Blogging Rights

Chances are, if you're a blogger, you've heard about this story. It's been all over the blogging community. The story is one of tragic loss, love, compassion and healing.Christian and Stephanie Nieslon Family

I've been following this story since the beginning. Two of my favorite blogs to read are CJane and Nie Nie, and they are sisters. They both have uplifting, wholesome, inspirational and most often humorous blogs. Two weeks ago Nie Nie and her husband and their flight instructor were in a private plane crash. The instructor died from his injuries, and Nie Nie and her husband Christian both sustained critical burns all over their bodies. They are both currently in a medically induced coma. They have four very small children who are now being cared for by the extended family, residing at CJane's house who just had her first baby after years of heartbreaking infertility. The recovery of the couple will take months, years and the cost will be in the millions. On Thursday, a very note worthy blogger DesignMom declared a Nie Nie Day and silent auctions were held throughout the blogging community--I think there's 300 and counting separate auctions where you can bid on items or services and pay through the donation site. All funds go toward recovery and household management for this sweet family.

It's amazing to me to see hundreds of strangers, linked through the blogging community donating their time and effort and money toward this family in crisis. It's also amazing to me the large number of people this one girls blog has affected. The great strength of the blogging community, extended family and friends coming together to care for each other and the couple's children signifies great triumph in the face of tragedy.

Sometimes the word 'blogging' comes with a negative connotation--similar to 'bragging' and some blogs are brag sites, but most of the blogs I've come across are uplifting and inspirational. I look to some bloggers as an example to me of the person and mother I hope to become. Nie Nie was one of those blogs, she talked openly and often of her beliefs and her fierce love for her family as she journaled their lives and traditions. I too hope to be uplifting and to avoid the negative as I blog, keeping track of my children and their successes. In light of the increasingly negative world we live in, I hope my children can look back at my blog one day and see the wonderful, positive, fun things we did together as a family while they were young.

If you want to donate to the Nie Nie recovery fund, go here: