Yesterday my husband Joe and I celebrated 31 years of marriage. It doesn’t seem possible that it has been this long. We were married on brother Albert’s birthday. He would have been 60, but God had other plans for Albert. My thoughts were with Albert’s widow Sarah as I thought of the first birthday Albert wasn’t here to enjoy with her. Albert has two sons and a daughter-in-law who share his birthday.

On July 14, son Benjamin had his 25th birthday. He invited our whole family here Sunday evening for supper. Everyone brought something, and Benjamin bought pizza and wings for all to enjoy. We had a variety of food, and once again all ate out on our front porch.

Sister Verena spent five days in Berne, Indiana, recently. She attended the Coblentz reunion, which is my dad’s family. We would have loved to go, but with spending money on a wedding and building a new barn this year it wasn’t possible. Verena stayed with sister Liz and Levi during her visit out there.

Uncle Andy, age 80, brought her home one evening. Verna and Andy stopped in for a visit and joined us for supper. I had made breakfast pizza for our supper that night. It was nice to visit with Andy. I couldn’t believe he is 80 already. Andy, along with his daughters (my cousins) Jane and Verena, came for daughter Lovina and Daniel’s wedding, but I didn’t get much time to visit with him, so I was glad he could stop in again.

My dad came from a family of thirteen children—ten boys and three girls. Six of them have passed. The seven remaining brothers were all able to attend the Coblentz reunion. It would have been so good to have been able to be there to see them all again. We were happy to see Uncle Melvin (Dad’s brother) and Kathryn, who were able to be here for Lovina’s wedding as well. My dad passed away 24 years ago, so it’s always good to see his family. We have many good and fun memories of the Coblentz reunions. The “water battles” are one of my favorite. Not many people would remain dry when the Coblentz family decided to start throwing water at each other. My grandchildren have inherited this, I think. They love a good water battle. I think maybe Grandma taught them how. Ha ha!

On Sunday, son Joseph and his special friend Grace have plans, Lord willing, to be published to be married on September 6. I am happy for the young couple, but once again it will be so hard to see another one of the children leave home to start a new home of their own. May God always be their guide as they take this next step in life.

Joseph and Grace’s wedding will be held in daughter Loretta and Dustin’s pole barn across the road from us. Grace is a sister to Dustin and Daniel. We offered that they could have their wedding here, but Joseph said he thinks we had enough with one wedding this year to prepare for.

Joseph and Grace will live six miles from here, where Grace lives now. Joseph will be 22 next week. It seems short years ago when he was born. My mother had come when the midwife came, and she didn’t feel good at all. She had a heatstroke, which we later found out. Little did we realize that eight weeks later her life on earth would be over. So when Joseph was several months old, I stepped in to write the column that my mother wrote each week. She had written for 11 years prior to her death at 66 years old.

I finally am caught up answering the letters from you wonderful readers. Thank you for all the encouragement, and I am sorry for the delayed responses.

I wish God’s blessings to each of you as we travel into the unknown future!

Stuffed Zucchini

We are having plenty of zucchini from our garden—this is a great way to use it up. Sometimes we wrap them in aluminum foil and put them on the grill.

2 medium zucchini (approximately 8 inches long)
1/2 pound ground beef or sausage
1/4 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/3 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon dillweed
1 cup spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded cheese

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out pulp, leaving a ¼-inch shell. Chop pulp and set aside. Brown meat and onion. Drain. Add pulp, breadcrumbs, milk, and dillweed. Spoon into zucchini shells. Place in greased 2-quart dish and top with spaghetti sauce and cheese. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves 2.

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her three cookbooks, The Cherished Table, The Essential Amish Cookbook, and Amish Family Recipes, are available wherever books are sold. Readers can write to Eicher at Lovina’s Amish Kitchen, PO Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091 (please 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.