Long time, no see, lovely readers!
My how I’ve missed you these weeks I’ve been away! While I’ve been really busy during this little hiatus from the bloggie, I’ve missed connecting with you here. A lot. So believe me when I say that I am SO excited to be back!
Lots of things have happened in the past weeks. My oldest started 1st grade, my youngest started K3, and I’ve been working like a maniac. We’re back to our school routine and looking forward to the cooler temps of fall.
I’ve finished up the history course I was writing for the university (Praise the Lord!) and I must say, that was an experience. Throughout it all I was reminded of how much I love history and how much I love teaching– and how much I do not love writing curriculum, especially for someone else to teach. But, I do love the history and I look forward to teaching it again someday.
With that coursework now behind me I can FINALLY get back to my writing!! I have had MAJOR writing withdrawals. But the forced time away from it has been really healthy, I think. I’ve been able to hash out some more details for my WIP and I’ve come up with a new series idea that I absolutely cannot wait to start on. I don’t know if I’ll be able to wait, actually– that’s how excited I am about it. More about that later.
On to the big news and some updates!
During my time away from you, readers, my family received some very exciting news.
I am expecting! Our third child will be joining us in late March. 
It’s still early in the pregnancy, so I ask for your prayers for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. We are thrilled with this news, of course. I’ll be sharing more about this in another post– this is another miracle as we wade through the waters of infertility, and gratefulness doesn’t even begin to describe my feeling. God is a miracle worker, friends.
Update:
Several weeks ago I shared with you about Rachael, the young girl from my church who is struggling with cancer. You can click on the link to read her story, but I wanted to update you on her current status. Rachael has undergone several rounds of chemo and has 
celebrated her 12th birthday! Last week she went in for a CT and was told that the tumor, while still massive and present, appears to be shrinking and in some places, appears to be dead. While we were all praying for the cancer to be gone from her body, this is the best news, other than a miracle.
Rachael will now undergo another round of chemo starting this week and then will have a very invasive, very big surgery to remove the tumor that is attached to several organs. Please pray for her, friends. Please pray for this sweet girl and her family. I know that Rachael wants to get back to the soccer field and back to school as soon as she possibly can. What a wild summer she’s had!
Now for some blog news– I will be back to my regular posting schedule from now on, with a few minor interruptions.
Mark your calendars for the week of September 17-21!!! My dear friend Lacie Nezbeth and I have planned a HUGE and FUN celebration that week that you are NOT going to want to miss. There will be tons of fun and TONS of GIVEAWAYS!! 
Hope you’ve all had a wonderful summer. Update me on how YOU are doing!!
Share with me: What’s been keeping you busy this summer? What news, praises, prayer requests do you have to share? Any great books you’ve read that I need to put on my to-be-read list?
Hale and Hearty Words 