March went out like the lion it tends to be, but despite the grim news headlines, there were some reasons to smile and laugh this week. In case you missed them, here is a sampling:
Two Broadway stars welcomed a baby boy to their stage!
"Hamilton" star Leslie Odom Jr. and "Waitress" star Nicolette Robinson announced that a son, Able "Abe" Phineas, has officially joined them and big sister Lucy, 3. "Our little family bursts at the seams with joy!" the proud dad wrote on Instagram. "And gratitude."
"Watching Nicolette give birth to these kids... ? Simply, the bravest (act) I’ve ever witnessed from a foot away. I love you, sweetheart and I am in awe," wrote Odom, who was also nominated for an Oscar this year.
Welcome to the world, baby Abe! We're sure you'll blow us all away someday.
... and this couple received some special baby news of their own
We have to imagine telling couples struggling with infertility they are finally pregnant never gets old for Dr. Lawrence B. Werlin, founder and medical director of Coastal Fertility Medical Center in Irvine, California.
Coastal Fertility gave us a glimpse into what it is like to be the one to deliver such life-changing news on its TikTok account.
"Where's your girl?" Dr. Werlin asks. "Get her on the line, buddy." When the staff yells the results and the new-mom-to-be bursts into tears, it's hard not to join her.
Congratulations, everyone!
These sweet photos captured the reunion we all hope to have
After a long year in which we have all missed our loved ones so much, these photos capturing the moment when fully vaccinated Mark Uomoto was able to finally see his 98-year-old mom, Yoshia, are touching and emotional.
It was a moment Uomoto told TODAY that he'll always treasure.
"It was so wonderful to see her expression and joy and it was wonderful for me to be with mom," he said. "So that will be with me forever, that moment there."
Grandpa Meets World? Happy Birthday, Mr. Feeny!
Do not get the wrong idea. Usually, TikTok user @otbgrace's account is a dedicated "One Direction fan account," she recently explained. "I do not post Feeny content very regularly, if at all."
However, when her grandpa, William Daniels — aka George Feeny from "Boy Meets World" — celebrated his 94th birthday recently, she shared a video of him enjoying a bowl of celebratory pasta for her followers who love him.
"Feeny eating fettucine," she captioned the video. "Wish Bill a happy birthday or else."
You got it, Grace. Happy 94th birthday to a favorite sage of the TV classroom of our youth. We love you!
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Whataburger knows who the real MVPs are
After showing dedication to their work and service through the COVID-19 pandemic and a spate of severe weather throughout the South this winter, Whataburger employees have been thanked with more than $90 million in bonuses.
“The past year reshaped how we live, work and play, with the restaurant and hospitality industry being heavily impacted by the pandemic and this year’s crippling winter storms. We are so humbled and grateful for the loyalty of our customers during this time,” Ed Nelson, CEO of the San Antonio, Texas-based hamburger chain, told TODAY in an emailed statement.
“And we wanted to help ensure that our Family Members and their families were taken care of and thank them for continuing to go the extra mile to serve our guests with great Pride, Care and Love. Our Family Members and guests are the foundation of our success, and we are grateful for both.”
Now that's what we call good service! Way to go, Whataburger!
A woman's thank-you note set off a chain reaction of gratitude
Inspired after reading "The Thank-You Project" by author Nancy Davis Kho, a resident of Rochester, New York, named Jill decided to write 70 thank-you notes in honor of her upcoming 70th birthday. She sent one of those cards to local Rochester TV newscaster Adam Chodak, who then shared the note on air.
"I don't usually relay this kind of stuff — feedback from viewers — but I am going to this time because I love the idea behind this card," Chodak said. He went on to thank a long list of people who had made a difference in his own life over the past year and to share the video on his Twitter and Facebook accounts. Many of the people he thanked went on to thank others on their own social media accounts, too.
The original thank-you note inspiration, Kho, posted about the ripple effect on her own Facebook page. "I marveled, again, at how one letter can ripple out so far, and leave so many people feeling better," she wrote. "Write those gratitude letters!"
... and a couple thanked their role model in a special way
When TikTok user Kassidy Drumgoole and her husband Jeremy found out they were having a second baby boy, they wanted to give him a special middle name: Curtis, after their high school Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps instructor who had served as a father figure to them both.
The couple surprised the original Curtis with a thank-you card, letting him know how much his influence had meant to them.
"First, we would like to say thank you for being such a big part of our lives," they wrote. "We hope to raise our boys with some of the same core values you have taught us over time." Given how big a part of their lives he had been, they explained, their new baby boy would bear his name.
"Oh, my. What an honor ... what an honor," Curtis says when he reads the announcement. "Wow, thank you. Oh my goodness."
Finally, in honor of Easter...
Enjoy a baby duck going pitter-patter across the floor as he tries to keep up with his human.
Happy spring!
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