A great day

On Monday the girls had no school, so we planned to stay in our jammies all day.  I always look for any chance to take a break from our crazy life.  We spent the day enjoying shows and snacks and even spent a little time dancing.  I took a break from doing hair and only performed the necessary mommy duties.  I love days like this.  Right after I put the little girls down for a nap, I got a call from one of my really good friends.  She asked if she could kidnap me for the night and I gladly said yes.  She had tickets to the Nie Nie benefit concert.  Normally getting ready feels like a chore, unless it is for something I look forward to.  I was really excited to go and did not mind changing my plans for a girls night out. 

Nik picked me up and we grabbed a quick bite to eat before we headed to the concert.  That alone is a treat for me.  It was fun to catch up with Nik at dinner a little bit, I haven't been able to keep in touch as well since Emma was born.  We got a little side tracked heading into the concert, read about it here. Nik describes the event perfectly.  I could tell she was hurt by the way she was saying ow, repeatedly.  It wasn't just that she was saying ow, it was the way she said it.  I got that too familiar gut-wrenching feeling for a second, I do not like seeing people I care about in pain.  Once everything turned out okay, I could not stop laughing.  It wasn't really funny, don't know why I couldn't stop.  Nik's ankle hurt and she got some good bruises, but she toughed out the rest of the night anyway.  I was pretty amazed that she didn't shed even one tear, I know I would have been crying.  She has been through a lot in life and I witnessed the strength that she has obviously earned and deserves. If only I took my "falls" in life as graciously as she did.

The concert featured The Thrillionaires, and Mindy Gledhill.  There were also a couple of surprise performances by Ryan Shupe and David Osmond( the one on Idol).  I really loved the concert, all of the performances were amazing and fun.  I loved Mindy Gledhill, her style of music is one of my favorites.  My favorite song she sang was called River God.  She mentioned before singing it that we all would hit rock bottom in life and if we hadn't yet, we would.  An amazing song about rough stones that are only smooth once the water passes through.  It was very moving for me, and I was biting my cheek to keep the emotion in check.  I didn't want to start crying and then not be able to stop.  It is difficult for me to find words that explain the feelings I had while I was there.  I am such a different person than the one I knew four years ago.  I see everything through different eyes, eyes that were opened when things got really hard in my life.  For that I am grateful.  Without it, I wondered if I would have had the same experience.  Would I have been uplifted in the same way by the music and words?  Would I really know how badly they need the money if I hadn't experienced my own financial crisis due to medical bills?  Even though our circumstances are completely different, I felt like I could relate.  It was a very surreal moment for me.

  Emma's benefit fair was one of the best days of my life.  We obviously needed help with all of her medical costs, but received so much more than just financial relief.  I was overwhelmed with gratitude that day as I witnessed the goodness of people showing up to support Emma, to support us.  It was an unforgettable experience for our family and continues to carry me through.  On Monday, I felt that same gratitude for the people that were willing to give of their time and money to support the Nielson's.  It was an uplifting experience for me to go and I am so glad that Nik took me.  One of the best days I have had in a long time....     

This picture is the only one that turned out.  Don't ask...