Sending support

We all know I'm a blog addict, and I could spend all day reading and talking to all the invisible people and friends I've made out there. There are a few amazing bloggers who take the call to share ourselves and our religion with the world to another level as well as being hilarious and sweet mommy bloggers. One of their own - Stephanie Neilson - was in a plane crash with her husband and a instructor in Arizona August 16th. The instructor died shortly afterwards, and both Stephanie and her husband remain in critical condition, Christian with burns over 30% of his body and Stephanie with 80%. Their 4 beautiful children are being cared for one of her sisters, one of the most famous of LDS bloggers, Cjane, who is how I ran into the whole bunch.

I have to admit, I read them all with a twinge of envy, from their incredible writing skillz, and their ability to find joy and beauty in motherhood and life. I'm not the only one - their story was just picked up by the New York Times and scores of "lurkers" are coming out of the woodwork to show support and help raise funds for their recovery - the medical bills are expected to be in the millions. It's beautiful to read how every day, strangers are finding new ways to help.

I cry every time I read about their road. Since I gave birth, I have this remarkable ability to cry at EVERYTHING. Sappy sitcoms, commercials, papercuts, it's crazy. For those of you who knew me before, you know I already cried all the time, but it's actually 100% worse now, hard to imagine, but true! But I cry as a mother and how I can't imgine how their amazing family is making everything work so beautifully. I also cry as a sister, because I can't help to be reminded of my family's personal tragedy just a few months ago, when my sister-in-law Megan was killed in a car accident. My brother Quinn is slowly recovering, and their son is so well-cared for it amazes all of us daily. I rejoice in the blessing of our knowledge of the atonement and the blessing of being sealed in the temple has been to Quinn. I see Cjane, who after years of infertility finally has a beautiful baby boy, is now caring for a newborn and her sister's 4 children while dealing with her own grief. I don't know how I can help my own brother. His son is in a better place than any of us could have dreamed, and my parents are there for Quinn when he needs them, just a few miles down the road. I've asked Quinn countless times how I can help - I'm so lost and useless it seems. He always just tells me to love my daughter and be a good aunt. If we could add up all the prayers I've made maybe I'd feel useful, but right now all I seems to be doing is sending good vibes.

Although - I've learned from Solei - you can never have too many people to pray for.