Favorite Women

I want to talk about a couple of things before the madness begins tomorrow.

NieNie.

It's been a year since I first heard/read about Stephanie Nielsen's plane crash, and I have been challenged and broken-hearted by her courage (her entire family's, truly). Tonight, after I realized I had forgotten to eat dinner, I sat down with my bowl of cereal and thought I'd check in and see if Nie had posted anything new on her blog. Here's the thing, Stephanie was burned over 80% of her body. Not only is that an incredibly difficult recovery from medical standpoint, but from an emotional one as well. Up until now she had not posted a picture of her new self (a new outside at least) on her blog.

When her page came up tonight, I gasped. Not because what I saw was shocking, but because what I saw was this woman I'd come to know over the last year. New. Changed. Alive. And achingly beautiful in tranperancy and bravery.

It may seem silly to say, but after praying for her over this year, I consider her my friend, and seeing her face tonight really blessed my heart (there's a button on my right sidebar to her blog).

I also need to talk about Jessi. In forty five minutes (east coast time) it will be her birthday. I thought a lot today about what I could or would want to say about my friend. But I am going to wait until tomorrow to write her a proper post. Because I've erased and rewritten like six things.

For now though, Happy Birthday Jessi!!!