An Amish Family Reunion Read online

  Phoebe recognized her mother’s teasing voice, but it took several moments before their meaning registered. Then she flew upstairs without her feet touching the treads. In the center of the table sat the letter. She tore it open and quickly scanned the contents. Then she slid into a chair to read more carefully, one word at a time, so there would be no misunderstanding. Slumping forward, she closed her eyes and thanked the One responsible for all life’s pivotal moments. “Thank You, Lord,” she whispered.

  “What is it, sweet girl?” asked Hannah.

  Phoebe had to wait for her composure to return. “They want to publish Eli’s story and my illustrations. They want to make them into a gift book, ready by next Easter.” Her voice cracked, so she sucked in a deep gulp of air. “Oh, mamm,” she continued. “I’m going to be a children’s book illustrator.” Then she couldn’t hold back the torrent of emotion any longer. Phoebe cried like a baby when her diaper had been wet, and like a little girl when her mother had died, and now as a young woman whose first real dream was about to come true.

  “I’m so very happy for you,” murmured Hannah.

  When Phoebe turned around, she saw that her mother was crying too. She rose to her feet and ran for an enveloping hug. “I can’t wait to tell Eli. I think he’ll be pleased. How will I ever last until Saturday with this news?”

  “Why wait? Show him the letter now. News like this doesn’t come every day.” Hannah pulled away, wiped her face, and started dicing a bunch of celery.

  Phoebe remained in place, dumbfounded. “I can’t take the pony cart to the Riehls’. I would never get home before dark.”

  Hannah attacked another stalk with her paring knife. “Tell him to meet you halfway at the library, but don’t tell him why.”

  “How could I do that? We don’t have a phone.” For some reason, she felt mighty stupid for an about-to-be-published person.

  Hannah glanced up from chopping. “Run next door and ask to use Mrs. Lee’s. The Riehls have a business line for their hams. Eli might even be the one to answer. We’re allowed to make emergency phone calls, and I’d say this is an emergency.”

  “Danki,” Phoebe managed to say despite the tears that had begun anew.

  “Then come back and take a quick shower before you go because you’re a mess. I’ll have Ben hitch up the horse.”

  Within an hour, smelling sweet as lilacs thanks to scented body wash and powder, Phoebe was on her way to Winesburg. Within two and a half hours, she sat across from Eli at their private table in their favorite place on earth.

  It took him several minutes to read the relatively short letter because he kept blinking his eyes.

  Phoebe sat very still, giving him time to digest the news, as she had needed.

  Finally, in a bizarre accent he spoke. “This is a rather interesting turn of events, isn’t it, Miss Miller?”

  Then he leaped to his feet and all pandemonium broke out. Eli and Phoebe jumped up and down, shouting and laughing, as Amish people were never meant to. Fortunately, the Winesburg Library had no other patrons. Mrs. Carter soon joined them, clapping and hurrahing and behaving in such un-librarian fashion that it was a wonder the library didn’t lose its license.

  When everyone settled down, Mrs. Carter returned to her computer monitor and the two Plain folk restored their modest demeanor. “I know you’re busy with the farm,” Phoebe said. “So I’ll try to do as much as I can with the edits or whatever they’re called to the story. I’ll set up an e-mail account here at the library and take responsibility. I’m so proud of you for stepping up to help your family as well as you have.”

  His forehead wrinkled in puzzlement. “You didn’t think being a good farmer was something I had in me? Because I assure you, I’ve always been part of the reason Riehl honey-glazed hams are best in the county.”

  Phoebe flushed with shame. “Oh, no, I didn’t mean that. I always knew you’d make a great pig farmer.”

  “All right, then.” He tugged his cuffs down. “I don’t want you to think I’m just a storytelling windbag, filled with nothing but words and hot air.”

  She batted her eyelashes. “Oh, no, Eli. I’ve seen you in action with Miss Priss, standing in the worst of it, up to your ankles.”

  He smiled in his long, slow fashion, something she hadn’t seen in a while. “Well, that’s better. And I have some good news myself, sweet peach. Although I’d be hard-pressed to top your bombshell.”

  She leaned closer and batted her lashes once more. “Give it a shot.”

  “Not one, but two of my sisters have announced their engagements.”

  “Is Rose one of them? Give her my best wishes.”

  “She is, and both of their husbands-to-be want to farm, but neither have any land.” His eyes practically danced in his face. “Alas, I said. How could this conundrum be solved?” Eli pressed his index finger to his lips. “So I suggested both men build their homes at the Riehl farm and join the business!”

  Phoebe had never heard the word “conundrum” in her life, but she figured out the meaning through context. “What did they say?”

  “They said it was a smashing idea and had hoped and prayed for exactly that.” He used his hands to frame the shape of a sign. “Riehl and Son and Sons-in-Law Swine and Beef. What do you think?”

  “I think I would leave the current name alone. Customers will figure out where the other two sons came from.”

