I just posted yesterday, but today's the last day of August...thus, here's my farewell post!
August...this was one of those months that you just can't sum up in a sentence. So many different things happened, started, and ended. Sorry, but you just have to keep reading. ;)
Adventures in Life:
- I got to visit with the wonderful Hannah and her family for a short afternoon! It was delightful, like always. =)
- My summer break ended, and I started up with three online college classes (conversational Spanish, intro to short story, and music appreciation) as well as my usual piano and American Sign Language practices. Life's busy, but it's getting a bit more organized. =)
- Family time!!!! Woot!!! =)
- I finished a HUGE Ebay selling project that I've been working on for months! (I had boxes of books to sell for a friend) Phew.
- My family participated in the county fair and all won first place. That's small-town life for you! No one else enters! ;) Lol!
- The youngest ones in my family got chicken pox this month, and now we are fully immune for the rest of our lives. Yay!
- My second oldest brother started college. *sob* =(
- I got some new pets for a little while. =) Full story: As I got ready to start mowing our lawn, I looked down and saw some rodents wiggling down in the grass. Pausing to see what they were, I found a mother shrew with her little babies. As I ran inside to grab my siblings and show them, the mother left. This left me with three baby shrews that would have been quickly consumed by our boarder collie. Of course, that wasn't an option (try telling your little siblings that you fed baby "mice" to the dog!) ...so I ended up keeping the baby critters and feeding them drops of cream every three/four hours. I know! That was a lot of work. None of our friends wanted to take them off our hands, though we tried. =) In the end, we kept them for 5 lovely days. (This is where I give a lovely bow with a "The End" to keep the story from becoming sad) I know you want pictures. =) Aren't they the tiniest, most adorable shrews you ever saw? Or maybe the only ones you ever saw? ;)
Books I Read: 6
- A.D. 30 by Ted Dekker
- The Quest for Thunder Mountain by Ed Dunlop
- Samara's Peril by Jaye L. Knight
- Heart of Courage by Lois Walfrid Johnson
- The Betrayer's Fortune by Dave & Neta Jackson
- Will's World by Margery Mathis Henderson
My Favorite:
Hmm...my favorite was probably Heart of Courage. A.D. 30 and Samara's Peril would be close seconds, but they both had adult content...which definitely made me not enjoy them as much as I could have. But Heart of Courage is a fantastic addition to the Viking Quest series, which is now a family favorite. =)
My Least Favorite:
I read Will's World to fill a space for a reading contest. It's really short and not very interesting. But it fit in the category. =) Lol!
My New Creations:
I finished the second rough draft of Emblem of Hope!!!!!!!!!!! This made me SO happy. God definitely had a hand in this creation. I can't even imagine how I first sat down and decided to start a full length novel?! But I did and thanks to God I completed it! Now to editing...which is sweetened by the fact that I have a lovely editing partner to help me. ;)
Want some stats on my novel????
Pages (full length printer paper): 207
Word Count: 78,457
(Yes, it did take a while. Phew)
I finished the second rough draft of Emblem of Hope!!!!!!!!!!! This made me SO happy. God definitely had a hand in this creation. I can't even imagine how I first sat down and decided to start a full length novel?! But I did and thanks to God I completed it! Now to editing...which is sweetened by the fact that I have a lovely editing partner to help me. ;)
Want some stats on my novel????
Pages (full length printer paper): 207
Word Count: 78,457
(Yes, it did take a while. Phew)
Blog Friends:
Some inspirational posts that you should check out...
From the blog Apples of Gold by Jessica
From the blog Bonnie's Blessings by guest speaker Megan
From the blog Penprints by Rosalie Valentine
Blog Posts:
Here are the archives! =)
I don't know where to put this...so I put it right here. =) I wanted to share this song by Hawk Nelson that I listened to for the first time this month. It is So. Good. Everyone should be reminded of the importance of our words!
Did you have any adventures in August? What's a favorite book you read this last month? Have you listened to Hawk Nelson before? Comment Below!
Oh my goodness you read a Ted Dekkar book? He's been on my TBR for s while now. (And he's the keynote speaker for Realm Makers next year!)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a great month!
