Women Who Quarantine - The stories of women warriors from around the world doing their part to fight this deadly pandemic. ​

Welcome to our next interview for "Women Who Quarantine" with Carrie Chojnowski!  

Carrie is both a dear friend and colleague of mine. The area I appreciate most about her is that she continuously strives to be a better person in all she does! I have always found that very beautiful!

​Last summer she moved to Italy with her husband and children, while also pregnant with their third child. She now resides in Vicenza, one of the hot spots for the Coronavirus. 

Carrie's Story:

Name: Carrie Chojnowski 
Location: Vicenza, Italy
Profession: Naturopathic Doctor and Mother
www.solevitae.me
​@caviero

How is your heart truly doing during this uncharted time? 
To be honest, my heart is really all over the place. I gave birth to my third child, a baby girl named Luna, right before the quarantine in Italy. I wasn’t anticipating this level of isolation coupled with being newly postpartum. It's also been difficult, because my mother-in-law was helping a lot prior to Luna's birth, but now is no longer allowed to be with us. We were really looking forward to her assistance and company in the early days postpartum. In addition, my five-year old twins, Mia and Nico, have been out of school since the end of February. I have had to adjust having them both at home all day along with a new baby. Sometimes, my heart feels anxious and overwhelmed, especially with the idea that my children are growing up in this very intense and uncertain time, but I quickly reign it in until I feel a sense of peace.

Ultimately, I believe that it is their soul’s contract to be alive in this world at this time. Therefore, I feel it is my job, as their mother, to bring a sense of peace and calm into the home, while also setting an example for them. When I am in the present moment, I feel joy because we are all together. We have our health, as well as everything else we need. There is so much love in my home right now as we spend all of our time together enjoying our new family of five. When I focus on that, there is nothing but love. 

What has been most challenging about being home?
Several things have been very challenging: the isolation and the inability to go for a walk just for the sake of going for a walk (our lockdown means that you can’t go out unless it is to the pharmacy, grocery store, or hospital and only one from the family can go). I miss taking the kids out to the park, especially since Spring is in full swing in Italy right now.  

What good have you seen come out of this pandemic?
I have seen my family connect on a deeper level. My husband and I are making a concerted effort to support one another with love and kindness, even when we are both a bit stir-crazy and irritable. I feel like we’re giving each other more grace right now, too. Also, it has been wonderful to have this time with our new baby, while being able to adjust without the added craziness of all of our typical schedules to contend with!

Is there any advise you would give to other women that you have found helpful or wish you knew before entering quarantine?
A close friend sent an article to me by Michael Meade called, “To Not Abandon Ourselves.” In it he says, “We have to be careful not to abandon ourselves as we temporarily release aspects of our social identity.”. He discusses further that by going deeper into our discomfort, we may make ourselves more whole, returning to life with “deeper connection to both meaning and purpose.” Meade says that, “What changes the soul can also change the world”, and I deeply believe this. I frequently return to his article to remind myself that, by willingly entering into discomfort with an open heart - it can be a game changer. 

Is there something special you are doing to take care of yourself during this time?
I make sure to get outside every day. I sit in the yard and just breathe deeply, bask in the sun, or walk around. It reminds me to be present and in that present moment I am safe, my family is safe, and we have everything we need. This brings me deep peace, which I try to hold onto throughout the day. I’m now a few weeks postpartum and feeling good. I also re-started my yoga practice, which always makes me feel better after I take the time to do it (even if it's only for five minutes). I’ve been praying each day, focusing on everything that I am grateful for. I also pray for those who need support, love, and peace, specifically for: those who are caring for the sick, those who are dying in isolation, and those who are having babies alone. If I had given birth to Luna one day later, I would have been without my husband and baby, while being held at the hospital for 7 days; so this feels especially important to me right now. I’ve also been connecting with friends and family regularly through FaceTime so that we all don’t feel as isolated.

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Sending you lots of love and joy,
Marie

Welcome to our second interview for "Women Who Quarantine" with Sarah! 

​Sarah is good friends with my sweet assistant, Tara. They met in DC and bonded over salsa dancing, great tequila, and deep conversations about the beauty of life!

We are so happy to have you with us, Sarah! : )
Sarah’s Story

Location: Washington, DC
Profession: Government Employee
totes_deff_Sarahhh

How is your heart truly doing during this uncharted time? 
My heart is genuinely a balance of grieving and grateful. 

What has been most challenging about being home?
Most challenging has been keeping up with the news without being sucked into the sensationalism. 

