We ended up with 10–12 inches of snow in this area last week. Now the temperature is above freezing this morning.

This forenoon, my plans are to go with daughters Verena and Susan and grandchildren Jennifer and Ryan to have a coffee break with Martha. Martha is a widow with five children in this community. Her oldest child was nine yesterday. Susan and Martha have become friends since both losing their husbands. Martha and her children are moving back to her home community closer to her parents. Susan wanted to go visit her before she moves. Daughter Lovina might also go along.

Tomorrow morning, some of our church ladies are going to go for a coffee break at neighbor Susie’s in honor of her fortieth birthday. Her birthday was last week, but due to the weather, it was postponed. That might be the reason I’m not getting much accomplished this week with two coffee breaks. Sometimes you have to just let the work go and take one day at a time. This week, I am glad to rest my right shoulder and arm. Somehow when I turned around, something started hurting my shoulder, and the pain ran down my right arm. I have numbness in my arm and fingers, so I am thinking it’s a pinched nerve. I am rotating cold packs and heat to loosen it up. I sure am looking forward to the pain leaving.

Sunday was baptismal services in our church with four young souls accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior. Among the four were nephew Benjamin and his special friend Crystal. Jacob (sister Emma’s husband) would have been so happy to see everyone that came to support the baptism. It is now five months since he passed away. Emma has many lonely days without her dear husband. Brother Albert and Sarah Irene and some of their family and sister Liz and Levi and some of their family attended the baptismal services. It was so good to visit with them. Sister Verena went home with sister Liz and Levi and returned to Michigan last night. After being here a week, she went to stay with sister Emma again. Our family and some of Crystal’s family and Emma’s married children had a delicious supper at sister Emma’s house Sunday night. Crystal’s mother brought supper in for us all. There was tater tot casserole, meatballs, lettuce salad, and desserts.

Saturday, February 5th, daughter Susan and granddaughter Jennifer attended baptismal services for Mose’s two youngest siblings. Little grandson Ryan stayed here with us. He looked so cute following Grandpa Joe around outside. He told me he is helping Grandpa do the chores. Daughter Verena also spent some time here Saturday. It’s always so good to have her home again. Mose’s birthday would have been Saturday, and Ryan heard Susan and Verena talking about Mose’s birthday, so he started singing Happy Birthday to Mose Daddy in the bathtub. Precious!

Sunday, February 6th, was son Joseph’s special friend Grace’s birthday. Joseph bought a cake and made supper on the grill Saturday night in her honor.

It is already 6 a.m., and I want to prepare something to take along to the coffee break. I will probably slice summer sausage and cheese and take crackers to eat with that. Susan and Verena are taking some goodies too.

I’ll sign off wishing you all God’s blessings as we travel into the unknown future.

A reader shared this recipe for honey-peanut butter cookies with me.

Honey-Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup honey
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine shortening, peanut butter, honey, eggs, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Roll into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with fork dipped in flour. Bake for 8–10 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. Readers can write to Eicher at PO Box 1689, South Holland, IL 60473 (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply); or email [email protected] and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails or comments left on this site.