I’m excited to have award-winning, best-selling author, Jody Hedlund, on my blog today.
Her latest release, Unending Devotion, hit shelves this past Saturday. I’m reading it right now and absolutely loving it. In fact, I was so desperate to read it yesterday, I gave my son some books to look at in his stroller and read Jody’s book while I walked the dog. Multi-tasking at it’s finest.
If you are a fan of historical romance, don’t miss Jody’s books. She’s one of the best!
Secret #4: My Hardest Life Experience so Far
By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund
Life has a way of throwing some hard things our ways sometimes, doesn’t it?
I’ve had a number of hard things come my way, including the death of my dad when I was twenty-two years old. He died of a heart-attack when he was only 50. It happened so suddenly and unexpectedly that I never had the chance to tell him goodbye.
And while that was hard, even more difficult was when I gave birth to my twin babies.
At that time, we’d just moved to Michigan. I was busy unpacking boxes, had a two year old son, and was hugely pregnant. I thought I had two months to finish getting ready for the new babies.
But boy was I mistaken.
During a routine doctor’s visit at thirty weeks gestation, I discovered I was in labor. I hadn’t felt any contractions and my water hadn’t broken, but I was well on my way to having the babies. So the doctor ordered an ambulance to take me to the closest hospital with a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) so that after the babies were born they could receive the best possible care.
Fortunately that hospital was only thirty minutes from my home. But unfortunately I was going to have to be in the hospital for the duration of my pregnancy. Having a husband with a brand new job, a toddler who needed constant care, and knowing very few people in the community, complicated the situation immensely.
Family rallied to our support. Both Moms offered to come and stay with us during the difficult days ahead.
But my twins were determined to enter the world early. And after only a week in the hospital, my labor continued to progress against the best efforts to stop it.
My twin daughters were born NINE weeks early. They weighed 3.0 lbs. each. One of them had to be on a ventilator to help her breathe. And both of them were hooked up to numerous machines in an incubator.
When I was finally allowed to hold one of my daughters, I could fit her in my hand.
The first time I walked into my new home after being released, I cried of a broken heart. I was so distraught to return home empty-handed and leave my babies at the hospital.
But somehow I managed to survive the month of half-living at the hospital and half at home with my toddler (who wasn’t allowed in the NICU).
Now my daughters are 13 years old, healthy, and beautiful young ladies.
The hardship still haunts me. But I’ve learned that difficulties come into our lives to help us become more grateful for our blessings.
How about you? What’s the most difficult experience you’ve faced in your life?
Publisher’s Weekly calls Unending Devotion “A meaty tale of life amid the debauchery of the lumber camps of 1880s Michigan . . . exciting and unpredictable to the very end.”
To celebrate the release of Unending Devotion, Jody is giving away a signed copy. Leave a comment to enter the drawing. Valid only with US or Canadian addresses. Giveaway ends:
For more secrets about Jody and additional chances to win her newest release, visit her Events Page to see where she’ll be next in her “Fun Secrets About Author Jody Hedlund” blog tour.
Also join in the Pinterest Photo Contest she’s hosting. Find more information about it on her Contest Page.
Jody would love to connect with you! Find her in one of these places:
Website: http://jodyhedlund.com/
Blog: http://jodyhedlund.blogspot.com/
Facebook: Author Jody Hedlund
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JodyHedlund
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jodyhedlund
If this is your first time visiting my cyber home, I would LOVE to send you a welcome packet. You can find a sign up button at the top and at the bottom of this page. So go whichever way you choose. 🙂
