Heaven is Here

Have you heard of Stephanie Nielson? Maybe you heard of the NieNie Dialogues? Well, if you haven't you are in for a treat....just as a warning, you may want to set aside a LOT of time because once you get sucked into her inspirational story and blog, you won't want to stop. I think it is human nature to partake in inspirational things. To some it is given one talent, and to others another, Stephanie Nielsen was blessed with the amazing talent of inspiring others to be better, to take life one day at a time and to cherish EACH AND EVERY step along the way. To cherish the good and embrace the bad.

I have known about this amazing women for a few years now. Stephanie and her husband were in a small airplane crash in AZ....here's a video to share her story.....

I have followed her story on and off for the last 5 years and am constantly inspired by her. She recently wrote and published a book called Heaven is Here. Here's a quick video introducing it:



 I borrowed this book from a friend last week and LOVED it. It was so neat to here her side of the story, starting before the accident. Seeing her go through the experience "in the media" (ie. blog, newscasts, Oprah, magazines, etc.) she always showed such hope and dedication to getting better. The book is an open book to her life and emotions that she went through since the accident. It was a great reminder that no matter what someone is going through, and how they seem to be handling it on the outside, we are all human and have deep, heartfelt struggles. Just because someone says they are doing fine, may not mean they are TRULY doing fine. If you feel a prompting to send them a note, bring them dinner, or just give them a call, DO IT. Another lesson I learned was the importance of families- I know this already, but it was a great reminder. Her family network was crucial with her recovery, our families are important and we need to constantly be working on those relationships, even if they live scattered across the country!

The third and most important lesson that I have learned from Stephanie Nielson and her book is to cherish my calling as a mother. I have learned that even the moments of 3 spilled cups of milk in 10 minutes, tantrums in the grocery store, arguments about constipation issues, and endless amounts of diaper changes should be counted as blessings. Blessings because, as frustrating as they are, I am HERE to be a part of them. I am alive and healthy and able to help my kids learn and grow each and every day. I am able to help my kids zip up their coats, button their shorts, make them scrambled eggs. I am here to comfort them in the middle of the night. I am thankful for each breath I take.

I am so thankful for the strength, dedication, and passion for life that Stephanie Nielson shows to the world. I am thankful that she has chosen to share it with the world.

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