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| Jean is old order Mennonite from New York State. Jean and her husband David and family live on a dairy farm, and travel their community using horse and buggy. She tells her story exclusively on Amish Stories. |
On October 5th our family legally became another person larger-Michael’s adoption went through and he is a legal member of our family. We took both Edward and Michael out of school, as well as Susan out of her school. All of us, including David Jr., went to the court house along with Martha, Joseph, our Bishop, deacons and ministers from our meeting (church) and some of the people from our meeting.
After the judge went over the papers he asked Michael if he wanted to join our family and Michael said yes. Being that Michael is under 18, the judge didn’t have to do that-but did. Judge approved the adoption and slammed his gavel announcing that Michael was not a legal member of our family.
They usually take pictures of the family after the adoption and Michael wanted one. We looked at our Bishop and he said if we didn’t face the camera-so we all turned around and the pictures were taken from behind (their backs)-our faces don’t show. Edward wasn’t going to get in the pictures as he was not a family member. We explained that he's not legally yet, but when his Grandmother signed him over to us he became a member our family in our eyes-so he got in the pictures. In about a year we will be back here again making Edward our son.
Afterwards we went to our house with Martha, Joseph and their children were there along with David and my parents. The Mother’s had prepared Michael’s favorite dinner for him while we were at the court house. We had hamburgers, potato salad, Cole slaw, baked beans, chow chow, and chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Michael hung the adoption paper in a frame, on the wall in his bedroom.
David and I also gave me him a carved wooden certificate with a prayer on it and the date of his adoption with all out signatures on the bottom. They aren’t our real signatures-David carved it so it looks like we all signed including David Jr. and Susan.
We told Edward next year will be his turn. He said nothing would be different, but I said the dinner would be. The hamburgers and salads would change to pork ribs, greens, grits, and pineapple upside down cake. That gave us all a good laugh.
We can take Michael out of school, but seeing that Edward would still have to stay in-Michael wants to stay in school. Michael doesn’t like school even though he gets high marks, but he doesn’t want Edward going to the public school alone. After David and I had a discussion-we agreed Michael could stay in at least this school year. We will reconsider public school when Edward’s adoption goes through next year. Edward doesn’t care for school, either, so they could both “graduate” in our eyes anyway, next year.
Susan loves her big brothers, but still wants to know when we are going to get another girl. What she doesn’t know is that David and I have been looking through Foster Home for a girl we could adopt whether baby or older.
Be With God,
Jean
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White Castle Hamburgers: make your own! |
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
About 1 1/2 cups water, divided
3/4 cup diced onions
1 beef bouillon cube
1/2 to 1 cup water
Place ground beef, salt and 1/2 cup of the water in a food process, and process for a few seconds to ensure that water and salt are blended through the beef.
Place plastic wrap on the counter. Place hamburger in the middle, then place another pieces of plastic wrap on top of the meat. Roll the hamburger out to 1/4-inch thick. Remove plastic wrap; cut meat into 3-inch squares. Perforate each piece five times with a plastic straw (this forms the steam holes). Cover hamburger squares with plastic wrap. Freeze until partially frozen, but no frozen solid.
Place onions, beef bouillon and 1/2 cup water in a frying pan. Sauté over medium-low heat, stirring until the onions are clear, and adding more water as needed. Remove from heat until ready to cook hamburger patties.
To prepare patties, heat frying pan over medium-low heat; add water to onions just until the bottom of the frying pan is covered. Place patties in pan; cover with lid. It will only take a short time for the patties to cook on one side. Turn, and cook on the other side for a very short time. The patties should be juicy.
Place each hamburger on top of a roll. Add pickles, then cover hamburgers so they will steam lightly. Or you can cover them and put them into the microwave for a few seconds. Recipe from www.recipegoldmine.com. Image's from Mag3737s-- Kfisto--Roger Penguino all from flickr.
Coming this Friday: (Oct 26) a
post from someone who went to the Amish community in Nickel Mines where the
shooting had taken place laterally hours after, and who helped to bring comfort
to the grieving Amish families of the victims involved. I'm told that this is
the first time that he's talked about what he saw and experienced and he shares
his story here.
