Heaven Is Here: An Incredible Story of Hope, Triumph, and Everyday Joy

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Heaven is Here is a very inspiring story and I loved reading how she overcame all the obstacles in her life. However, I cannot help but keep remembering a statement she made when moving to New Jesery. I got the feeling she was unhappy over the Madonna statues in yards. I guess that just sort of really offended me, but I continued reading the book and cheering her on as she progressed through her recovery. I am really surprised her editor allowed the statement against the statues as that is a strong part of many peoples faith. This good story was really overshadowed by this comment to me.

I'm going to write this review as I read this book. I am close to not wanting to continue reading it because so far I am rolling my eyes at the incredibly saccharine sweet picture that the author is painting (so far- I obviously am aware that things will change) I'm very bothered by the religious aspect of her life. I sometimes feel that people who 'consult' with God just want certain things to happen, and then call it God's will. Why are these families so large? I understand that in the old days, people had children to help run their farms -to survive. But now- the world is so over-populated (ps: I'm no granola eating, hippie type, either-not that there's anything wrong with that)- isn't it wrong to bring so many (9, 10, 11!) kids into the world because you feel like it? There is a narcissistic bent to this ('We are such great people! Let us crank out as many carbon-copies of ourselves that we can') Meanwhile, the earth's resources are being diminished! And no one can say anything because it's 'religious'. But I just did.

The author describes her self (un-self-consciously) as a picture-perfect human being. Her husband is also so perfect (the 'typical day' she describes sounds like something you'd read in a Danielle Steele book -before the 'trouble' happens!) The kids are -surprise!- perfect as well. The dating, the wedding, the meeting of the (hundreds) of relatives- there's not a negative connection in the bunch! Everything is PERFECT! And 'perfect' I am thoroughly convinced- is impossible! And trying to sell people on the idea of your 'perfect life' only makes (impressionable) people feel 'less than.' I just don't buy it from the get-go.

The author also gets to me when she becomes so obsessed with NOT getting educated. Why would going to college be a bad thing? Who doesn't want to be smarter? Is this what she will teach her daughters? I hate that attitude, and quite frankly, it's another aspect making me want to ditch this book. However, since I received it as an Early Reviewer, I am going to stick with it. And for anyone who reads this (so far) and is angry at my opinion- based on the fact that this woman will soon be in a horrific plane crash- I say to you: I am being completely honest, as I hope other early reviewers are as well. I am calling it as I see it from the view I have so far....

I've now completed the book. I feel sad that anyone had to go through such a harrowing experience. I was very disturbed when her husband said 'I thought you were right behind me' when he fled the plane and ran across the street. It gave me a bad feeling, but maybe I misunderstood what he was saying. The implications though- did he leave her there? Freaked me out. I don't know how hard it must have been to be disfigured-not just the physical pain, but because she was so proud of her looks, and put a lot of pictures in the book. I felt terrible for her, and the pain just seemed unbearable. And scary, claustrophobic and lonely.

I do think she was very lucky in the fact that she already had 'fans' from her blog and I found it interesting when she wondered if she somehow deserved bad things because she bragged about her perfect life online. Of coarse she did not deserve anything bad, and nor do I believe there is anybody watching (and judging) our lives- other than us, there's no magic guy in the sky causing bad things....but I like that she at least acknowledged that she bragged- as I pointed out in the first paragraph of this review. The only belief I am really unwavering about is NOT BRAGGING. I feel like it is a form of anger, or passive-aggressive, adult 'na-na-na-na-na' - like kids used to use to taunt each other on the playground. I know we are supposed to want people to envy us (or so it seems?), but I never want to make anyone feel lesser if I can help it. And this is why the beginning of the book turned me off.

As for the 'God Stuff' - what can I say? I don't believe in fairy tales, and I don't believe in Grandmothers meeting us in fields to discuss whether or not I should 'choose to go back to earth'. First off-if heaven is so great- why is everyone 'up there' hyper-focused on Earth?? Is that the most narcissistic belief? That WE are the center of everything? If you believed in heaven, wouldn't you rather your relatives and friends moved on, and had more to do than pine for everyone still here? Don't they have other things to do, and if they don't- why are we glad if we think our people are there? Reason number two: The implication that she 'decided' to come back means everyone I've known in my life who have died-from teenagers to grandparents- all DECIDED to not come back? Was it something I said? (I know Mormons probably have a 'special pass' that comes with the option to choose, but I'm pretty sure my teenage friends in bad car accidents would have chosen life as well, had they been given that option!) Again: there is such a narcissistic bent to super-religious people. And lastly, about religion: Nice that only the MEN have any power in the Mormon religion. Way to respect the women. And why is it that God is credited with everything good, but never blamed for anything bad? These thoughts flood my mind when I'm reading about religious people.