What is the best way to avoid information overload?
I watch my home state governor's briefing and the federal briefing every day. It gives me all the information I need...the rest is just talking heads. 

Is there any advice you have found helpful during your time of quarantine?
I’ve adopted a daily routine. It starts strong in the morning and is more lax in the afternoon. It’s most helpful on those day’s where I’m feeling a little down or lost in it all. :)

Is there something special you are doing to take of yourself?
Eating well! My favorite trick has been a frozen kale green smoothie (recipe below)! 

Hey, it’s quarantine… so what is your guilty please (PG-rated, of course ;D )?
Oh that’s easy, Double Stuff Oreos 🇺🇸

Women Who Quarantine - A project inspired by the amazing women warriors from around the world doing their part to fight this deadly pandemic. 
​

Welcome to our first interview for "Women Who Quarantine" with Elizabeth Lawrence, better known as Lizzy to me! : )

Lizzy grew up in NH, though later met her husband and moved to Lucca, Italy. When I began hearing how badly the coronavirus was affecting her region I reached out to see how she was doing. It was her story, amongst several others, that really tugged at my heart to create this project. I hope these stories you are about to hear will bless you as much as they have for me and my family. <3

Elizabeth’s Story

Location: Lucca, Italy
Profession: Photographer and Mother
@_lizzzzzy_

How is your heart truly doing during this uncharted time? 
Better! Now that we are somewhat in a rhythm and seeing numbers drop because of our country’s collective efforts in quarantine, everything seems to feel a little bit lighter. During the first few weeks (even now at times) it was hard not to focus on the numbers and the unknown. Learning that people seriously infected with Covid-19 are passing away alone, without family members and no proper funerals, is a very hard reality to digest. 

What has been most challenging about being home?
For me the most challenging thing thus far was during the first few weeks leading up to lockdown. It was uncharted territory. We had limited information about what went on in China, while being the first European country to have experienced an epicenter of contagion. It was still a big joke to other European countries as well as America, though our numbers here in Italy were doubling everyday. Lockdown also happened very abruptly (everything was closed within four days) and with no real end in sight. After the first couple of days it was like the twilight zone getting on social media as I watched family and friends go on with their normal life in the states. They had no idea what was coming; and worse, it felt like they didn’t believe what was going on here as well. Those were the hardest days for me. I found it so difficult to be positive, as fearing the unknown was just inevitable. 

What good have you seen come out of this pandemic? 
While growing up in America I felt patriotism was always important. Italy, however, is different in this way, which I remember noticing when I first moved here. That said, this whole experience has really brought everyone together, even though we’re all separated. Social media of course has played a big role in that, as well as everyone trying to remain positive and support the medical staff through encouragement. It has all been really amazing to see. 

Is there any advise you would give to other women, which you found helpful or wish you knew before entering quarantine?
This will probably seem superfluous, but while you can, stock up on crafts to keep in the house! Last week the decree was made that stores could only sell items for absolute necessity (including amazon prime). So at the grocery store they closed off the little aisle filled with toys and craft items. I wish I would’ve stocked up on some of those things because with a two year old, some of those reinforcements would have been awesome for the short attention span I’m dealing with! 


Is there something special you are doing to take care of yourself during this time? 
My husband is away for work a good part of the year; so in a way, this feels like a mini vacation for us at home. We’re so thankful for our health, as we enjoy this unexpected time together working on our old home, which is currently under reconstruction. 

Elizabeth’s Italian Boiled- Salmon Recipe: 
This is a staple for us as it is quick and easy to put together!

Ingredients:
2-4 Salmon filets - depending on your family, even salmon filets right from the freezer if you’re in a rush!
1-2 Celery stocks
1-2 Carrots
1 Onion

Serving: 
Lemon juice
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

​Directions: 

1. Start with a boiling pot of water with celery, carrots, and onion. Can put the veggies in whole, or roughly chop into 1 inch chunks.
2. Once it’s been boiling for 20 minutes, add salmon filets until they’re fully cooked. (They should flake easily if you put a fork in it)

An easy last minute dinner option! We eat it with a lot of freshly squeezed lemon, olive oil, salt & pepper.
(This traditional Italian meal is often served with a side of Lemon Rice and a glass of Prosecco!)

Sign up below for my newsletter to learn more about these heroic women from around the world as part of a rockstar community of dream builders who desire to live a healthy life!

Sending you lots of love and joy,
​Marie