It’s 4:45 a.m. as I sit by the kitchen table writing. The boys already left for work. Their bags are packed and ready for our departure to Kentucky at 1:30 p.m. They will work a half day, come home, shower, and be ready to go.
Our plans had to be adjusted somewhat because we were at the emergency room last night with daughter Susan. Her husband Mose and two-month old baby Ryan and I went along. I went along to help take care of Ryan while Susan was in so much pain. She didn’t feel like breastfeeding, but we had no other way to feed him as he refuses the bottle.
Susan had a sharp pain on her lower right side which we expected was her appendix. After a CT scan and other tests, the doctor discovered she has a lodged kidney stone, as well as kidney and urinary tract infections. She was given pain medicine and several antibiotics which helped relieve some of the pain, but now it’s just trying to get the stone to pass. I have never had this happen to me, but it sounds like a painful ordeal.
We arrived back here at our house close to midnight and Mose and Susan, Jennifer, 20 months, and baby Ryan stayed here for the night. Mose needs to go into town this morning after the pharmacy opens to get more antibiotics for Susan. She said the pain has moved down some so maybe she will pass the stone before we leave. She is still planning to go along to the wedding in Kentucky if the pain doesn’t get worse. The doctor thought that with the antibiotic she will be fine to go, and then have a follow-up with her doctor after we are back home. I really do hope it doesn’t get worse. We will help her finish her packing.
We are leaving in two vans with our friends Beth and Julie as our drivers. They are sisters so it will be enjoyable for them to spend the time together. We have six motel rooms booked and hope and pray we have safe travels and arrive at the motel before too late. I left my cousin Dave a voicemail and asked where the best motels are or closest ones to his house. He called back and left a voicemail for us with the information.
I managed to get seven new shirts sewn for Joe and the boys to wear on our trip. My sewing machine sews on the buttonholes and buttons, but making the buttonhole is still my least favorite part of sewing. In Indiana we had snaps on the shirts, which I didn’t care to sew on by hand either, so it’s always something in life that we dislike doing. Take the good with the bad and it usually makes a happy medium.
I held baby Ryan for a little bit this morning and he was just smiling and cooing. Now he’s happily eating. He must be getting plenty to eat as Susan said he weighs 15 pounds already. He’s over 25 inches long already as well, so he’s probably going to be tall.
I awoke to Joseph’s driver sitting in our driveway, so it was a little rush until he was leaving. It seems like we only just went to bed, and my alarm just wasn’t loud enough to wake tired me. I thought I better write this column before the rest wake up or I won’t be able to concentrate. Son Kevin, 14, leaves at 6:45 a.m. for school, so I need to wake him up at 6:00 a.m. so he can shower and finish packing his clothes. We will pick him up at school after lunch.
Our plans are to stay in Kentucky Thursday evening as well, and if all goes well go see the Noah’s Ark they built in Kentucky on Friday before heading home. It is around 300 miles to the wedding place from our house. Hopefully the little ones will be contented in their car seats for the trip.
Space is up and I will write more next week about our trip.
This is an easy Sunday dinner recipe. I put this dish, chicken, and baked beans in the oven on Sunday morning and they make a quick, easy noon meal. God bless!
Scalloped Potatoes
8 cups thinly sliced potatoes, cooked*
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons butter
Mix all ingredients together or layer them in a baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
*Note: I don’t fully cook the potatoes and just let it bake longer. Add more milk if it’s too dry.
Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, The Essential Amish Cookbook, is available from the publisher, Herald Press, 800-245-7894. 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 LovinasAmishKitchen@MennoMedia.org and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.
I am sorry to read of your daughter’s kidney stone. It does sound painful.
Thank you for the potatoe recipe. We eat a lot of potatoes and I am
looking forward to trying this recipe out. I do hope that you are able
to visit the Ark. I have seen pictures and would like to travel there, someday. Please share with us, if you do visit there.
Sorry to hear of her pain. I have had many bouts with kidney stones, and the great pain is when one get stuck on its way out. Honestly, it gets bad and feels like being in labor. Once it moves along, either with an IV in the hospital, and plenty of water at home, it passes out with no pain.
Hoping she is feeling better already!
The kidney stones are very painful. Been there done that. Praying that it will pass for Susan
have taken care of patients with kidney stones it is very painful. Also women who have gone thru labor and kidney stones ALL of them would rather be in labor than a kidney stone attack.
have taken care of patients with kidney stones it is very painful. Also women who have gone thru labor and kidney stones ALL of them would rather be in labor than a kidney stone attack. Have not posted this reply before.
I have passed 3 kidney stones in my lifetime and it was extremely painful! Prayers for Susan as she travels all those miles!
Go to the ARK of at all possible, just took my father-in-law there for his 89th birthday, it was on his bucket list! We stayed at the motel right on the exit, reasonable prices and clean. The double rooms suite are a real value and you get 2 bathrooms. You have 2 queens and futon for each suite. $130, not the Ritz but clean and nice beds.
Oh dear, my husband occasionally gets kidney stones and they are terrible! I hope Susan’s has resolved and she is well now. I hope you all enjoyed the wedding as well – getting together with family is always a blessing.
Sewing button holes is my least favorite sewing item as well. I’d much rather sew snaps! I keep reminding myself at least I can make clothing and can alter clothing as needed and many have lost that skill. As you wrote, the good with the bad.
Have a wonderful week and thank you again for your recipes and stories. I so enjoy reading them every week.
Lea
Glad to hear your daughter is recovering. My bishop dropped off a big box of fresh potatoes from his family’s potato farm so thank you for the recipe. Now I have something to do with the potatoes.