So, did you hear about the devastating hurricane that hit IOWA this week?
You did not read that wrong. IOWA.
Hello, 2020.
This is a picture of the house across the street from my daughter’s home, in Ankeny, IA.
SCAAARY Stuff. (Pray for the people in Cedar Rapids, IA where they are still digging out and waiting for power.)
What’s ironic about this is that my daughter, and her family were with us in Florida during our narrow escape from Hurricane Isaias. We battened down the hatches. Made a little hurricane fort inside the house. (And went out to watch the waves…before the storm hit, of course!) Except, there was no storm, PTL.
We were all in Florida because we were SUPPOSED to be in Italy. No, we didn’t get lost. COVID, of course, derailed our plans. Why Italy? Because that is where our son married his beautiful bride, Precious.
We watched it on TV. Like it was a soap opera.
But, we’re very happy for the groom, and we love our new daughter!
We tried to have fun anyway, despite the crying in the corner. Here are some fun pix of our epic family vacation:
COVID has certainly changed things, hasn’t it? It’s made me ever so grateful for family and friends, for the times we are together in person, for all the things we still have despite the things we’ve lost (and we’re very grateful we have jobs that are remote.)
I’m also grateful for books — suddenly, I have all this reading time! I’m finishing up The Way of Kings right now, by Brandon Sanderson. What are you reading? Any recommendations for my TBR pile?
In case you need something for your TBR pile, I’m so excited that The Price of Valor is just a little over a month away from release!
(Yeah, I know. I’ll get in trouble if Ham promises to save me, right?)
Book 3 in the G-SAR series (Global Search and Rescue), it features Hamilton Jones, and his search for a loved one. Thanks to you all, Heart of a Hero (about, ironically, surviving a hurricane in Key West!) landed on the ECPA Best-seller list!
Ham’s book is just as epic, just as high stakes. And is the conclusion to a looooong story arc that I started in the Montana Marshalls series.
There are some preview copies of Valor floating around out there, and I saw this fun IG post from an early reader:
The story is about what happens when life throws us an unexpected curveball and we need to not only face our past, but figure out how to live with a different future than we had imagined.
Huh. Sounds like right now, doesn’t it?
As we’ve tried, as a family, to adjust to changes, like not attending big life events, or learning to work at home (in the same room!), or even small things, like remembering our masks when we leave the house, it’s reminded me so much of when we lived in Russia, when we really didn’t know if we’d have electricity, or water, or gas, or even safety from day to day. During that time, I homeschooled my kids and dreamed of writing novels…and learned to let go and trust the Lord.
I would have never dreamed that it would lead me to where I am today. But the journey was worth it. And, I tried to put that perspective into the story.
I love this beautiful graphic that Revell made, pulling one of the quotes from the book:
I don’t know where you are in your journey today, but I do know that God is at work. We don’t have to be afraid. With God, we are more than conquerors and NOTHING will separate us from His love for us. (Romans 8:31-39). Not hurricanes, here or in Iowa, not weddings near or across the ocean, not even a world that feels very scary right now. Stay close to your people. Stay close to your God. This story is not over.
Just thoughts from my heart today. Stay well.
And thank you for being a friend.
Susie May
P.S. Suddenly homeschooling?! Need all the best advice in one place?
My amazing friend Tricia Goyer has put together aFANTASTIC homeschool starting guide for new (and old!) homeschoolers. Listen, she has a billion children, and home-schools them all, writes books, runs a podcast, and is always keeping it real. I so admire her, so when she put together this course I almost wished I still had children at home to school (almost!) check it out here. I have it on good knowledge that the price is going up TOMORROW, SO DON’T DELAY.
Tips on how to find curriculum, making a transcript, how to teach multiple ages at once, teaching from your strengths and even how to work at home AND school your kids! Amazing advice from the trenches. Check it out here!