  Eli dropped his hands to clasp hers. All posturing and emulating odd foreign voices had gone. “Do you know what this means, Phoebe? I’ll have time to be a writer and a farmer. And my dad gets stronger every day. He fully intends to do the paperwork and keep the books. We can meet on Wednesdays to put this book to bed. And then there are Saturday nights for socials and Sundays for preaching.” He shrugged. “You might get sick of seeing me so much.”

  “I don’t think so. You are absolutely, positively not boring.” She winked.

  He winked back. “What will you do with your half of the advance check when it comes?”

  Phoebe straightened up. “There will be no dividing up the money, Eli. It’ll all go toward your father’s medical bills. And any future money can bolster our community’s medical fund.”

  He squeezed her hand. “You’re a good woman, Phoebe Miller. Even if you grease yourself down, there will be no slipping away from me now.”

  And that was just fine with the little picture drawer from Holmes County with no other valuable skill worth mentioning.

  RECIPES

  Fresh Lemon Sheet Cake

  Rosanna Coblentz

  1½ cups white sugar

  1 cup milk

  ½ cup butter (1 stick )

  Juice of ½ lemon

  2 cups cake flour

  2 teaspoons lemon zest

  4 teaspoons baking powder

  2 eggs, well beaten

  ½ teaspoon salt

  Yellow food coloring (optional)

  Cream together sugar and butter. In a separate bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the sugar and butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Then add the lemon juice and lemon zest (and food coloring, if desired). Finally, fold in the eggs.

  Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

  Rosie’s hint: This cake is great with lemon sherbet for a cool summertime treat, or you can top it with Lemon Butter Frosting.

  Lemon Butter Frosting

  3 tablespoons butter (softened to room temperature)

  2 egg yolks

  2½ cups powdered sugar

  1 teaspoon lemon zest

  2 tablespoons lemon juice

  Cream the butter and then blend in egg yolks. Stir in remaining ingredients until smooth.

  Old Fashioned Spelt-Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

  Rosanna Coblentz

  3 cups brown sugar

  1½ cups butter (three sticks)

  4 eggs, well beaten

  1 cup raisins

&n
bsp; ½ cup boiling water

  3 teaspoons baking soda

  1¾ cups all-purpose flour

  2 cups whole spelt flour

  4 cups oatmeal (quick oats)

  2 teaspoons cinnamon

  2 teaspoons baking powder

  Cream together the brown sugar, butter, and eggs. Stir in the raisins. In a cup, mix together the boiling water and baking soda and then add to the wet mixture.

  In a separate bowl, combine the flours, oats, cinnamon, and baking powder. Combine the dry ingredients with the sugar and butter mixture and mix well. Drop by rounded spoonfuls on a cookie sheet about 2 to 3 inches apart and bake at 325 degrees for approximately 10 to 12 minutes.

  Rosie’s hint: These make great Amish whoopie pies. Just make a filling to spread on the bottom of one cookie and then put another cookie on top. Kids love them!

  Whoopie Pie Filling

  2 egg whites, beaten

  2 cups powdered sugar

  1 teaspoon vanilla

  1½ cups Crisco shortening

  Beat the first three ingredients together and then add 1½ cups of Crisco shortening.

  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. Why does Seth change his mind about his daughter’s trip to Niagara Falls with a youth group?

  2. Julia has struggled throughout life with debilitating rheumatoid arthritis, yet she still manages to cope without falling into depression. In what ways has her family’s moving away affected her?

  3. Eli Riehl is no ordinary young man. Why does his being different appeal so much to Phoebe? And how does his uniqueness make life harder for him in an Amish community?

  4. Do you feel Matthew has become “overly fond” of money as his wife asserts, or is he merely being practical as a husband and father? Why can’t the Amish fully distance themselves from the English world?

  5. Traveling to Hancock, Wisconsin, is a disaster for Leah Byler instead of a pleasant family vacation. What factors contribute to her misery in the land of milk and cheese?

  6. Emma Davis reaches a crossroads with both her mother and her mother-in-law. How are her struggles common to all married daughters, and in what ways are they unique to an Amish wife and mother?

  7. Eli and Phoebe’s joint project is fraught with peril for two young people. What makes it especially troublesome, in both the practical sense and in the unforeseeable future, for Amish youth?

  8. How does Matthew and Martha’s visit home create as many problems as it had been meant to solve within their marriage?

  9. Phoebe has grown to accept and love Hannah as her mother without reservation. But still water runs deep in this quiet teenager’s emotional state. What unresolved issues still remain regarding Constance’s death after all these years?

  10. Why has Emma been remiss in teaching her sons Deutsch? And how would that make things difficult for her children in their district?

  11. Often it takes tragedy to trigger necessary changes within our lives. How does his father’s heart attack change Eli’s life—physically, emotionally, and regarding his long-range expectations?

  12. How does Julia cope with a houseful of people? And how does she finally find what she’s been searching for?

  13. Describe Phoebe’s maturation and spiritual growth throughout the story.

  14. Leah Byler has made peace with her mother-in-law. What mind-set did she need to give up for that to become possible?

  15. Martha Miller, at long last, is happy. In what ways has Matthew’s decision benefited him as much, if not more than his wife?

