Okay, I'll just get it out there....

I've been hesitant to mention this, but I have been consumed with something new. I found out about the story of a wonderful family in Arizona who were hurt badly in plane crash in August. The Mom..Stephanie has a very popular blog in Arizona that was previously unknown to me. But since the story, the Nie Nie blogs and support have been everywhere it perked my curiosity. So I started reading. And then I couldn't stop. And now I feel as concerned about this family as I am my own. It's so strange how we come to love and know each other in blog land, without even meeting. If you have not heard of this story (it was on the Today show today) you need to read about it. You can go to http://blog.cjanerun.com/ to get updates on the family and the overview of what's happening then go to NieNie's blog and just start reading from the beginning. You will be amazed and inspired is all I can so. I am worried, heartbroken, greatful, blessed and lucky. In honor of Nie, I will be doing the following:

Wearing only red lipstick, nail polish and toe polish until she gets better. (her signature color)
Write love letters to my husband and kids - (see previous post)
Set off helium balloons at the next birthday.
Take pictures and do a better job of documenting our days so that I never forget what it is that I had the luck to experience.

A comment on Nie's blog that was by Anna Quindlen summed it up for me...She said: “The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less”