New family life | Federal Way & Kirkland

Images by Colin Stanley Hovde. Words by Adriana Nodal-Tarafa.
May 10, 2020

Colin and I thought that the wide variance of parenting experiences we've encountered during the pandemic deserves honoring. So, we will not be inserting non-experienced reflections about parenting here. We will let the mothers who chose to speak for their families and themselves have the virtual floor. That said, we invite you to join in honoring all your past caregivers on Mother's day, by donating to National Bail Out. In response to the pandemic, this organization is bailing out Black mothers and caregivers in unjust pre-trial incarceration, to ensure they are alive, well and safe for Mother's Day and beyond.

“Neighborhood and community mean two different things to me. As far as our neighborhood goes, Ashleigh and I moved down here in August 2018. We had been living in West Seattle and absolutely loved it there, but our landlord sold our house to developers, and we were forced to move. Our neighbors mainly stay to themselves, and to the best of our knowledge, we are the only queer family in the neighborhood. We miss living in the city; suburban life isn't quite what we pictured for ourselves. With all that said, the last week or so, we have been getting out more and going on long walks. We found a very cute little coffee shop just a mile from the house and hope to visit it once shops reopen. They appear to have a very progressive vibe, and we are hoping going there might make us feel a little more connected to the neighborhood, or at least help us meet like-minded people."

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 "Our community mostly consists of people in Seattle, mainly south Seattle. There are not enough words to describe how amazing they are. Our daughter was born in early November, six weeks early. In January, Ashleigh ended up having emergency surgery and wasn't able to lift the baby for six weeks. Our community got us through all of that. That is what I cherish about them. They are caring, giving, and loving. They are our family. Our community is not found in neighborhood. I hope that someday we have some sense of community in our neighborhood, but for the time being, they are two different things."
—Gina in Federal Way

"I want to preface these statements with the acknowledgment of the privilege from which they come – I live in a safe home environment, I was already a stay-at-home parent, and my family is healthy with steady employment."

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"I've always loved our proximity to parks, the water, and the green space that surrounds our home. We have space to move, play, and think. I value most of all the friends and connections my family has made in our neighborhood since moving to Kirkland."

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"I have been most impressed by how [our daughter's] teachers and school staff have gone above and beyond to provide resources and connection through technology and video chat apps. We knew our schools and teachers cared about our community of kids and families before, but this has amplified their complete dedication and essential presence in our lives."
—Jaime in Kirkland

"Because our daughter was born six weeks early, we have more less been practicing social distancing since November, so things are not feeling that different to us. After five months (and counting) of not being able to share space with people, I think there will be more surprises for us when we go back to our normal socializing lives."
—Gina in Federal Way

“Being a stay-at-home parent is such a misnomer, and nothing has made that more clear than when you are actually forced to stay-at-home. Looking back at how much of our day was filled with self-imposed errands, school, rec classes, play dates, and getting around between all of those activities. I always knew we were busy, but this has been quite the reality check.”

"[It's] not surprising is how much I love a good daily routine, but [it is] surprising how quickly I've learned to let it go when we're trying to 'just get through a day.' And when it gets down to it, my presence in play is really what my four-year-old requires of me."
—Jaime in Kirkland

"On a personal level, I hope that my family and I can continue to check in on a regular basis. I have lived in Seattle for six years, the rest of my family is in Wisconsin and Minnesota. I can't remember a time, even before I lived out here, that we have checked in with each other this much. We have weekly video chats and use [private social apps] on a regular basis. I really want that connectedness to continue."

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"On a larger scale, I really want us to keep caring for our elders, homeless, and environment. We have just barely started the work that needs to be done, but it is a start. I would very much like us to continue moving forward."
—Gina in Federal Way

"[I'd like] Virtual game nights with out-of-state family and friends [to continue]. Spending time in our backyard, caring for our plants, and figuring out what the heck is growing and living out there. The joy of sending and receiving snail mail. Honoring slow days for what they are—remembering that we can adapt. I still want to wake up in the mornings to hilarious text messages, pictures, and memes from family and friends about the state of their world…and know what everyone is making for dinner."
—Jaime in Kirkland

"I want our daughter to have a sense of what this first year of her life was like. It is such a strange time to have a new baby. I am hoping that years down the road when she is older, this portrait will help her understand how unprecedented her first year was.  I will take up any opportunity to have my new little family photographed. I am the picture taker in the family, and as such, there are not many photos of all of us."
—Gina in Federal Way

"We hoped to capture our daughter's 4th birthday in a way that we can look back and remind ourselves what this unique point in time looked like for our family."

"We love our friends involved in creating this project and want to support their vision."
—Jaime in Kirkland