This is the final day of 2019 as I write this. A new year lies before us. What does it hold in store for you and me? Only God knows the answer. May he be our guide as we enter the new year in 2020. He has bestowed so many blessings upon us. Let us be forever thankful!

We awoke this morning to a world of white. The ground is covered in snow, and it is still snowing and blowing outside. After some mild weather during the Christmas holiday, we are now getting some real winter weather.

We had days with temperatures in the 60s, but we like winter weather when it’s winter. We cannot control the weather, so we accept what we are given.

Now I must announce the birth of our fifth grandchild. Allison Lovina was welcomed to our world with much love. She was born to daughter Elizabeth and Tim, weighing 6 pounds, 1 ounce, and 18 1/2 inches long, at 1:16 p.m. Dec. 27, 2019.

Daughter Elizabeth had pre-eclampsia, so a C-section was scheduled three weeks earlier to prevent complications. We are thankful mother and baby are doing fine. This brought us much more excitement the week of Christmas than we expected. She’s a precious little sweetie and has won our hearts already.

She joins Abigail Elizabeth, 3, and Timothy Josiah, 1. Of course, Abigail already rocks her and sings to her. T.J., on the other hand, isn’t too happy to share Allison with his mommy.

Abigail and T.J. stayed here for a few days while Tim and Elizabeth were at the hospital. I went up with them to be there when the baby was born. Tim and I enjoyed the newborn while Elizabeth recovered from surgery.

Later, my husband, Joe, and daughters Verena and Lovina brought the children to the hospital to meet their little sister. I went back home with them afterward. The children did pretty good staying with us, although nighttime was a little hard for T.J. He is a busybody and likes to wake up early. He discovers everything and tries to climb on anything he can. He would tell me he wants to eat and would point at the highchair. So sweet!

Daughters Verena and Lovina are helping out with the children and household duties at Tim and Elizabeth’s house. I am sure the children are getting plenty of care and hugs from their aunts. Tim is off work this week, so it’s a nice time to enjoy the new addition to their home.

When baby Allison was discharged, she weighed 5 pounds, 11 ounces, but the doctor said it’s normal for babies to lose a little weight after birth. Today, Tim and Elizabeth took baby Allison to their pediatrician for a checkup.

The day after Christmas was a full day cutting up our beef. By the end of the day, the meat was ground into hamburger, and almost 400 hamburger patties were made, bagged and frozen. Steaks were also sliced, bagged and frozen. Mose and Susan were given a vacuum sealer for Christmas, so we put that to use. We feel so thankful that we could fill the freezer for the year ahead. Joe used the new dehydrator he got for his birthday and has made lots of deer jerky already.

Our Christmas Day was spent at home. Mose and Susan and children and Loretta’s special friend Dustin were our supper guests. Before supper, the girls and I and Jennifer and Ryan walked over to my sisters Verena and Susan’s house for a while to wish them a Merry Christmas. It was a nice springlike day, so unlike other years at Christmas. The new year looks like it will start cold and snowy.

Happy 2020 to all and God bless.

Simple One Dish Meal

2 pounds ground beef

4-6 cups potatoes, diced

1-2 quarts corn

1 tablespoon salt

seasoning to taste

Brown ground beef in a large skillet and remove to a separate bowl. Add potatoes and 1/2 cup water to the skillet and cover. Cook until potatoes are slightly tender. Add browned ground beef, corn, and salt. Season to taste.

Optional: Add any variation of garlic, onion, peppers, black beans, sweet potatoes, buttercup or butternut squash, cubed.

Lovina Eicher is an Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife and mother of eight. She, her husband, Joe, and their family live in southeastern Michigan. She is the co-author of four cookbooks; her latest is “Amish Family Recipes,” is available at 800-245-7894 Contact Eicher at P.O. Box 1689, South Holland, IL 60473 (include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply) or at LovinasAmishKitchen@MennoMedia.org.