Nie Nie was unlucky to be in a plane crash, but very lucky to have so much support. Thousands of e-mails and cards, balloons everywhere, donations, a house, Matt Lauer and the Today Show, the Oprah show.....she says she couldn't have done it without the support- and my heart immediately went out to the thousands of burn victims who don't have that kind of massive support. Yet- I'm sure they feel they are 'special' too.But no one in the world gathers to tell them they are right. So by Nie Nie's logic: that's probably why a lot of them don't make it. Just not popular enough. It's obviously best to be favored.

Overall, it's a good book. It gave me insights- some good- most bad- into the Mormon way of life. So, it's definitely timely what with the Obama/Romney deal.I wish Nie Nie the best in her life, and mostly- I'm happy that SHE'S happy believing what she does. I think that Mormon men are wise to keep their women from becoming more educated, because knowledge brings questions, and it could really shake up some of the the powers that be in that religion. One thing about Nie-Nie- she takes what she's been told and never, ever questions it. But different beliefs are what makes the world go around- and it was interesting to walk in her shoes for a little while. But I'm also really, really, really! glad to be back in mine.

Despite the heavy subject matter, Stephanie Nielson's Heaven Is Here isn’t a tragedy. I can honestly say this is one of the most inspiring, tear-inducing, heart-wrenching books I’ve read — the sort of story I pass around to friends and family, saying, “You have to read this.” Acknowledging the story as “incredible” in the subtitle really isn’t overstating the case. When all hope seems lost, the Nielsons’ faith and family support gets them through.

Once told she might have to have her limbs amputated, that she would never walk, that she would never live the independent life she’d loved again, Stephanie defies all logic. After many painful surgeries and endless weeks in the burn unit, her skin begins to heal. She starts to walk again, first to the nurse’s station and then to the end of the hall. And then beyond. She begins to eat and drink, to even try to type. Though she doesn’t look the way she used to — and her face is very changed — she is here. Among the living. Given a second chance and an opportunity to see her children grow up.

She doesn’t take it lightly.

I went into Heaven Is Here with limited expectations. Nielson is a blogger-turned-author, see, and I tend to look at those with a skeptical eye. But I’ve followed Stephanie’s journey for years at the Nie Nie Dialogues, a look at her life and family, and I find her to simply be an incredible mother and person. I didn’t know if the book would merely be a rehashing of blog posts, but that was not at all the case. I’m very familiar with her story, of course, but it was as if I were reading it all for the first time.

Though we do not share the same faith and I consider myself more spiritual than religious, the power of Stephanie’s beliefs in her healing process was hard to deny. Though religion permeated the book, I didn’t find it heavy-handed or preachy. This is Stephanie and Christian’s story, after all, and she couldn’t tell it without explaining how crucial her faith was in her recovery. Totally get it, and it didn’t bother me.

It’s hard to read the Nielson love story without tearing up a bit, too. Divided into three parts, Heaven Is Here first offers us a glimpse at Stephanie’s early life, her family background and her courtship with Christian, who bounded into her father’s business with an open smile and an interest in taking his daughter out on a date. Even after a whirlwind romance and marriage, life wasn’t perfect — and Stephanie’s honesty is to be commended. She doesn’t cover a plain white canvas with sparkly rainbows, puppies and butterflies. Even as a young and healthy mother, she faced challenges. But nothing compared to those to come.

The book’s second part details the plane crash and the Nielsons’ early months in the hospital, right up until Stephanie is well enough to go home. And here’s the spoiler-that’s-not-really-a-spoiler: Stephanie and Christian do get better. They heal. It’s incredibly hard and emotional and tough and awful, but somehow they manage to survive and even thrive in the face of tragedy. And just this past spring, Stephanie and Christian welcomed a fifth child, Charlotte. That she carried. Herself. In her own bruised-but-never-completely-broken body.

Fans of memoirs, tales of tragedy-turned-triumph or those who enjoy inspirational stories with just a dash of faith thrown in can look no further than Heaven Is Here. Stephanie’s raw and honest account of life as she knows it had me in tears time and again, but I ultimately finished the book with an uplifted heart and a desire to never take my own life for granted. The simple things — like walking, talking, seeing — aren’t always simple. We should all count our blessings, and make every day count. ( )

A powerful and inspirational story that is quite well written. Mrs. Nielson is a witness to the power and miracles of faith. While her life before her accident seems like a fairy tale, her life after is a testament to the power of God. The writing is straightforward, yet engaging and you won't want to put this book down. ( )