Graduation Party, Mission Trip, and Loads of Books || June recap

Yes, I'm aware that June ended last week—aware, but in complete and total disbelief. Hoowww is half the year already gone?! Sometimes I feel like time is just slipping through my fingers. I grasp it and hold on as long as I can, but it still slips away, and only the memories remain.

(Yeah, I'm kinda sidetracked. But aftermath of the trip + glitchy internet is my excuse for the tardiness of this recap, sooo... Let's move it on out.)

|| Life. ||

>> I hosted a readathon! After asking around on Goodreads, I got a lot of positive feedback, so I ended up hosting a weekend readathon. It was lots of fun and I plan to do it again sometime!


>> My parents hosted a graduation party for little ol' me at our church fellowship hall one Saturday. I acted like I'm the adult that my birthday is about to force me to be and talked and peopled and surprisingly survived... *wink*

>> I went on a missions trip, to a town about five and a half hours from my home, with my family and youth group. And, y'all, it was amazing. We roofed houses and built handicap ramps and made new friends and laughed way too hard. <3 I won't go into great detail here, but keep an eye out on Chosen Vessels for a post about that fabulous week of my summer.

>> Two of my bestest friends started a cover design/formatting business! Hop on over and check it out. :D


>> Um...that's all?? I know that tons of other things happened in June, but I can't think of another worth mentioning! I took a million and one mirror selfies and sunsets pictures, and listened to oodles of music...not that any of that is new. xD

|| Books. ||

// Reads 

Andi Dreams of Gold by Susan K. Marlow -- 4 stars
Andi Far From Home by Susan K. Marlow -- 4.5 stars
Have Courage, Be Kind: The Tale of Cinderella by Brittany Candau -- 5 stars
Chasing Sunsets by Karen Kingsbury -- 5 stars
Brush of Wings by Karen Kingsbury -- 4 stars
At the Little White Cabin by Marian Schooland -- 4 stars
George Washington: The Crossing by Jack E. Levin -- 4 stars

// Books

I got oodles of books this month! I hit a library bookstore clearance one weekend and got The Crossing, Land of Silence, Beyond All Dreams, D-Day: 1944, and the WWII collection. 

I ordered Signs of the Times from Thriftbooks because I'll need it for ASL class (next month *gulp*)...so I just had to get Deepest Roots of the Heart and Remember Wake as well. ;)

Lastly, I bought Kate's Innocence from the author. And Emmeline, Trouble in Scotland, and Time-Life: Billy Graham were gifts! <3

Does this series have some amazing covers and spines or what?! My aunt gave me the first 15 books of the 24-book series. Can't wait to give them a try!

|| Writing. ||

Well, June wasn't exactly a record-breaking month on the writing home front. (That doesn't even make sense...)

As I started in May, I continued in Go Teen Writers' 100-for-100 writing challenge. I wrote 3,412 words, all in One Summer, the prequel to Dandelion Dust.

I was filling rather discouraged on this particular project. I couldn't focus, the words weren't coming, and I wasn't even sure I wanted to finish it. But, because I chose it as my project for 100-for-100, I was eking out the minimal word count each day.

But then...the mission trip happened (for which I took a break week from writing), and I returned home with oodles of inspiration. So now I'm happily writing the mandatory words each day—and then some! I'm not sure what I'll do with this book once I've finished, but I'm pleased with how it's turning out. <3

|| Blogging. ||

// Favorite Posts 

The Barefoot Gal ~ A Letter to All the Baby Graduates

Colorful, Creative Cards ~ Broken is Beautiful Too

Rachelle Rea Cobb ~ How to Write a Romance Novel Even if You're Single

One Name ~ They Forgot. He Remembered.

Ink Blots and Coffee Stains ~ They Say We are World Changers // a poem

Ordinary Girl, Extraordinary Father ~ Maybe

Precious Treasures of God ~ The Lost Art of Listening

Totally Graced ~ Sweet Summertime

Important Nothings ~ Wonder

// My Posts 

Part One ~ Part Two ~ Part Three

|| Goals. ||

// June Goals

>> Read 10 books.      Heh, nope.

>> Write 5,000 words.      Another no. xD

>> Work on new scenes for A Soldier's Freedom.       #failed

>> Post my short story from April on here.        YES! So glad y'all enjoyed it. :D

>> Share about the trip with y'all.          Another nope...let's try for this month.

>> Go on a missions trip.           Mhm. <33

>> Celebrate my 3rd blogging anniversary and the 1st anniversary of my precious debut novella.         I ended up not celebrating my book anniversary on here, but I did have a book sale last week in celebration. :)

// July Goals

>> Read 8 books.

>> Write 10,000 words.

>> Finish another edit of A Soldier's Freedom + get it ready to send to betas.

>> Finish writing One Summer.

>> Post weekly on both blogs.

In case y'all wondered what a tired, overheated
version of Faith looks like...

How was your first month of summer, lovelies?! Tell me all about it. <3 Who else is swimming and loving the heat? Any summer book recommendations? Wanna be a beta-reader of A Soldier's Freedom? (Sign up here!) Got any ideas for random questions I can include here next month?? xD

Later,
~Faith