To say the last month or so has been busy would be an understatement. Five weeks ago, I had to relocate my mom to a new assisted living facility. Three days after she was settled in I flew to Columbus, Ohio, to help our daughter Samantha out by watching our 2-year-old granddaughter and working on some projects with Samantha as she prepared for baby #2 to arrive, who was due Oct. 5.
My Scottish time-travel book, Royal & Ancient, was released October 2. Even though I had very little time to promote it, it held the No. 1 New Release spot in its genre on Amazon for a full week. (Order yours now, AmandaLauer.com or Amazon. I still don’t have time to adequately promote it!)
October 12, my husband John drove my dad out to Columbus and that evening we celebrated my dad’s 85th birthday and our son-in-law Dave’s birthday (both October 11) with all of our children and grandchildren plus Dave’s family at brewery/food truck spot. The next day our youngest daughter Elizabeth got married along the banks of the Scioto River in Columbus. The following day she and Richie had their wedding pictures taken and held their reception at The Kitchen in downtown Columbus. We enjoyed a sumptuous meal and danced the night away celebrating the newlywed couple.
The good news is that Samantha and Ryan got to enjoy the whole wedding weekend because Baby Boy decided to take his time arriving. Thus, John, my dad and I drove home without meeting the little guy. The day after we left Samantha went into labor and on early Tuesday morning, October 17, Henry Theodore was born. At 9 pounds, 1 ounce, and 22 inches long, he was certainly well done! And all that black hair! He was the spitting image of him mom when she was born.
Or course, being a huge fan of babies, particularly our grandchildren, I booked a flight back to Columbus on Nov. 11 to meet Henry. But, when Samantha asked if I could come early, I booked another flight October 28. So, I’ll have two full weeks in Columbus, with one week back home in between. By the time I get back, we’ll be just four days out from Thanksgiving.
While I’m in Columbus the second time in November, on the 17th, the fifth book in my Heaven Intended Civil War series, A Faith Such as Heaven Intended, will be released. (Again, please order your copy when it becomes available. I’ll have even less time to promote this book!)
The last two weeks should’ve been dedicated to working on book #6 in my Civil War series, but, instead, I’ve spent nine days sorting through all my mom’s items that have been stored in my basement since she first went into an assisted living facility in 2019. We’ve downsized her from a two-story, three-bedroom home, to a one-bedroom apartment, to a studio apartment, to a bedroom. As you can imagine, it’s a lot of stuff. Hundreds of items to be categorized, photographed, and posted on Facebook to give my friends and family first dibs at everything.
Two days out from leaving for Columbus, we’re down to the last few items. 32 to be precise. Will they be dispatched before I depart? Who knows, in between here and there I have a presentation to give on my books at a local parish, a luncheon, items to deliver, a pair of jeans to shop for, Bible study, Mass, and packing (which I haven’t even started yet).
All this busyness is worth it because it means I get to spend special time holding Baby Henry, playing with his big sister, and hanging out with Samantha and Ryan. Someday I’ll rest, but I’m happy with the packed schedule I’m currently facing and doing my best to savor each moment of every day.