Hi Friends! Like most of you, I have a busy 4th of July weekend. I’ll be hanging out with friends at a barbecue and watching fireworks. Then my family is coming to visit for a few days (my two brothers and their wives and children) and we’ll be traveling to Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes and Traverse City for the Cherry Festival. It’ll be a busy but very fun time!
Actually, summer tends to be busy all the time for my large family! Everyone is going a hundred different directions every day.
My oldest son is home from his first year at Cedarville University in Ohio. He’s a finance major and so has an internship this summer selling life insurance. It’s been an interesting experience for him to dress up in a suit each day and work at making sales.
My twin daughters are both working too. One is a lifeguard at a pool (and teaches swimming lessons) and the other works as a teacher’s assistant at a daycare. We have three cars to spread around the family, and let me tell you some days it’s a full time job trying to figure out who gets the car at what times!
Senior pictures on Lake Huron!
We’ll have a little bit of a break from the hectic schedule when my twin daughters both go to Guatemala in a few weeks to work with AIDS infected orphans. I’m excited that they have the opportunity, but my mama heart is really nervous for them to be in such a challenging environment.
My two youngest children (12 and 10 years old) are on a swim team and so are getting plenty of time in the pool every day. My youngest daughter also really loves ballet and so is involved in a couple of ballet camps this summer.
As usual, I’ve been busy being an author and recently completed writing my second novel for the year. After finishing, I took a week to work on editing two other books. One is my Newton and Polly book, which releases in September.
While I had my usual moments of angst with the final edit, the story brought me to tears (in a good way) on a couple of occasions. To date, it’s the hardest book I’ve written, but it also has a very powerful message that I hope will bring many readers a fresh awareness of God’s amazing grace.
Within the next week, I’ll be jumping into writing my third novel of 2016. And whenever I’m in the midst of writing a first draft, I’m in happy-land!
Even though life is busy, we’ve managed a couple of fun trips. Our first one was a family canoe trip on the Chippewa River.
Here I am steering the canoe with my 12 year old son!
On another trip we hiked Silver Lake Sand Dunes (aka The Sahara Dessert of Michigan). Of course, I managed to twist arms and convince everyone to visit a nearby lighthouse, Little Sable Point Light. After climbing 139 steps to the top of the tower, we had a picnic at the base of the light and dipped our toes in the chilly Lake Michigan.
Hiking Silver Lake Sand Dunes
Little Sable Point Lighthouse
What are YOU up to so far this summer? We’d love to hear!
Jody Hedlund
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Hmm, you neglected to mention that your summer has included a Christy win for Luther and Katharina! 🙂 Not to mention a Carol Award finalist for that book! So thrilled for you!
Loved getting a glimpse of the fun your family is having!
Thank you, Linda! Yes, this was definitely award week and I’ve been thrilled and overwhelmed by the book love! 🙂
This summer, hubby and I are going to visit our son and daughter-in-love in Mount Pleasant SC. We are very excited about seeing them. 🙂 We are also going to see Casting Crowns this summer.
Hi Melissa, Being with family is always the best way to spend a vacation in my opinion! Hope it’s a wonderful trip! 🙂
My siblings and I will be at Traverse City’s Cherry festival too.We are going to see the Blue Angels!Are you and your family planning on watching the air show? If you have not seen it before, it is really worth watching (and hearing). 🙂
Oh, my goodness, you really are busy! I’m exhausted and impressed just reading your blog. And a third book in 2016?! My sun-hat off to you, Jody!