In 1983, Lana Dalton stepped on stage to play "Hole in One" on "The Price Is Right" with Bob Barker while pregnant with her second child, Emily. Then in 2022, Emily was a contestant on the same show. Both women had the opportunity to play to win a "brand-new car!" Lana just missed bringing home a Volkswagen Rabbit but Emily won a Volkswagen Taos.
When I moved to New York City soon after turning 20, my journey quickly took me away from my familiar surroundings in Romania. Getting married early and fully immersing myself in a new culture meant growing up fast. Trips back home became scarce, at best once or twice a year. Every time I returned, something was different. Each of us changed in some way. But what always stayed the same was mom picking me up from the airport , smiling.