Dear readers,

This is Loretta. Mom asked if I would like to write her column. I would say I’m a little overdue writing the column, but I know it helps Mom since she is busy getting ready for church services. On December 24, Mom is planning on having us children stay the night and having Christmas the next day. I look forward to all of us being together.

I want to write about our little family; I know it is quite different having two children under the age of two. I’d say they keep you on your toes. Running after Denzel (16 months) wouldn’t be so bad if I was able to lose weight while running, but I don’t see much of that happening if I’m in a mobility scooter haha. Byron turned four months on November 7. He is a smiling baby, and it feels like raising Denzel all over again. Everyone says he looks like a Denzel Jr.

On weekdays before Dustin goes to work (his driver picks him up at 5:30 a.m.), Dustin goes out to do the morning chores and feeds our two horses Spirit and Skeeter. Skeeter will be coming with a foal next June. Dustin also feeds both dogs; Bailey is a female golden retriever, and Rascal is a male Pomsky. We gave Rascal his name because that’s what he acts like haha. Dustin then feeds our chickens.

Then, Dustin likes to come in and take his morning shower to get his day started out fresh. While Dustin does that, I change both boys’ diapers and get them dressed. It takes longer in the winter when I have to get them all dressed warm just to go across the road to Mom and Dad’s. Dustin walks over with me and both boys and helps us settle in before he leaves for work. Yes, it makes for some busy mornings. I stay at Mom’s with both boys; it helps when Mom and Lovina are there to help me. Of course, Denzel likes to play in Mom’s cabinets instead of playing with all the toys. He discovered that when he goes up the stairs at Mom’s that I can’t get him or reach him, so he gets fun out of that. I laugh about it, but I won’t let him see that.

Dustin normally comes home around 4:30 p.m. Construction is more hours than what the factory was. Dustin quit the factory last year around the time before I had Byron and had appointments every week because I had a high-risk pregnancy. Life is busy and expensive, but I will not complain—we are very blessed we have the children, and we both love them very much. Dustin and his brother Daniel are starting an excavating business as a side job right now until they can start full time, but that won’t be until spring.

Tomorrow, all of us girls will be going over to Mom’s to help clean for church, and my aunt Emma and her two daughters Elizabeth and Emma (and her children) and her daughter-in-law Crystal will be there to help as well. My aunt Verena has been staying there since Sunday, so she will be there too. Dustin helped me make breakfast burritos to take to Mom’s tomorrow morning for everyone. I also enjoy going there to spend a day with everyone.

We will be going to Dustin’s parents on December 16 for Christmas and will spend the day there. Dustin’s parents live about six to seven miles from us. It seems longer with all the big hills we have to go up. It’s rolling country, which makes it feel longer when the horse needs more time for the hills. Most of the time, we take our handicapped buggy that has a lift in the back to lift me up in the buggy with my scooter. It makes it much nicer now that Dustin doesn’t have to lift me into the buggy anymore. We used to have a trailer behind our buggy to pull my scooter around and a cover on the scooter. The trailer was bouncier and made my scooter quit a lot from the bumps, and I had to buy a new scooter more often. They’re not supposed to get rained on or snowed on either. Now we have the handicapped buggy, and I’m so glad we don’t have to do that anymore.

We have a night routine whenever Dustin gets home. He gets me and the children and helps us home. We decide on what to have for supper, and he has to help with most of making supper while I wash the dishes, sitting on my scooter and folding laundry. Dustin washes the laundry and hangs it up. Dustin will sweep the floor while I mop from my scooter, so I would say we make a pretty good team. There’s running after Denzel too hahaha.

Then Dustin will do the chores again at night. We sometimes get behind on the housework with us being gone most days. Mom will always offer to have us stay over for supper, so we do that too; plus, it’s hard to refuse a good meal.

In the summer, I’d say it’s busier when we have the garden and mowing grass and all that to do yet, and with me needing help making supper. I’d say Dustin is a busy guy. There is stuff I could do, but we aren’t set up for my handicap all the way yet. In spite of it all, I still like summer better than winter. Dustin made us raised garden beds, so I go out there and help weed and pick stuff off the plants. This year, we canned hot peppers, red beets, hot pepper butter, tomato chunks, pickles, and more. I’m thankful for Mom’s help too. I like to be as independent as I can with a positive attitude.

I’m running out of news, and it’s bedtime for me and the boys. We will be thinking warmly of each of you and wishing your family an extra measure of comfort, joy, and hope this Christmas. Have a Merry Christmas, and the best to you all in the New Year of 2024. God be with you from Loretta, Dustin, Denzel Michael, and Byron Liam.

Chicken Roll-Ups
Boneless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
Sour cream
Lemon pepper
Garlic powder
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Medium tomato, sliced

Topping Sauce
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Ranch dressing

Cut each chicken breast into three pieces. With a sharp knife, cut each piece in half lengthwise but not all the way through. Lay open the piece and season with salt and pepper; then spread with a thin layer of sour cream. Season with lemon pepper and garlic powder; then cover with shredded cheese and a half slice of tomato. Roll up and place in glass pan. Combine mayonnaise, mustard, and ranch dressing to taste to make a sauce to pour over the roll-ups. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, Amish Family Recipes, is available wherever books are sold.  Because Lovina is Old Order Amish, she does not have email or a telephone in her home. Lovina does not respond to comments on this website, if you would like to contact her directly, click here.