Sunday at church services son Benjamin and Joanna were published (an announcement of their wedding date is made by the bishop to everyone) to be married on Friday, September 25, 2026, Lord willing. The invitations are passed out after the service then to everyone. We are happy for both and wish God’s many blessings upon them as they join hands as one in marriage. Their wedding will be held at the local Amish Community Youth Center.
Our big house will seem empty with only son Kevin left here with Joe and I. It doesn’t seem possible that our seven oldest children are on their own. Kevin will turn 21 on September 2. Where did the time go?
Daughter Elizabeth, Tim and family attended church services in our district to be there when Benjamin and Joanna were published. Ervin and daughter Susan went to church at his parents in Northern Indiana that day so they couldn’t be there. Of course, daughter Verena and Daniel Ray are already in our church district so they were there too.
Tim’s came here after church services. They stayed for supper, also Daniel Ray, Verena and Joanna came over as well. The men grilled wings, pepper poppers and hot dogs while we made mashed potatoes and gravy in the house. Also on the menu was corn, cheese, and hot dog condiments along with ice cream.
Joe’s uncle Ed from Ohio passed away yesterday morning. Aunt Rachel passed away three years ago. Our sympathy goes to the children, grandchildren and extended family. We regret that we are unable to attend the funeral.
We have a few more family birthdays. Happy 24th birthday to son Joseph on July 24. My mother died when Joseph was eight weeks old. She had been there when Joseph was born, which was a home birth. I always felt better when she was there during the labor and delivery. She was there for each of my six oldest children’s births. She was always finding something to clean around the house or making a meal for Joe and I and Joe’s aunt who was my midwife.
This time she was there but just sitting in the hickory rocker. She said she was cold and Joe gave her a coat to wear and a blanket. Little did we realize that we only had eight weeks left before her sudden death. I always depended on my mother so with six children and baby Joseph being so young yet, I felt lost. My sisters Verena and Susan stayed with us often after that and helped me a lot.
It was soon after the funeral that I penned this column for the first time taking over for my mother. Mother had written the Amish Cook column for eleven years. It’s hard to think that twenty-four years have passed since and that Joseph is that age already. I wish him much happiness in the years ahead and may he always let God be his guide as we travel into the unknown future.
With the house emptying out, I sometimes wish for the days when our children were still all at home under our care. Life goes on and it brings changes… some good, some bad. We are so blessed that God in control.
Happy 7th birthday to grandson Ryan on July 27. When I asked Ryan what he wants for his birthday he said a skid loader and a hat. Haha! That little boy just loves hats. He notices when someone gets a new one or a different kind and he wants to try them on. Ryan was just a year old when his daddy Mose would put his church hat on Ryan’s head. Ryan would walk around with it wobbling on his head. And oh, the thrill it was for him when Mose and Susan bought him his own hat to wear. After Mose passed away Susan would let him wear Mose’s hat around home. He loved that hat!
Ryan would sit with Grandpa Joe in church after Mose passed away and Ryan became really close to Joe. When Ryan comes to the house, he always has to go find Grandpa.
I will share the recipe we use for pepper poppers. We are getting a lot of peppers from our garden, so we have had quite a few meals of poppers. We planted sweet banana peppers, but we have some that are spicy, so I’m not sure how that happened. I always try to plant the hot peppers far enough away from the sweet peppers so that doesn’t happen. Maybe when they were planted the seeds mixed up with Hungarian Wax banana peppers. It could also be the dry or hot weather that caused the extra spice. I don’t mind the hotness but some of the family doesn’t care for them if they are too spicy.
God bless!
Pepper PoppersPeppers (your choice, we use Sweet Banana)Cream cheeseShredded cheeseBacon (we use the thick sliced)Round thick toothpicksCut the top of the peppers off to remove seeds from peppers. Mix cream cheese and shredded cheese and stuff into peppers. Wrap each pepper with a slice of bacon using toothpicks to hold in place. Grill or bake until bacon is done, turning a few times.
Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her three cookbooks, “The Cherished Table,” “The Essential Amish Cookbook,” and “Amish Family Recipes,” are available wherever books are sold. Readers can write to Eicher at Lovina’s Amish Kitchen, P.O. Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091 (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply); or email questionsforlovina@gmail.com and your message willbe passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Lovina shares a big announcement and reflects on memories of her mom
Reporting by Lovina Eicher, Special to South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
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By Lovina Eicher, Special to South Bend Tribune | USA TODAY Network
