Three years ago I stood in the hallway of one of our three California rentals, with my arms pressed against the wall above my head and my hips pressed back, groaning and swaying into the night.

With the crib set up and the car seat installed and her due date approaching and her middle name spelled out two different ways on a piece of paper at the corner of Rob’s desk, our daughter’s arrival felt more and more real with each contraction. We had spent the weekend out and about as much as possible, buying an exercise ball at Target and with me sneaking out in the early morning for peppermint extract for mochas and brewer’s yeast for lactation cookies, but finally on Sunday night I accepted the reality that I was in labor and we summoned my aunt, who showed up an hour later to tell us we were doing great and put pressure on my back and fill up the tub for me.

In the early morning I made tea and heated up a pumpkin muffin, thinking that she would arrive that day. She didn’t, but she was close. I couldn’t tell if she was working with me or against me as we drove to the hospital and got checked in and I was poked and prodded and finally settled into a bed.

Another night passed, this one more difficult than the last.

But then there she was, at 5:30 on a Tuesday morning, in my arms before the sun came up, followed closely by a turkey sandwich and a spicy tuna roll.

Our first moments as a family of three are almost a blur to me, but here and now three years later it’s hard to believe she ever wasn’t there.

We’ll give the world to you and you’ll blow us all away.

This post is sponsored by MomsRising.

When I was in college I used to occasionally come home from afternoon classes and drink mate and spread room temperature butter onto saltine crackers before dusting them with sugar. It was a quiet ritual, but one that I found myself entering into whenever I was homesick or missed my grandma.

I was lucky enough to grow up in a family that included my Argentinian grandmother, where Spanish was spoken just as regularly as English. She didn’t cook much, but I could always count on her for an afternoon snack of arroz con leche or those buttery, lightly sugared saltines; which I still think about now in my 30s when I’m sad or not feeling well.

My latina heritage is something that I’ve always been proud of and passionate about, even if I don’t always give it the time or space in my life that it deserves (almost every year I find myself writing “practice your Spanish” on my list of New Year’s Resolutions). My abuela passed away when I was just 10 years old, but my love for her and my respect for where she came from lives on in little and not-so little ways: every time I share yerba mate with my mom or brother, whenever I read a story to my daughter in Spanish, and every time I vote.

Being a second-generation American has always been a source of pride for me and my brother. Our grandparents brought my mom and her sister to the United States for a better life and now we’re here today, forever grateful for their sense of adventure and optimism. They leaned on their family and their neighbors and invested in their community and created a lovely life for future generations.

COVID-19 has shown us that now more than ever, we are dependent on each other, and whether we’re Black or white, Latino or Asian, native or newcomer, we know it’s time to pull together to demand the testing, treatment, and time off we all need to get or stay well. Only by standing together can we ensure our own wellbeing through this outbreak and rewrite the rules to ensure better health for all of us for generations to come. 

Immigrants’ contributions to the economy and society are indispensable during the pandemic. From healthcare to agriculture, 70% of farmworkers and 40% of food packers are immigrants. They are putting their lives on the line to keep our economy going. 1 in 6 nurses and 1 in 4 physicians are immigrants. They are putting their lives on the line to keep us safe and healthy. The government response to COVID-19 should reflect this.

What can you do to help? Take 5 seconds to sign this MomsRising petition to implore Congress to include immigrants in relief packages. And, as always, don’t forget to vote! Early voting has already begun in many states. 

Whether it’s your grandma at home making you tea after school or a DACA recipient on the front lines of the pandemic, immigrants are essential.

1. It’s not a waste of time if it makes you happy.

2. Kindness is the most important thing.

3. Therapy is worth it.

4. You don’t always have to do the most.

5. Learning to establish a boundary is a life skill, and it’s not always easy. Do it anyway.

6. Stop worrying so much about what you “should” do.

7. Burpees are stupid.

8. Some of the best things take time—maybe even more time than you thought.

9. At the end of the day there’s no award for Most Tired or Most Stressed Out or Has the Least Amount of Free Time.

10. More expensive is not always better.

11. Take a deep breath.

12. Real bras are over! Find one that’s more comfortable.

13. Social media is not real.

14. It’s okay to ask for help.

15. Creativity really is like a muscle—it may be hard to find if you stop using it for a while, but it’s still there ready to practice again when you are.

16. People will buy anything on Facebook Marketplace.

17. You really don’t need that much stuff.

18. Things are often not as bad as you can make them out to be in your head; and even if they end up being bad, worrying about it never makes it better.

19. “I’m sorry that what I did upset you” is not an apology. (Distance yourself from people who think it is.)

20. Do the scary thing if you know it will make your life better.

21. Drink more water.

22. It’s not fair to yourself or the people who rely on you to continuously be running on empty. Take the time you need for yourself.

23. Coconut oil is a great makeup remover.

24. You don’t have to monetize every little thing you find interesting, or every hobby you’ve ever had.

25. Try a new show every now and then. Friends will still be there when you’re done.

26. You’re not weak because you feel it all. Empathy is a gift.

27. Life can be really beautiful and then it can be really painful. It doesn’t always make sense.

28. Feelings aren’t facts.

29. Truffle oil is overrated.

30. How you talk to the people you love the most matters.

31. You should get to be the boss of your own story.

32. Another year is a blessing.