"Yes, I will be with you all the way."
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We Are Surely Blessed by Ann Williams Trafford Publishing
book review by Barbara Mims Deming
The future stretches out in front of Leslie Johnson and his sweetheart, Esther Lundquist, with promises of a rich life on the farmlands of Iowa. In the fall of 1914, their marriage joins two prominent farm families who have prospered with hard work and perseverance. Leslie is confident that he can provide well for his bride and future family on the quarter section of farm land he has purchased. Esther knows she can work beside him, keep a home for them, and raise their children in order to do her part. Together, they prove themselves willing and able to build a good life, even when the war in Europe hangs a cloud over both families. Leslie, married with a family, doesn't get the call to serve, although three of the couple's brothers do.
Life on the farm ebbs and flows: Tornados, rain, drought, grasshoppers, good crops, sunshine, more weather, along with the birth of six children, the loss of parents, and the addition of leased acreage increasing the size of their farm, paints a vivid picture of what such families endured in the early twentieth century. Their children grow up, serve in another war, and have families of their own. Leslie's and Esther's dreams come true; this large family remains in the area, sons and their sons becoming farmers. It is an endless circle.
This is a touching and refreshing family saga with deep emotion carrying the reader along on the journey. The beautiful and wild backdrop of prairie farm land, a sweeping story of romance, hardship, wars, and new beginnings on an old foundation will capture the readers interest. Williams writes with authority. Though fictionalized, the book is based on her heritage—that of the two families presented here. She offers a visual, believable image of what hardships and joys, these early farmers endured.