WHEATLAND – At a time when the global pandemic has escorted almost a quarter of a million people into eternity, one Wheatland woman is about to bring another life into the world. In the midst of a world-wide crisis, it can be an intimating thing.
Jade’s due date is June 8, which means that she has carried the baby in the midst of the coronavirus for a majority of the pregnancy. This child will forever be able to say that he or she was born during a crisis that touched the world.
Jade is Wheatland born and raised and graduated from Wheatland High School in 2001 before heading to Casper College to major in vocal performance. Her praise has been her strength. Through the good times, the bad times and in the current times of such uncertainty.
As a single mother of two and a baby on the way, the economics were not in her favor, though she works three jobs to make ends meet. Her significant other, Jeff Lumbardy, has had trouble finding work here in the Wheatland area due to the coronavirus, and is gone through the week, but manages to be home every weekend. His big regret right now is that he can’t be home all the time for doctor visits and moral support during the pregnancy.
One of the jobs Jade has is working in a hair salon and when the directive came down to close the salons, that chunk of income was gone. The bills, however, and her family situation remained the same.
This week the salons have been given the go-ahead to reopen with restrictions, but Jade has moved closer to her due date.

“I am going to work as long as I can,” Jade said. “I went to hair school in North Carolina and did hair for a while and also work in the health and wellness business called, ‘It Works,’ and I’ve been doing that for seven years. That’s always been a constant that I can fall back on for extra income.”
It Works is a health and wellness company that features a skin care line, supplements, a weight loss program and boasts overall better health.
“That’s been a really great blessing because I’ve had really good success with that,” Jade said. “I’ve been able to save money and was able to stay home with the kids for a few years because of it. Moving back to Wheatland I started doing hair along with ‘It Works’ and then also worked for a while at Drube Home when they opened up.”
No stranger to working, raising a family and being a part of a small community, the pandemic hit and things began to get a bit scary. She ended up going back to revisit a touchstone that has been a part of her life since she was a little girl growing up in Wheatland.
“I was born and raised in church,” she said. “My mom raised us in church and that’s awesome, and so it’s always been a part of who I am. As you grow older you establish your own relationship with God. You have a child-like faith, but then you go through your life and you experience things and you have to learn how to lean on the Lord for yourself.”
Not only a leaning for herself, but for a family as well. Christianity does not make you immune from troubles, and as she points out, the mistakes we make in life are teaching points to aid in growth. She also mentioned that she tries to maintain responses to the everyday events that are not based in fear.
“I have my moments of saying that I am resting in peace, because everything’s going to be alright, and I’m just going to pray about it,” Jade said. “And then I have my moments of fear as well because we are still human and we have those things that we battle with.”
She also notices that as she moves in her faith, she is a living lesson to her children who are also involved in situations.
“It hasn’t been overly stressful,” she said. “I feel that it hasn’t affected our lives in any other way other than you have things that are closing down around you. I am home and able to help the kids now with school, and I think they are doing well other than the fact that they are missing their socialization.”
She also mentions that with Facetime and Zooms there are ways to connect with friends.
As for the baby that is being carried and will be delivered in the midst of a hospital in Cheyenne that does have sick people in the vicinity, Jade is cautious but optimistic, once again, leaning on her faith.
“We’re just trusting God,” she said with a genuine calmness in her voice. “And that’s all you can do. I could worry myself sick and think, ‘what am I going to do, actually going to the hospital and having a baby and other people in there that are sick.’”
There have been many heartbreaking stories of people going through the crunch of the crisis. Jade is someone that has tried to maintain her work schedules, her family and the pregnancy all with a positive attitude. And with an encouraging word to others around her.
The full interview with Jade and her daughter, Hayden will air on a future episode of “Homespun,” a web-based digital podcast that introduces us to the people of Platte County. It is a show where you can learn more about your neighbors and the businesses that surround you. The link will be posted on www.pcrecordtimes.com.