goddess: NieNie

I'm a bit behind schedule this week, but I still wanted to do a goddess feature! This week's goddess has been on my mind and heart as I recover from my surgery. This eye surgery has been way more of a doozy than I thought it would be, and honestly, every time I thought of this goddess I found strength. Because what I've been through, just one eye surgery (with another to come in a few weeks), has been nothing, NOTHING, compared to what Stephanie Nielson (nicknamed "NieNie") has been through.

I started reading her blog after she almost perished in a plane crash, a crash and a survival story that made national news, and even Oprah! She and her husband were burned, but lived. Stephanie's body is over 80% burned, and she will endure pain and surgeries for the rest of her life. She writes with such honesty and truth that I crave her inspiration for my own life, especially when I'm dealing with pain.

Stephanie is of the Mormon faith. I do not share this faith with her, but I still feel a connection as a woman and a mother. I love that I can learn from her and what she believes, but I don't feel intimidated or judged for not sharing her faith. She just freely shares her life, her recovery, and her journey, in an intimate and sweet way. I think this is such a great example of how we aren't all the same, but we can all respect, love, and learn from one another.

One thing that I love about Stephanie is her idea of beauty. She seems to see beauty in a different way than I have never experienced, and by reading her words, I've started to see beauty in many different ways and on many different levels than I did before. She is a great teacher of appreciating the gifts life has blessed us with.

I hope you enjoy reading through her blog and learning about this lovely lady. Her life is a testament to strength and perseverance!