Easter Bonnet Comback

In late December 2004, Mr. Nielson and I went into Anthropologie 
 in the Upper East Side of New York City.
 I was very pregnant with Oliver.
 (Ollie was born just two days after this shopping trip).
While browsing Anthropologie, I fell in love with a gorgeous pink felt hat.
Mr. Nielson bought it for me, and I went home on the train with it in a hatbox
and visions of me on Easter Sundays in my pink hat.
After church on Easter Sunday in 2008, we set up a tripod at the front

of the Lazona Estate and took photographs of our little family. 

I wore my pink Easter bonnet, and I have worn it each Sunday since.

Then, four short months after this photo, our life completely changed.
After waking up from my coma, I swore to everyone I would never be happy again.
I promised I would never be a mother again.  I swore I wouldn't do a lot of
things- including wear that pink felt hat again.
The day before Easter in 2009, I lay on my couch feeling sorry for myself.
I hadn't intended to go to church. 

I felt ugly and ashamed of my appearance and who I had become. 

However, I got up and went anyway, stiff, in pain, and unhappy. 

I sat in the pew without my bonnet.
I looked down the row at my family, who were sitting

together looking beautiful, healthy, and happy 
dressed in their Sunday best, honoring the Savior
and His beautiful Resurrection.

And I thought that I deserved to wear that hat again.

The following Easter, I found the hat and some courage and wore it to church.
That pink hat had become a symbol of my comeback. 
The pink hat- as silly as it sounds, is symbolic to our family of His

Resurrection.  After loads of healing, I wore that hat again the next year and
every year since.  Same girl, new body, same heart, new life.  

Just like the redemptive and peaceful Resurrection, which is
full of renewal, hope, and grace.

American Hero

At Little Nies Elementary School, fifth-grade students get to 

choose an American hero to research and present to their 

classmates and families each year. 

Oliver picked Pat Tillman, a talented football player who became an

 Army Ranger and a true hero, as his subject for the school's wax museum.

 

For the evening, he learned and memorized facts and stories 

about Pat so he could become him. Ollie dressed up in

 Army gear and brought football equipment to display.

Pat Tillman is a true American hero. He was not only an

 exceptional athlete but also a scholarship student. 

He played football at Arizona State University before 

being drafted by the Arizona Cardinals. Following the September 11 attacks, 

Pat and his brother enlisted in the US Army, 

and Pat gave up a $3.5 million contract to serve our country.

Pat was shot and killed in Afghanistan.

He sacrificed his life, new marriage, family, and career to serve his country. What an amazing man! 

Learn more about the Pat Tillman Foundation, which supports veterans

and their families through academic scholarships.

* * 

Also at the wax museum was Stephanie Nielson!

How cute! I was so honored!!!!

(Good work, Ellie!)

Claire Wax Museum 2012

Jane Wax Museum 2013

* * * * *

Chat with me TODAY!

Easter 2016

Around the Nielson home, we celebrate the Easter holiday on Saturday. 

The Little Nies hunt for eggs and Easter baskets and do other festivities

that have to do with bunnies, chicks, and other cute fuzzy animals
the day before Easter Sunday.

We made our Easter eggs look like fried eggs 

(Thanks for the idea, handmadecharlotte).
The girls had much fun helping me dye and then crack the eggs.

The kids went on an Easter egg hunt around the house and found their 

baskets filled with all sorts of sweet treats like chocolate bunnies, 

Robin Eggs, Cadbury Eggs, and Peeps. 

And, as an extra special surprise, each girl's basket contained 

a beautiful hand mirror - because every lady needs one in her purse, right?

On Easter Sunday, we honor and commemorate the incredible 

Resurrection of our Savior. It's a very meaningful day for us, 

and we celebrate it with joy and gratitude.

We attend church each Sunday, but today is special. 

We sing and talk about renewal, forgiveness, peace, and happiness 

that only the Savior can offer.

Easter Sunday, we had a lovely dinner with my parents, 

Lucy and her family, and our friend Emily who attends BYU. 

(She's actually Page's college boyfriend, Matt's daughter).

Holding Fast to Hope

Last weekend, I attended the General Women's Session

meeting with my girls, Lucy, my Mom, and dear friends.

It was beautiful in every sense of that word.  

Beautiful, comforting, and wonderful.  

Easter Sunday was a very emotional day for me.

These words by Jeffery R. Holland played and rehearsed

 in my head over and over:

I bear witness of that day when loved ones whom we knew to have 

disabilities in mortality will 

stand before us glorified and grand, breathtakingly 

perfect in body and mind. What a thrilling moment that will be! 

