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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.
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Thank you all for your comments, prayers and thoughts. I recently went to the doctors and received a good report that I am healing well. He told me not to ride in the buggy for a few weeks, but I insisted that it wouldn't bother me so he said to give it a try. When we got home David hooked up the buggy to go to Martha's. We didn't get far done the road when I made him take me home. I never realized the way the buggy would feel and the bumps in the road and all that swaying, It really bothered me. So right now I will have to go places with a driver. The people across the street from us parents are the drivers we use the most. They don't really want any money from us since we are all neighbours for such trips trip,so we buy them some gas every so often which we have done.
Today was the last day of Susan's School year. The children went in the morning and the adults arrived before lunch time. We had the children receiving their report cards. All of us knew our children had good report cards or we would have been called before today. The eight graders received their graduation diplomas. None of the children receive awards as we do not believe in vanity. After that we received a shock-our teacher will not be returning for the next school year. She is getting married. This is not usually a shock, but she has been single all her life-she has never married. Now she is in her late 50's she will be marrying. Her future husband is a member of our meetings (church). He has been widowed for many years. Without any ones knowledge they have been courting for the last three years. He is in his early 60's and will be turning his farm to his youngest son who also will be marrying. He and our teacher will be moving into her home.
Her teacher's aide will be the new teacher starting in August. She had made it known she was leaving and told the school board but asked them not to make it public until today-which they agreed with except in asking the aide if she would be the new teacher. The older students and us parents were happy, but some of the younger students cried losing their teacher. She explained that she will still be living in her home and will come to visit. Well all congratulated her and her future husband. Us ladies planned on starting a wedding quilt for them.
Everyone family had bought a dish to pass-so they were laid out on the table. The children ate at the table and us parents ate sitting in our chairs. After dinner we sat and talked for about an hour when the boy school students asked the fathers to play baseball game-fathers against boys. David was asked to play and did. We ladies talked and watched the games. The younger girls played on the swings, and talked. The older girls watched the game. It did not rain today, but it had yesterday and grown was still muddy. Sure was funny watching some of the runners slide on the mud coming into base. This year the fathers won. I was told it goes back and forth-one year the fathers win, next year the boys win.
After the game we ate left- overs. The children felt bad that they were parting. We reminded them that they will still see their friends at meetings, when they play together this summer and more. It kind of softened the going home part. We got home in time to do chores, and David still had mud on him from the baseball game after chores so he took a shower. My maude (maid) took his clothes when he brought them out of the shower and hosed them down in the yard. In fact, we all had mud-so we changed our clothes. Tomorrow the maude will do a load of wash with our clothes in them. This is one time I am glad I have a maude-she gets to do the wash.
We had a good time although it was a bit sad that our teacher is leaving-we will still see her when she comes to visit and at meetings. Susan will be in second grade when she goes back to school. As Michael goes to public school, he wasn't able to attend Susan's school year ending-he had to go to school.
Be With God, Jean
Corn Flake Crunches
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup corn syrup
6 Cups Corn Flakes
1 Cup Peanut butter
2 Tbsp butter
Mix and bring to a boil the brown sugar, white sugar, corn syrup and butter. Bring to a hard boil. Remove from heat. Stir in the corn flakes and peanut butter. Drop by spoonful onto waxed paper. Let cool.