*Dekker
DeleteYes, Alea!! This is actually the second book that I've read by him. =) They were both very good. I really recommend A.D. 33!! =)
DeleteThis post is so fun!!! And yes, we did have quite the fun time with you guys. :) I hope it won't be another year. *sob* And the guinea pigs are so cute. ;)
ReplyDeleteAnd congratulations on finishing your second draft!!! I can't wait to read it. :) *happy sigh*
I always can't wait for your monthly highlight posts! Don't you think they're more fun when you know the person in real life or just really well??
I'm so glad we got to get together with you guys, Hannah! =) That was a fun day. ;)
DeleteI'm excited to share it with you soon! Thanks for being my Alpha reader! =) It makes editing so much more inviting...I'm actually looking forward to it!
Oh definitely. Reading monthly highlights is not half as interesting when you don't know the person! But I do like seeing pictures of the person's life and what they are reading/writing/learning. =)
I'm glad that you had such a great month, Hosanna! :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on finishing the second draft of "Emblem of Hope"! I hope that the editing goes well for you.
I really like the song Words too! It is so great! :D
I had a lot of fun reading about you month. :)
Oh! You know the song Words too, Rebekah? That's awesome! I only just heard it this month, but it has quickly become a favorite. =)
DeleteThank you! I'm very excited about editing and perfecting the manuscript for you guys to read in the future, God willing. ;)
Have a wonderful month!!
Hey Hosanna! This post is great! I have had a lot of fun this month and learned a lot. I haven't had much time for my hobbies, but I've had a good month. My post for August is up as well on my blog, Spreading My Joy! I would love it if you could check it out! :)
ReplyDeleteWith love and all joy,
Allie D.
www.alliesblogdesigns.blogspot.com
www.friendlovesatalltimes.blogspot.com
www.sincerelyallied.blogspot.com
www.spreadingmyjoy.blogspot.com
Thanks, Allie! I can totally relate...it's been a busy month, hasn't it? And thank you for sharing that! I'll be sure to hop on over to your blog. =)
DeleteWonderful post, Hosanna!!
ReplyDeleteOkay, I know this is really weird. But in the story I'm writing, my main character has a brother. And I can't decide whether or not he looks like your brother (the curly-haired one). Okay, that was random. Moving on...
You had baby shrews?! I showed my mom the picture and she made a face. XD She's been a little grossed out by shrews ever since we found a grown one. Scuttling around. In our basement. And she had to catch it, poor thing. =D Did you guys name the shrews? I'm sure my sister Skylar would have if we had baby shrews. =) She loves animals (except for the kind that can hurt you, like bees and such =))
Eeeeep, you finished the second draft of 'Emblem of Hope'?! Will you be asking for beta readers by any chance...? Are you going to look into it getting published soon?
We had an adventure in the beginning of August! We were going to be going to a recital Skylar was performing in, but it turned out there was a tornado warning. Then it rained like the Flood was coming on. But God protected us, and by the time we got to the recital, the rain was pretty much gone!! It was exciting while the tornado warning was going on...I love tornadoes. =)
Yeah, I've listened to Hawk Nelson! I've heard "Drops in the Ocean' which is a great song!! Have you heard it?
I pray you have a wonderful school year! =)
-Ariel
Wooooaaah, that got long. Yeesh. XD Do you mind such long comments....?
Delete-Ariel
Hahahaha, Ariel!! I don't care at all if you make your character look like my brother! I like him a lot. ;) He has a very serious personality and knows pretty much everything. =)
DeleteOh dear! Yes, that could put a damper on your love for shrews. Lol. I *unofficially* named them after a friend who LOVED them. I think the names were Julie, Julia, and Giles. (the "G" is pronounced as a "J") Lol.
I know!!! I'm so excited to share Emblem of Hope with you all some day! I know I'll have Beta readers...but I think I'll chose and pick them. (not let just anyone sign up like some authors do) I prefer that way better. But I'll definitely let you know. ;) And my *estimated* publishing date is maybe March/April. =) Sorry for the long wait... ;)
I have been in tornado warnings too! It's a bit scary... but also pretty exciting. =) And I love rain. *sigh* I'm glad there wasn't a real flood over there! Now THAT would be bad. =P
No! I haven't heard "Drops in the Ocean"...but now I will. ;)
Thank you, Ariel! And yes, I DO love long comments. =)
I love reading highlight posts. :) Your August sounded really fun!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading your monthly highlight posts too, Emily. =) I did have an awesome August, and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes up in September! =)
DeleteFirst of all, CONGRATULATIONS!! You finished your second draft of Emblem of Hope... Aaarghhh! XD
ReplyDeleteCan I ask, did the shrews live? Whenever we've found young animals like this and *tried* to rescue them... it didn't work. But you're probably much more qualified and knowledgeable in this area!
