Today—May 10—is grandson Isaiah’s (Ervin and Susan) 5th birthday. It would also have been my sister Susan’s 47th birthday if she was still here. We miss her! Rest in peace, dear sister.

May 11 is son-in-law Ervin’s birthday. He will be 29. Happy birthday to Ervin and Isaiah!

Our family night will be held at Ervin and Susan’s house on Friday night, so the birthdays will be celebrated then. Also, happy 21st birthday to nephew Ben!

Last week we washed walls, ceilings, and windows at niece Elizabeth’s house. It was a fun work day to spend with sisters, nieces, daughters, and grandchildren. Elizabeth and Manuel moved into our church district last year and are neighbors with niece Emma and Menno.

Church services will be held at Manuel and Elizabeth’s on Sunday, Lord willing. Son Joseph, 20, and daughter Lovina (almost 19) will start classes for baptism on Sunday. What great joy it brings to parents when their children want to accept Jesus as their Savior and join the church. It takes many prayers raising children. Without God’s help I would be so lost at times. I am thankful for all my children and appreciate their respect. Our family experienced losing close loved ones, and that makes us appreciate each other so much more.

Today sister Emma and I have plans to go spend the day with sister Verena. It is sister Susan’s birthday, so it isn’t the easiest day for Verena. It is over two years since she passed away. We will eat breakfast together. I want to write this column before I go.

Last night, son Joseph took our mower to sister Verena’s house and mowed her grass for the first time this year. It was in need to be mowed. Now hopefully tonight one of the boys can mow ours.

Sunday, our children came home for lunch. It was such a nice day! On the menu was grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, noodles, green beans (with cheese sauce and bacon), grilled asparagus, cottage cheese, Colby cheese, pickles, hot peppers, cookies, cinnamon rolls, and ice cream. The children enjoyed playing outside while us adults sat out on the front porch enjoying the day.

I thought it was funny when granddaughter Allison (Tim and Elizabeth), 3, wanted to start eating and she said, “Mom, come peel my chicken.” We laughed that she thought when Elizabeth pulls her chicken into smaller pieces, she’s peeling it.

Daughter Loretta said that Denzel, 10 months, discovered how to go into the bathroom and unroll a whole roll of toilet tissue. The fun has begun! Haha! He crawls all over the place and can go behind the couch and recliners and hide from Loretta. I’m sure before long he will be trying to climb on everything.

Granddaughter Andrea was a year old on February 14, and she loves cleaning out cabinets. When she was here one day, she discovered the cabinet with my Tupperware. When I asked for the container and said thank you, she thought she needed to go back and get more. She would come walking with a Tupperware container saying, “Thank You.” So precious!

Sunday will be Mother’s Day, so niece Elizabeth and Manuel will serve rhubarb and peanut butter pies with lunch. I will make six rhubarb custard pies to help out.

I wish all you mothers a great day! May you get time to spend the day with your children.

God’s blessings to all!

I will share my rhubarb custard pie recipe this week.

Rhubarb Custard Pie
1 1/2 cups rhubarb, diced
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup cream
2 eggs
1 (9-inch) pie shell, unbaked

Place rhubarb in the unbaked pie shell. In a bowl, combine sugar, flour, cream, and eggs and beat well. Pour over the rhubarb and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until set.

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.