Dear Readers,

I’m Lovina’s daughter Susan. I wanted to write for Mom this week since she is very busy preparing for church services that will be held at her home on Sunday. Then less than two weeks later will be my sister Loretta’s wedding.

Today, I sewed my dress for Loretta and Dustin’s wedding. Now I need to do my cape and apron.

My daughter Jennifer’s dress and apron are all finished. Son Ryan’s shirt and pants are finished, so I am almost done with my sewing for the wedding.

It’s heartbreaking to not have my dear late husband Mose here. He would have loved to help Dustin build his pole barn. God’s plans are different than ours sometimes.

Mose’s sister Esther and her son Darrin were here for the day. Esther’s husband, Wayne, dropped her off and went to do some horseshoeing in the area. He came to shoe my horse Mighty last. Meanwhile, Esther cleaned my pantry out and helped me do some sewing. It really gave me a boost.

Sunday, Mose’s dad and mom, his sister Hannah and Leroy and their children, his sister Esther and Wayne and their son brought lunch in. They brought potato casserole and baked chicken. It was enjoyable to have them all here. Jennifer loves to try to get her grandpa to play dolls with her.

Tomorrow, sister Verena, Jennifer, Ryan and I all go to Mom and Dad’s. We are going to help Mom clean for church services that will be held there Sunday, Sept. 19, Lord willing. Sister Elizabeth and children, Aunt Emma, cousin Emma and her children, cousin Elizabeth and Aunt Verena all will be coming, too. We should get a lot done.

Today marks nine months since Mose passed away. It’s hard to grasp that the person you were closest to becomes just a memory. Without God and the support of our community, we would be lost.

Monday was Jodi’s husband Dan’s birthday. He would’ve turned 55. Jodi, her mother-in-law, sister-in-law and niece all brought flowers in memory of Dan, who was killed in the same automobile accident that took Mose’s life. Jodi picked sister Verena, Jennifer, Ryan and me up to go along with them to plant the flowers around the two crosses that stand where the accident was. They did some landscaping and mulch and planted the flowers around the crosses.

Keep Jodi in your prayers. She has some hard days also without her dear husband.

I canned quite a lot of tomatoes this year. Pizza sauce goes fast around here. I canned 46 pints. I wanted to do more but ran out of some of the ingredients. I also canned salsa and tomato juice. Gardening season is almost done this year. I have to dig up my potatoes yet since they are ready. I’m actually ready for canning season to be over with this year.

Tim and sister Elizabeth had to go to town tonight, so Verena and I watched their three children. Jennifer and Ryan love to have their cousins over. Seems they always get into

more trouble when they are together.

Abigail started school on Monday. She got dropped off here, and she really loves to tell us about her friend. We asked her who her friend is, and she always says, “I don’t know, I never asked her.”

We had a thunderstorm go through tonight, and Jennifer came to me and said, “Mom, don’t be scared. Jesus will take care of us.” Children have a way to make the day look brighter.

Jennifer and Ryan are both sleeping so I think I’m going to wrap this up. God’s blessing to you all.

Peach Cobbler

1 stick butter

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups milk

2 cups flour

2 pounds ripe peaches, peeled and sliced

Melt butter in a 9-by-13-inch pan.

Combine sugar, baking powder, milk, and flour; pour mixture over butter.

Spoon peaches on top and bake at 325 degrees until golden brown.

Serve with ice cream or milk.

Lovina Eicher is an Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife and mother of eight who lives in southeastern Michigan. Her cookbooks, “The Essential Amish Cookbook” and “Amish Family Recipes,” are available wherever books are sold. Readers can write to Eicher at P.O. Box 1689, South Holland, IL 60473 (include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply), or email LovinasAmishKitchen@MennoMedia.org and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.