I do not know whether we will be happier for ourselves that we have 

witnessed such a miracle or 

happier for them that they are fully perfect and finally "free at last."

Until that hour when 

Christ's consummate gift is evident to us all, 

may we live by faith, hold fast to hope."

Jesus Christ changed everything. 

His death and Resurrection changed everything.

I love my family; that is all I can type right now.

He Changed Everything

Happy Easter!

Hallelujah!

 The girls and I dyed our Easter Eggs today after school.

I am using these colorful eggs for our table decorations for Sunday dinner.

Dinner this year will be a small group and low-stress.

I will blog about Easter Sunday in the coming days,

especially since my heart has been heavy with some family updates.

I love this time of year!

 I love Spring and the change of the seasons, but mostly I love Easter.

 Easter celebrates the promise of

eternal life through the Savior Jesus Christ.

There is no such thing as the end.

I love Him and will show Him my

love and gratitude by obeying His commandments,

following the prophet, and having daily scripture study and prayer.

And in doing so, He has promised me that I will feel His peace

 in my life, and I need that. We all need that.

 Enjoy this beautiful Easter Message:

 
* * * * * *   
Beauty Rises Update: 

I am looking for women/girls who are real-life heroines and 

are willing to share their stories with Beauty Rises.

 Women triumphing, succeeding and conquering life while 

living with physical limitations or
dealing with pain and trials daily.

I want to give a voice to the true stories of women and girls who have 

overcome adversity and found the best in themselves

  , and are willing to help and inspire others to do the same. 

Fill out the survey and tell a friend! 

Survey HERE

Comfort

I'm holding my babies closer to me and praying God will 

bless, uplift, and comfort the people of Belgium and France.

After I heard about the horrific terrorist attacks I immediately felt confused

and worried about this world we live in. I worried for my children.

Will they have a future?  Will they be happy and feel safe?

 Then, I looked to God for comfort and for peace.

I read in 2 Corinthians chapter 1

God cares for and comforts His people-

especially in the darkest of hours. 

"Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, 

that we may be able to comfort them

 which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith 

we ourselves are comforted of God. "

Fear is the opposite of faith.  

I cannot fear the world and teach my children to have faith-

that doesn't work. They do not exist together.
I know there is a plan.  

A bigger, greater plan that will one day make complete sense.  

All the pain and suffering and heartache will not be for nothing.

 I have to believe that- it's how I can put one

foot in front of the other each day and continue on.

I am chatting today on Mormon.org if you would like to stop by.

I Love it When...

I love to hear my children's voices throughout the house.  

I love to listen to them run up and down the stairs.

I love it when the hamper upstairs opens, and I can hear

loads of clothes drop from above into the laundry room.

I love hearing the children sit at the dining room table, talking

to each other while finishing homework.

I love it when the boys run out to play as soon as their homework is done,

and the girls stay inside to linger with me while I make dinner.

I love it when the sun goes down, and the boys come home hungry minutes later.

I love it when we all sit together to eat and discuss the highlights of our day.

I love it when, after dinner, everyone runs into the living room to play, 

leaving me with all the dishes and clean up.  

Just kidding, that's the worst; we are working on that.

 

Seriously though- 

I love it when I feel content, 

tired and fulfilled all at the same time.

Claire Cooks

Claire was tasked with creating a Hispanic dish 

for her Spanish class project.

We decided on enchiladas.  

I have a delicious recipe, and it's pretty easy to make.

 She did everything on her own, 

and I was just around to help her make the sauce,

measure the ingredients, and stuff the tortillas with veggies and beans.

 

It makes me so happy to think about Claire growing up 

and eventually cooking for her own family someday. 

She has such a calm and collected personality, which makes her perfect

 for taking care of a home. 

Making her living space look and feel beautiful brings her great joy. 

I enjoyed taking pictures of her cooking journey as part of my job. 

After she set the table nicely, we enjoyed a delicious meal together.

I tried to take a picture of everyone enjoying the yummy food she made,

but all I got was a selfie.

Climbing Back

I have been cleaning out my basement.  

It's fun, but it will probably take me five hundred weeks at the rate I'm going.

I start going through a box and then get extremely distracted by its contents, 

and then I find myself sitting down and looking through everything.

Yesterday, I looked through thousands of get-well cards that were sent

to me in the hospital when I was in my coma. 

I read through a few but had to stop because I was crying hard.

So many emotions, so much pain, and so much gratitude all in one sitting.

It was hard.  I'll try again later.

