing ❤️

  18. The pandemic is really hard and as the months passed (1 year na!), surviving it is a challenge. Not just merely living and breathing, but claiming your mental space while dealing with sickness, grief and negativity around you. I know this first hand, as I slid into a bad slump a few months ago that required mental strength, family support and prayers to get out of. I realize now I was lucky – many in that situation could have gone down deeper and meet a worse fate. Count our blessings talaga. It’s nice to read stories of those who have gone through a these challenging times and emerged victorious. Let’s keep living in faith, while keeping physically well!

  19. Di natin maikaila na kahit bawang walng muwang apektado ni covid.pero andami natin natutunan at gustong matutunan dahila.lahat tayo nagsisikqp na malagpasan ang pandemya ito…wag sana tayong susuko.laban lang pra sa pamilya

  20. Ang daming tnong sah isip nteng mga mommy about covid 19 . Hoping & praying nah matapos nah .. daming naapektuhan pero siguro isa Sa mga magandang effect Ng pandemic ay ung nagkaroon Tau Ng bonding time with our family .. ngaun nten narealize nah kung d pah ngyare to d nten malalaman ung value Ng get together/bonding to our family 🥰🥰

  21. Its not that easy to face this Pandemic pero eto tayong Mga Pilipino lumalaban padin..Iba talaga ang determinasyon natin sa lahat ng bagay..Lahat nagagawan natin ng paraan..although hindi naman lahat negative happens may mga positive din naman lalo na sa part ng staying with our family..We know more about lalo na sa mga teenage kids mas nagkaroon ng time para sa isat isa..Hope it will end good..Stay safe

  22. Simula nag Pandemic, an dami at ang laki ng pinsala nito sa lahat 🙁 may mga maliliit na pinagkakaitaan na nagsara, yung pangarap at pilit naming inaabot na bahay ay naudlot din, nakakaiyak na kailangan nating pagdaanan lahat ng ito. nakakaiyak na sa tuwing iniisip natin paano magsurvive ay ndi maiiwasang mawalan ng pag asa at panghinaan ng loob.. pero kailnagan pa rin nating ipagpatuloy ang buhay, kapit pa rin sa taas at sa pangarap natin..

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