When I started this blog, just over a year ago I had not a clue how it would impact my life.
It began as just me bitching and complaining, chugging through the complicated world of a mom and battling my bouts with PPD. I joined the world of Twitter, made some friends … and before I knew it- I was part of the much talked about (sometimes infamous) “Mommy Blogging” community. Though, still I did not know what it meant.
Today, I do.
Yesterday, I saw on my twitter stream people talking about a blogger who had sufferd a stroke … immediately, I was concerned. I followed the tweets and found out about Anissa. The mother of 3 children (one with leukemia), blogger, founder of Aiming low , a community who’s mantra of striving for Anti-perfection and taking low to new heights, I can relate to all too well and though I did not know Anissa, many of my blog friends did.
My friend Tena (of whom, would give a kidney for me.. she told me so) roomed with Anissa at Blogher this year and brought up a great point in her post this morning, she said:
I hate having to justify friends as “blogger” friends or “in real life” friends. There’s a presumption that connections made through blogging carry less weight. That’s not true.
And I couldn’t agree more. Over the past year, I have made so many friendships that I hold close to my heart. In some cases, these women know me better than some people in “real life”. The friendships are genuine, and the thought of anything happening to any of them is incredibly upsetting.
Trisha from MomDot said in her post about Anissa:
In the mom blog community, at least in the main social networking part, its really a lot smaller and more involved then you think. Many of us know each other or cross paths quite a bit. We watch each other on tv, read about each other in interviews, visit each others sites, watch tweets, and whether or not you consistently follow someone, chances are you may know of them, their site, or some impact they have made.
Right now, you can Google Anissa Mayhew’s name and come up with a variety of post or tweets with the hashtag #PrayersForAnissa all rallying for people to help the family during this tough time.
The support that is being shown for this woman and her family is moving beyond words. Trish at Momdot offered to match all donations maetched up to $100 that would be donated through her site and that $100 was met in under 2 hours! … THIS is what should be covered by the news about Mommy Blogging, not swag hogs at Blogher. That is not its about and its a shame that it was ever perceived in that light.
The truth is through social media and the various events that bring us together in real life, people are connecting and being inspired, friendships are being made … and the community grows tighter.
Anissa Mayhew is part of that community, and she needs our prayers.
You can visit her Caring Bridge page for updates as well as donating via pay pal.
Cards & packages can be sent to:
860 Johnson Ferry Road 140-184
Atlanta, GA 30342
Anissa’s children are in Kindergarten (daughter), Third Grade (daughter), and Sixth Grade (son). If you would like to send them care packages, please make sure they are age appropriate!