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Mary Ellis grew up close to the eastern Ohio Amish community, Geauga County, where her parents often took her to farmers’ markets and woodworking fairs. She and her husband now live close to a large population of Amish families, where she does her research…and enjoys the simple way of life.

  Discover Mary’s other books, especially

  Abigail’s New Hope and A Marriage for Meghan, at

  www.harvesthousepublishers.com

  Mary loves to hear from her readers

  at [email protected]

  or

  www.maryeellis.wordpress.com

  ~ Drawing by an Old Order Amish youth ~

  Can a Young Amish Widow Find Love?

  After the death of her husband, Hannah Brown is determined to make a new life with her sister’s family. But when she sells her farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and moves her sheep to Ohio, the wool unexpectedly begins to fly. Simon, her deacon brother-in-law, finds just about everything about Hannah vexing. So no one is more surprised than the deacon when his own brother, Seth, shows interest in the beautiful young widow.

  But perhaps he has nothing to worry about. The two seem to be at cross-purposes as often as not. Hannah is willful, and Seth has an independent streak a mile wide. But much is at stake, including the heart of Seth’s silent young daughter, Phoebe. Can Seth and Hannah move past their own pain to find a lasting love?

  An inspirational story of trust in the God who sees our needs before we do.

  What Happens When an Amish Girl’s Prince Charming Is an Englischer?

  Emma Miller is on the cusp of leaving childhood behind and entering the adult world. She has finished school, started her own wool business, and longs for someone to court. When the object of her affection is a handsome English sheep farmer with a fast truck and modern methods, her deacon father, Simon, knows he has more than the farm alliance to worry about.

  Emma isn’t the only one with longings in Holmes County. Her mother yearns for relief from a debilitating disease, Aunt Hannah wishes for a baby, and Uncle Seth hopes he’ll reap financial rewards when he undertakes a risk with his harvest. But are these the plans God has for this close-knit Amish family?

  An engaging story about waiting on God for His perfect timing and discovering that dreams planted close to home can grow a lasting harvest of hope and love.

  Can a Loving Amish Woman Be a Refuge for a Wounded Soul?

  Leah Miller, a talented young woman in the kitchen, is living her dream come true as she invests in a newly restored diner that caters mostly to locals. Jonah Byler is a dairy farmer with a secret. Having just moved to the area, can he persuade this quiet young woman to leave her adoring fans and cook only for him? Once she discovers what he has been hiding from others, can Leah trust Jonah with her heart?

  Working at the diner introduces Leah to both Amish and English patrons. Though maturing into womanhood, rumschpringe holds little appeal to the gentle, shy girl who has never been the center of attention before. When three Amish men vie for her attention, competing with Jonah, Leah must find a way to understand the confusing new emotions swirling around her.

  A captivating story that lovingly looks at how faith in God and connection with family can fill every open, waiting heart to overflowing.

  Love Blooms in Unexpected Places

  As an Amish midwife, Abigail Graber loves bringing babies into the world. But when a difficult delivery takes a devastating turn, she is faced with some hard choices. Despite her best efforts, the young mother dies—but the baby is saved.

  When a heartless judge confines Abigail to the county jail for her mistakes, her sister Catherine comes to the Graber farm to care for Abigail’s young children while her husband, Daniel, works his fields. And for the first time Catherine meets Daniel’s reclusive cousin, Isaiah, who is deaf and thought to be simpleminded by his community. She endeavors to teach him to communicate and discovers he possesses unexpected gifts and talents.

  While Abigail searches for forgiveness, Catherine changes lives and, in return, finds love, something long elusive in her life. Isaiah discovers God, who cares nothing about our handicaps or limitations in His sustaining grace.

  An inspirational tale of overcoming grief, maintaining faith, and finding hope in an ever-changing world.

  How long will true love wait?

  Meghan Yost is bright, talented, and eager to prove to her father, the bishop, that at nineteen
she’s mature enough to teach in an Amish school all by herself. But just as she gains confidence and assurance, a troubled student challenges her authority and an enthusiastic suitor in the headstrong Jacob Schultz challenges her patience. How can Meghan outgrow her nickname of “little goose” if she can’t prove herself to be a capable adult who can stand on her own two feet?

  When a series of apparent hate crimes sweep through the district, the sheriff calls in the FBI, and Special Agent Thomas Mast arrives in Wayne County carrying a secret he’s hidden for years. Will he come to terms with the past and regain his relationship with God before his career hardens his heart? With more on her plate than one girl can handle, Meghan sets out to help with the investigation, and Thomas ends up working closely with the bishop, who hopes the criminals will be arrested before Meghan finds herself in love with the most inappropriate of suitors—an Englischer…

  An engaging story of one girl’s quest for independence and true love as social prejudice tests a community’s faith in a simpler world.

  About the Publisher

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  To learn more about other Harvest House books

  or to read sample chapters, log on to our website:

  www.harvesthousepublishers.com