Then I saw a CD that read "Climbing Back".  

I took the disc upstairs and put it on my computer.  

On the disc were photos of me and my family in August 2009.

The Arizona Republic (Jamiee Rose & Cheryl Evans) came to 

Utah to photograph and write a story about me one year after my accident. 

These photos were of me interacting with my children and family and 

my epic hike to the Y.  Then I came across this sweet photo of me and Ollie.  

I remember this night because he asked if I'd lay next to him after I lay him down for bed.  

He slipped his little arm through mine and fell asleep.  

You will never know the hardship it was to connect again with my children.  

It seemed like one step forward and thirty steps back. 

I relished any attention my children would give me.  

I was willing and excited to do anything for them- change a diaper,

wipe a nose, wash or clean- I would read the newspaper to them if they'd let me. 

Although those days were so challenging, 

they hold a special place in my heart and have shaped me into the person I am today.

I am proud of my growth and progress, 

and I hope to continue to learn and evolve.

I'm Not Really Irish

  I'm all in if there is something to dress up for,

 get balloons for, decorate, cook, or bake for.

Once, I used to believe that I was Irish until 

my genealogy proved that I was not Irish but, in fact, Scottish.  

Although I am not Irish, I still celebrate St. Patrick's Day. 

Also, I have two red-headed children, so it seems fitting to participate.

 Since yesterday was St. Patrick's Day, of course, the 

Nielson household was prepared.  We all wore our green, and in the evening 

I cooked and prepared our traditional Irish cabbage stew 

and Irish Soda Bread (sans raisins).

I missed Mr. Nielson tonight at our dinner; he is still at the ranch

 with his heifers.  But we all know I am his one and only heifer.

Happy Weekend!

Spiritual Enlightenment: Why the Church?

 2015 St. Patrick's Day!

St. Gingers Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day from the Nielson home to yours.

In honor of the Irish, here are four wonderful reasons to love redheads:

1. Redheads rarely turn grey or at least take longer to get around to it.

 In fact, most redheads skip grey completely, going from red to blonde to white.

2. Redheads bring honor and luck. 

In Poland, if you pass three redheads,  you'll win the lottery. 

Ancient Greeks dyed their hair red to show courage, 

and in Denmark, it's an honor to have a red-haired child.

3. Studies have found that redheads are more susceptible to skin pain.
As a result, studies have found that gingers require more anesthesia
for dental or medical procedures than other hair colors,

 4. Although in Ireland, up to ten percent of the population are 

redheads around the globe, just two percent of people

 are blessed with flaming locks.

I love my gingers!

Keeping it Real

This was me today during homework.  

I have no idea why Nicholas is wearing that witch hat or where he got it.

In fact, I was so busy trying to help him and the 

other Little Nies with their homework 

that I didn't even realize he had it on.

Then I started laughing and crying at the same time.

I laughed because it was funny and cried because I  

felt like a witch trying to get him to focus. 

God bless teachers!

(Thanks to Jane, who photographed this special moment without me

knowing until tonight when I plugged my phone in.)

* * * *

Chatting today!  Come join me.

Dr. Claire Nielson

 Last week, I checked my girls out of school to

 join me at my check-up with Dr. Jensen.

Mr. Nielson "tagged" along because he had a few skin tags (get it?) 

that he needed to be removed.  

He said it was OK to use "skin tag" in this post because usually

 "skin tag" is kind of embarrassing to admit to having.

Anyway, Claire has always been especially fascinated with medicine.  

She plans to take herself into the medical world after high school.

Dr. Jensen asked Claire to assist her in removing her father's skin tags.

First, he showed her how to administer the lidocaine, 

which she successfully numbed

several spots on her own. It was impressive.  

Next, Dr. J helped Claire gear up in sterile gloves.

Jane was sitting in the corner of the room, white as a ghost, but helpful

nonetheless, like reminding Claire she was left-handed and other valuable tips.

Claire snipped, dabbed, and snipped some more, and the tags disappeared.

There was very minimal bleeding, and Mr. Nielson is recovering nicely.

Claire was taught the surgeon's celebratory glove removal, too. 

This is when a Doctor finishes a procedure, removes his/her gloves, 

and slings the gloves in the garbage can.

I've seen it done hundreds of times in ER, my favorite show.

 

 Then Dr. J put Claire to work by cleaning up some tools before 

being sent off to be sterilized.

Today was one for the books, and Claire was so excited she

 didn't stop smiling for hours.

Proud of you, girl, your future is bright!

And Dr. Mark Jensen is the best.