And YESS! I do know Hawk Nelson. They aren't my favourite, but they have some great songs. (And in saying that they aren't my favourite, that's not just my polite way of saying I don't like them. I DO like them, and their song, Words, is so impactful, but I know other singers/groups who ARE my favourite... like "I Am They" and Audrey Assad. X))
You know the band "I Am They" Jordy?? That's really cool! Some of our friends looove them. ;) I've listened to them before and they're good! =)
DeleteI KNOW JORDY!!! I'm so excited about that. =) I hope I can finish the editing in record time so I can send it to you... ;)
DeleteHaha...well...I wasn't going to share the end of the shrews' lives for that reason. We have rescued many different animals, but the shrews didn't survive. We fed and loved them for five days before they all died. After that time (horrible as it sounds) we weren't too upset about it...because we were able to find out what a shrew was, love on them, and experience their short lives. If they had lived longer, it would have been difficult to care for them consistently. =( (feeding them every 3-4 hours got old)
I haven't listened to other Hawk Nelson songs either, so I can't say if he's a favorite. =) I just love that song. =) I also haven't heard of your favorites...so I'll look them up! Steven Curtis Chapman is a long time favorite for me. =)
Thanks for your long comment, by the way. ;)
Hannah, they are good, aren't they? Some of their songs (I think the older ones) feel like Scandinavian hymns to me. My favourite is 'King of Love'.
DeleteHosanna, I see (about the shrews). Well I'm glad you were able to enjoy them and learn about them for a time. And now you know you tried. :)
I've definitely heard of Steven Curtis Chapman (I believe abbreviated to SCC?). I haven't listened to his songs a lot, though. Maybe I should. :)
And yes! I would L.O.V.E. to read Emblem of Hope when you finish the edits. XD Please do send it to me.
I would be delighted to, Jordy. =) I know your input would be appreciated. =)
DeleteAnd yes! I do call him SCC...but sometimes people don't know who I'm talking about. ;) I would really recommend you listen to some of his songs. My personal favorite (along with many others) is "Do Everything." =)
Sounds like a fabulous month! I haven't read any of these books, but the Ilyon Chronicles has been on my TBR. ;) And I LOOOOVE "Words"!!! :D
ReplyDeleteHappy September!
That's awesome, Faith!! The Ilyon Chronicles is amazing. I loved the first two books...but the third one was disappointing in that it had one scene with adult content that made me uncomfortable. =( I still enjoyed it though.
DeleteYES! Isn't it a great reminder? "Words can build us up, words can break us down..." and "I don't want to say a word unless it points the world back to you." That should be our heart cry at all times!
Three cheers for county fairs!! Those are always fun :D
ReplyDeleteOh, haha, the chicken pox. Well, guess that’s a good thing then! My family’s been trying to get it for the past four years or so…but for some reason, though we’ve even gone to chicken pox parties *shudders* we just haven’t been able to get it :/
Ooohhhh…..the shrews are so adorable!! So cute! :)
Really enjoyed reading about your month, Hosanna! Hope you have a fabulous September =)
I know, Blessing! Some of the things we go through to get sick? Ugg. =P I'm so thankful that I got it already though! =)
DeleteThank you!! They were adorable. =D
Have a wonderful next month!! =)
Sounds like your August was amazing, Hosanna! AND YOU FINISHED EMBLEM OF HOPE! *highfive* It always feels SO good to finish another draft, doesn't it? If you ever need beta readers, I'd LOVE to help with that :).
ReplyDeleteOhhh! Thank you Savannah!!!! I'll be sure to let you know when I need Beta Readers. =) And yeeeeeeees!!! I'm super excited!!! It DOES feel so good! I know God definitely helped me through this process. It's not every day you finish a rough draft, right?! ;)
DeleteYou and Ariel are both so eager to read my novel! I LOVE it! =D You're the best! <3