Ally Loprete

There is a process that we must go through when tragedy strikes. When I first heard about the tragic events of the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary on Friday, I shut down. Every part of me went numb. It was too much for me to handle. I had to take some time to process it, sort out my reaction, and consider how much I could allow my mind to wrap around it. I was sick to my stomach. I couldn't breathe. My 3 year old was having a play date with his best friend and I had to keep it together for their sake. So I did. I went through my day holding onto my strength as long as I could. That afternoon at my first grader's pick up time, I arrived at his school early, choking back tears and when he approached the car, I got out to hug him. I began to cry...but only for a few seconds. Our embrace was disrupted by a school attendant who had to remind me that getting out of the car in the middle of the carpool lane was not permitted as I was holding up traffic. I took the kids to get a banana split, and loved loved