Open Letter to Nie

Last September I learned of Nie and shared her story with all of you.

This past weekend she posted an "after crash" photo of herself and met her goal of hiking the Y on the one year anniversary of the crash.

This is an open letter to Nie:

Dear Nie,
A little less than a year ago, I learned of you, of the crash, and spent my entire Sunday reading your blog from oldest entry to most recent. I fell in love. I kept thinking, "Please, God, this beautiful, pure, amazing, inspiring woman...this incredible wife and mother... she just has to live." I sent you, Mr. Nielson, CJane, and the children lucky pennies and whatever words I could muster up. At Halloween, I sent you a card, decorated my house, and dressed up in costume for the first time in years. A lover of summer, always sad to see it go, I suddenly saw the beauty and God's love in the bold, bursts of Fall colors and the heart-shaped crysanthymum bush which I took pictures of and sent to you. I thought about all of you every day and said many prayers like many people all across the world.

In May, I took my first trip to California (San Francisco) with my husband (I live in Massachusetts) with a layover in Salt Lake City. As we lifted off and I saw the mountains from the air, I couldn't stop staring. Breathtaking. I wondered if maybe that little town down there, tucked into the mountains, was Provo and I was seeing the Y from above without knowing it. I gave a little wave and whispered, "Hi, Stephanie!(and Christian, and Claire, Jane, Ollie, Nicholas, Courtney, Chup, Chief, Lucy, and the rest of your beautiful, amazing family)" I love living near the ocean, but I can now understand why you adore your mountains so.

Today I checked in on your blog for the first time in a couple of weeks and saw your sweet, beautiful face staring lovingly at Mr. Nielson. "She really is alive! Thank you, God! Thank you, thank you, thank you..." and more beautiful than ever, I say. Thank you, Stephanie Aurora Clark Nielson, for your spirit, bravery, honesty, inspiration, and so much more. Congratulations on hiking the Y for the first time AC!!!!! I have a feeling this is just the beginning.

With love, admiration, and thanks,
Alexandra

P.S. I have had Lymphedema in my legs and feet since the age of 16. I know all about wearing Juzos. So fashionable ;-) I've learned that the lady makes the outfit <3

Four-Leaf Clover

Note: Apologies for not writing this yesterday. It was vet day and the pets got their inoculations which threw the whole day off.

On Wednesday, I found my first four-leaf clover. Who doesn't need a little luck?


It has dried over the past couple days, but it is still clearly a four leaf clover.

There has been a lot rolling around in my mind lately as far as what I really want and what my goals are and how I'll go about achieving them, and the like. When I found the four leaf clover I thought to myself, "The universe is trying to tell me something."

Four-leaf Clover Poem
by Ella Higginson

I know a place where the sun is like gold,
And the cherry blooms burst with snow,
And down underneath is the loveliest nook,
Where the four-leaf clovers grow.

One leaf is for HOPE, and one is for FAITH,
And one is for LOVE, you know,
And GOD put another in for LUCK --
If you search, you will find where they grow.

But you must have HOPE, and you must have FAITH,
You must LOVE and be strong -- and so --
If you work, if you wait, you will find the place
Where the four-leaf clovers grow.

Hope, Faith, Love, and Luck. I've been deeply in need of all of these lately.

It is also said that the leaves of the three-leaf Clover represent the Holy Trinity: one leaf for the Father, one for the Son and one for the Holy Spirit. When a Shamrock is found with the fourth leaf, it represents God's Grace.

I'm hoping for:
clarity
direction
an end to my schooling
adventure
seeing my book come to fruition

I have faith that:
things will work themselves out
there is a greater plan for me
together, two people (or more) can work through anything

I love:
my husband
writing
long walks no matter the weather
being in the moment
life
the journey

I am loved by:
my husband
my furry loves
myself (most of the time)

I am lucky because:
my optimism is strong
I am loved
I have overcome many obstacles
I am alive and growing

I know that, by God's Grace, all things are figured out in time, but a little luck along the way never hurts.

As Abra Moore sings:
See, I've been thinking it over
It's all just a little too much
You see I've got a four leaf clover
It's gotta bring a little luck

Don't Fence Me In

Sitting in the grass and clover of the park, I spied lovely yellow flowers growing between two fences.

I wanted to set them free. Whenever I see anything caged, I want to set it free.

I identified with the flowers. There have been many times in my life when I have felt trapped, stuck in other people's narrow definitions and ideas of success. Even now, I find myself struggling to break free, make my own way.

Slowly, over the course of a few moments, I realized that the flowers, too, were reaching for freedom. The fences limited their growth width-wise, but they were growing up, no limits imposed upon them.



They gave me hope and courage, those little yellow flowers. Whenever I feel boxed in I will look around and find another direction in which to grow. So simple, yet I had never really thought of it before.

What do you do, what helps you to find your way?

Listen to Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters sing "Don't Fence Me In" on YouTube.

NieNie's New Skin

NieNie is having another skin graft surgery today.

Prayers and positivity are appreciated <3

Nie News

CJane has posted links to new news articles about Stephanie and Christian's progress and the Mindy Gledhill concert, the entire proceeds of which went directly to the Nielson's.

I have mentioned Threads of Love, an effort for the Nielson Family to which I donated. I am happy to report that more than enough fabric has been collected to complete quilts for the children and possibly Stephanie and Christian as well.

If you would like to contribute to the fundraising efforts and other efforts put forth on the Nielson's behalf, see the sidebar on CJane's blog and/or visit the Nie Recovery website.

Please continue to keep CJane, AliceKind, Lizzy Writes, Christian, Stephanie, the children, the Clark's, the Nielson's and all of their friends in your thoughts and prayers. So far, it seems to be working <3