It’s Been Quite the Year…
For some reason, I jumped on the cool mom bandwagon in January and chose a word to focus on for 2025. I generally don’t do this, but the word SERVE kept coming into my line of sight, so I thought it was a nudge from God that this should be my word for the year.
Well, the word SERVE certainly was appropriate. So appropriate, that I doubt if I’ll ever choose another annual word to focus on again. I feel like I’ve done nothing but serve so far this year. I’m more than happy to help my family and loved ones, but this year has been more than I bargained for.
My stepmom had surgery on January 6, which didn’t turn out as planned. She went into hospice on January 31 and passed away on March 9. By chance, on January 31, my dad failed to show up for the hospice meeting, and when John and I went to check on him, we discovered that he had fallen in his bathroom and had been on the floor for nine hours.
Our winter was spent driving back and forth between the hospital, the rehab center, and, when my dad was finally released from care, his house. Add to this, looking after my mom, who’s in assisted living under long-term hospice care for Alzheimer’s dementia. After my stepmom’s passing, there were countless tasks to be taken care of, including planning her funeral.
We had a smooth stretch for a while, where my biggest job for my dad was bringing him to various appointments, including his monthly immunotherapy for his metastatic melanoma. There were fun things as well, like soccer games for our grandkids, Bible study, errands, etc. Our biggest adventure was in August when we took him to Ohio for four days to spend time with his great-grandchildren, who live in Ohio, and the ones who traveled to Ohio from Seattle for the week.
The day after we got back, life got more complicated. I had to bring my dad to the ER for what turned out to be COVID. After a few days in the hospital, he was released, but then had a fall the following Friday. No major issues that day, but the following Thursday, he fell in his bathroom once again (for some reason, the fall detection alarm didn’t detect the fall, so we aren’t sure how long he was down before he was able to reach the pendant trapped under him and push the alarm).
He’s been in the hospital since, first in ER, then on the floor, then in ICU for four days, now back on the floor. His ailments included MRSA, severe sepsis, three broken ribs, pneumonia, a kidney injury, heart strain, rhabdomyolysis, and critically low blood pressure (69/35). If the MRSA responds to the antibiotics, and the infection hasn’t gone to his heart, he’ll be released to rehab this week.
While he’s in rehab, we’ll be figuring out a plan going forward that will provide the most comfortable and safe life for him. Lots of things to consider, facilities to visit, plans to make. But, at this moment, we’re taking life one day at a time.
Meanwhile, my sixth and final book in my Heaven Intended series was going through the publishing process for the last several months. A Hero Such as Heaven Intended was published today, Monday, September 8, 2025.
There was no formal launch, as I’ve been just doing what I can to keep my head above water, so I’ve passed this along to my agent, the Blessed Mother. This year of “service” has been a bit overwhelming, but numerous people have stepped forward to help me on my journey, particularly John, our kids, and some amazing friends, including Leslea Wahl, who put together memes for social media for this book and wrote a heartwarming review for the book that brought me to tears. (See below.)
A Hero Such as Heaven Intended is the sixth and final book in Amanda Lauer’s Heaven Intended Civil War romance series. From the opening pages of the first book, A World Such as Heaven Intended, I was hooked. I’ve always had a fascination with the complexities surrounding the Civil War that tore the nation and so many families apart. The premise of the story might have been what first attracted me, but it was the witty dialogue, engaging characters, and elements of faith that really drew me in.
Lauer is a gifted storyteller, perfectly blending history, intrigue, romance, and faith, keeping the reader eagerly turning the pages. Each book in the series focuses on a different young couple, making it easy to pick up any of the books. While the stories can be standalones, Lauer uniquely connects each of the storylines, making them even more appealing to readers.
Trapped in Atlanta, during the final critical months of the war, Theresa Lundgren’s life is far from what she’d hoped it would be. And then, in a split second, everything is turned upside down. A tragic event sparks the catalyst for Theresa’s journey of self-contemplation, renewal of faith, and even altering her values and life goals. This strong-willed Southern belle had set plans on how to ensure her future, but all that changes when she meets Sergeant Joseph Laurent at the scene of a crime. While resisting her new circumstances, Theresa soon discovers skills she doesn’t realize she possesses, unexpected feelings of compassion, and a fortitude that no one would have expected from this slightly self-centered woman.
When I discovered this was the last book in the Heaven Intended series, I was disappointed it was coming to an end, but I must say this was the perfect story to end on with an intriguing connection to the very first book in the series. Lauer brilliantly revisited a critical scene from that first novel, this time telling it from a completely different viewpoint. I eagerly went back to A World Such as Heaven Intended to reread and truly appreciate those superbly written passages.
This final story was such a joy to read, and while I dreaded the ending of the series, the last few chapters were so fulfilling, giving readers a chance to reconnect with all the various characters we’ve grown to care about during this literary journey. Thank you, Amanda Lauer, for this incredible series and the truly satisfying conclusion. You are a gifted writer, and I believe you were led to write this special series, making you an author such as heaven intended.
I don’t envision the rest of the year being any less busy, but the words of Christopher Robinson to his buddy Winnie the Pooh resonate with me at this moment. “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
To that point, I’ll keep moving forward. My dad and mom could use any prayers you’re willing to offer. If you’d like to support my writing efforts, please consider ordering the paperback or the Kindle version of A Hero Such as Heaven Intended today. If you’d like a signed paper, I make local deliveries, or I can drop a copy in the mail.
Thank you for being part of this journey with me!
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