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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. |
We attended Susan's School program. Poor Susan got up to say the poem she memorized and forgot part of it. She started to cry. We were sitting up front and David tried to whisper loudly enough so she could hear them, but she was too upset. What we tried to tell her later that she wasn't the only first grader that forgot what they were suppose to say-and she wasn't. We believe she was just nervous for her first time in front of all those people. She got home and we asked her to tell us the poem and she did it perfectly.
I was surprised to find that I got my new washer and dryer for Christmas. I saw the Sears truck pull up one day and couldn't figure whey they were here. Thought maybe they had the wrong house. The man came to the door to check our name and address, then opened the back of the truck where I saw the washer and dryer. I didn't know that David and Michael had moved the old washer the night before. David had made sure there was a hook up and vent for the dryer.
All this was going on and I didn't even know it. I had a washer but this was my first dryer. I still try to hang clothes, sheets, towels, etc. outside, but when it gets real cold that dryer is great. Now they won't freeze nor do I have to hang clothes in the basement. My washer went to the lady that didn't have one. David went over and made sure it was working. Then he, Michael and a couple of friends moved it over to her house.
That woman was really surprised. When they delivered the washer, I gave them a box of food. We found she hardly had any food in her house so we knew we had to do more. One of our deacons contacted her church-they didn't know how much she needed or she had such problems. Both churches bought her and her children Christmas Gifts. Her church bought Christmas tree, ornaments, television, etc. We bought them blankets, cooked food, gave them canned goods, some quilts we made, we took money and more. It warmed our hearts to see their reaction to all they were given. They really appreciated receiving it and we enjoyed giving it.
When Michael came up from the basement one evening he said our basement was more modern than my kitchen. The washer, dryer and freezer are the modern silver color. In the kitchen are white appliances, the cupboards are the original that David's grandparents built in when they built the house. We have since put new tile on the floor and replaced the counter top-but that's it. When we get our new house built we are selling, we think, to one of our relatives. They said to tell them if we wanted to sell as they wanted it. Now we are wondering if we should do the kitchen over. If we did, I would want to knock the wall down between the kitchen and the dining room.
In our kitchen we have a table, but we also have a dining room. I would want to enlarge the kitchen a bit and have it so you talk with your dining guests while your in the kitchen. That way guests wouldn't have to be in the kitchen, feel they must help but you could still talk. Also, I would want to make the doorway wider between the kitchen and the dining room. Make it so two people could come through at the same time. Move the food faster. David has his parents and my grand-parents houses to do first. Of course Michael will be helping when he can.
Before the public school closed for Winter vacation (we call it Christmas vacation) we got called to the school. It seems some of the Michael's classmates had been bullying him because of his living with us. Michael did not tell us this and we asked him why. He said that he didn't want us to know and he could handle it. We explained to him that was kind of him, but we are his parents and have a right to know what is going on. The principal had spoken to some of the students about this, but it was still happening. David and I offered to come to the school and speak with the students and their parents.
We want this bullying stopped. If the students or classmates had a problem, we would rather hear it than our having Michael hear it. Michael was given to us by the state and he has no say where he lives. We are glad we want to adopt him and he wants us to adopt him, but we don't want his classmates giving him a hard time.
Some of the things these classmates have said are we are not smart people. We are dumb because we drive a buggy, don't have television, listen to music and more. That our school is a one room school house. They do not belong to our meetings, but have seen Michael dressed in his meeting clothes and mock him. We are willing to go to school to talk with the students to let them know our way of life and why. Michael does not wear his meeting clothes to school-he dresses like the other students. Also, we are praying for how to handle this.
If any of you have any questions, I would be glad to answer them for you, if I can. Hope you all are enjoying the New Year.
Be With God, Jean
Pork Chops and Acorn Squash or Potatoes: 6 pork chops 12 prunes dried 12 whole cloves 12 apricots dried 1 cup orange juice (use more if desired) Squash or potatoes Brown chops in pan. Put cloves into prunes. Arrange prune, apricots, potatoes or squash on top of chops. Pour orange juice over all ingredients and cook covered over low heat, about 45 minutes. Enjoy. Jean
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| Recipe of the week this Wednesday featuring picture's from reader Lissa Holders apple butter and shoofly pie using Jeans recipes. |
