I've been blogging off and on since March of 2011. I've had, now, three different blogs that each were relevant to a specific time in my life. The summer I went to Nashville all by myself to the CMA Festival and blogged about it on Nashville Notes, the year of "singledom" and my late 20s with Monogramaddict, and now as I enter the next phase of life as a wife, and hopefully one day a mother, with A Tale of Two T-Birds. One of the first blogs I ever started following was A Blonde Ambition. Leslie's quick whit in her writing sucked me right in. I was new to blogging and had NO clue what I was doing. She introduced me to what I know now as "lifestyle blogging," with fashion samples, hair tutorials, SEC football drama, relationship advice and Confessional Friday Link-ups. I followed her whirlwind romance with her husband Stephen, their big wedding day, and eventually the birth of her two precious girls, Caroline and Ainsley. While in her later posts I couldn't relate to breast feeding, stroller shopping or running a home with two under two, I was a regular reader and anticipated her posts to catch up on her life.
See that's the funny thing about blogging and this crazy internet world we live in. I follow some blogs that I've personally known the individual for several years, and I follow other blogs where I've never met the person but I can tell you how they take their coffee from Starbucks. Bloggers create their own little neighborhood of friends and rejoice with one another in triumphs and grieve when something tragic happens. Blogland is grieving for Leslie. Since February Leslie has been battling with a previous heart condition that did not resurface until after she had Ainsley. She's been fighting hard since February to figure out what was wrong and how to fix it. She only briefly updated her blog to let us know how she was and any updates.
A couple weeks ago, she had a set back, she posted this before she left for more treatment. Last evening I found out through social media that Leslie went to be with Jesus Monday. I honestly can not begin to comprehend the amount of grief and pain her family must be going through. My heart truly aches for her girls that will never know their mother, and her husband who has lost his other half. I know Leslie was a woman of God and her faith is what sustained her through her health crisis. She often blogged about her faith and as a fellow Christian loved that she was so vocal and public about it on her blog. I know that she is with Jesus and we will see her again when our own time is up on this earth.
I haven't ever personally experienced grief of such a young person. She was a year and a half older than me, her life was just beginning, she finally had all she she could ask for in life. Two beautiful daughters, a devoted husband, and a career she enjoyed. Not to mention all the beautiful friends she acquired through her blog. Leslie always ended her posts with "Be Blessed Lovelies..." Leslie, we were blessed by you and to know you. How grateful your girls will be that you documented the last six years of your life through your writing and even a few video tutorials. They will know how much you loved life, loved them and loved the Lord. You couldn't ask for a bigger blessing from this situation than that.
There is a GoFundMe page set up to contribute to her girls' college fund and eventually wedding fund. If you feel inclined to contribute you can find that page here. Continued prayers for all who knew, loved and were blessed by Leslie.
