AN INSPIRATION

About a year ago I decided to start this blog. I had thought a lot about blogging for years before I actually started my own, as I knew a few friends who did it. I spent some time reading their blogs, and thinking about starting my own. But was not quite sure how I would make that happen. I envied these girls for finding the time to sit at a computer and journal about their day to day lives. It took time out of their day to day schedules but seemed well worth it to all of them. And of course, why wouldn't it? It seemed to be such a perfect gift to give their children, a book of sorts, that they were writing, that would one day be given to those children.

For quite a while I went back and forth on whether or not to start a blog:

I don't even know much about computers. I don't know anything about web design, or how to set up my own website. This seems sort of difficult, plus I am not sure I will find the time to write as much as I would want to. Maybe I will start it when the kids are older - but if I do that, then many of their early childhood memories, the cute stuff that happens on a day to day basis, will be lost over the years. Maybe I'll wait.

And I waited, until I came across this.

1 Killed, 2 Injured After Plane Crash
POSTED: 6:46 am MST August 19, 2008
UPDATED: 10:29 am MST August 19, 2008

MESA, Ariz. -- A small plane crash near the town of St. Johns has claimed the life of a Mesa man while seriously injuring two passengers, authorities said.
Douglas C. Kinneard, 48, was the pilot of a Cardinal Cessna that struck a utility power line before crashing into a woodpile in a residential neighborhood in St. Johns Saturday, according to City Manager Greg Martin.
Kinneard died from his injuries Sunday, authorities said.
Family members said Christian Nielson, a licensed pilot, and his wife, Stephanie Nielson, are in critical condition at the Arizona Burn Center at Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix.
The parents of four young children, Stephanie Nelson has burns over 80 percent of her body; her husband is burned over 30 percent of his, family members told The Arizona Republic.
"We want prayers. We could use all the prayers we could get for them and their children," said Courtney Kendrick, Stephanie's sister.
Stephanie's family flew in from Utah to care for their daughter and her four children, ages 2 -6 years old.
"It'll be a long time before [the children] get to see their parents again, but through family and friends we're going to fill in there," said Cindy Clark, Stephanie's mother.
The Nielsons were flying back to Mesa from Grants, N.M., where they were on a weekend trip to a ranch Christian's family owns in the area.
Gary Platt, a worker at the airport, said the plane stopped for fuel and made its takeoff attempt around 3:45 p.m. Saturday.
Platt said witnesses said the plane wasn't able to gain much altitude before its right wing dropped, rolled and made a nosedive into the ground.
"People said the three in the plane struggled to get out and when they did they were running with their clothing on fire," Platt said.
Matt Hale, a relative of the pilot who lives in Utah, confirmed that Kinneard died Sunday night at the hospital.
The crash is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration. The site of the crash is about 18 miles west of the Arizona-New Mexico border.

After reading about the Neilson's story further, I found that Stephanie had a blog. So I stopped by that blog to read a bit. It turns out I did not really leave the computer much, except to sleep, take care of the kids, and go to the bathroom for a few weeks. I read, and read, and read.

Now I am not one that really enjoys reading about other people's cute kids, and the oh so funny and silly things they do. How their lives as Mom's are all rainbows and butterflies, or horrible, crappy and nothing short of doom and gloom. Actually this is one thing about blogging that I never understood. How all these people were so enthralled with other people's blogs. After reading Stephanie's I finally understood.

Shortly after reading her blog - actually within the week, I had worked my way over to blogger and started up my own blog. I was so inspired by her writing, and her story that I felt I just had to finally take the plunge into this blogging world.

So why do I bring all this up? Why talk about what inspired me to start blogging?

Well, because I was reminded of who inspired me yesterday. The Who? Mrs. Stephanie Nielson. She was on Oprah yesterday, talking about the plane crash, and her struggles and hardships she has endured having to deal with being burned over 80% of her body. Throughout the whole show I sat in amazement at how strong she seemed, how happy she seemed, how thankful she seemed to be alive and well.

Even though she does not read this blog, or even know who I am for that matter, I want to thank her for inspiring me to finally start my blog. But more importantly, I want to thank her for being such a strong, amazing woman, and for showing everyone out there that you can make it through and come out on top when faced with a tragedy such as hers.