ELMER'S FAMILY CHANGING

First I would like to say I am so glad that Edward was baptized on Good Friday.  I know he has had a hard way, but he has decided the right way, to live his life with the Lord.

I also thank Jean for being on Amish Stories and New York State of Mind for three years.  It was her that got me to get here and do some posts.  She, David and their family are such giving people and do the way of the Lord.

Our son, John, also got baptized at our church on Good Friday.  It was a surprise for us.  Unless you are being baptized that day or have been baptized you are not allowed in our church on Good Friday.  So when John came down dressed for church we wondered what was happening.  When I got the buggy ready to go - he got in it.  Anna told him he knew he couldn't go unless he was baptized to which he replied he could go as he was being baptized that day.  We were both shocked and happy.

When someone John's age is baptized, it usually means that he is planning on getting married in the fall.  After his coming home from Pinecraft early, we were getting the idea he had someone special.  When church was over, John's chores done and dinner, he left in his buggy, we assume to see his lady.  Anna and I were talking about his baptism.  We agreed that after John was baptized, we saw the ladies being done and wondered which one would be our new daughter-in-law.

The next day, I asked Eli, our Bishop and my friend, why he didn't tell us that John was studying for baptism.  His reply - you never asked.  That was true, but we didn't have any idea he was going to this year.  We have very glad that John did decide to.  Eli also said to be ready for a wedding in the fall.  When we asked, Eli wouldn't even give us a hint who John is courting. He said to ask John.  When we did, he just smiled and said we will find out.

Which has led to John wanting to buy the farm he is helping the lady on.  She is a Englisher widow with five children and her family has asked her to move closer to them, where they could help her. They also feel she could get better employment where they are. After much thinking and praying, she is going to put the farm up for sale when her children get out of school next month.  But, she is offering John first chance,  John wants that farm.

As John is the youngest, he is the one who receives our farm.  As is our way, the youngest gets the parents farm and takes care of their parents.  Now Anna and I aren't ready to retire, but we thought about giving John our farm and us getting a smaller one.  It would be sort of his wedding present.  John did not go along with that idea.  If we needed to be taken care of , he would be glad to do it, but he didn't want the farm.  He said he would prefer to start out with a smaller farm and build up to a big one, like Anna and I did.  John really appreciated our offer, but he hoped we understood.  If we said he would have to take it, he wouldn't turn us down, but he would rather start out small.  We offered to build him a house, and barn on the back of our property, giving him some of our land.  But, for some reason, he really wants the farm that lady has.  I asked if the lady he was going with had seen it, she had and approved it.  They felt they could fix it up the way they wanted to.

So John, Eli, Albert (Jean's grandfather), Anna and myself went over and looked at the place.  The decision is that it is old, solid, but needs lots of work.  Albert climbed up into the barn, which Olive told him not too, and inspected that.  I thought the barn would have to come down and a new one built.  Albert said it looks bad on the outside, but is great on inside.  It was built in the 1800's.  Outside it looks like it is falling, but it's not.  The barn was built on a slant because that is the way the lot went.  Inside everything is flat and level.

John and I went out looking at other farms, but he still wants that one.  When young folks get something in their head, you can't talk them out of it.  Anna and I did the same thing when we were his age.  I am the youngest and I didn't take my parents farm either, so I can't get upset with John. I understand.  You want to start and build the farm yourself.

So it looks like John is going to buy the farm the English lady has.  He has the money for it.  We told him that house needs a lot of work between now and the fall.  With plowing, planting, and harvesting - he isn't going to have a lot of time.  Of course, he knows, that all of us will help him when we can.  Somehow it will get done.

This led to Anna and I talking.  Seeing John doesn't want our farm, we are thinking of building a house and barn on part of our property and selling the rest of it.  The idea of the Bed and Breakfast kind of left us.  Working this big farm alone, would be a lot for us.  We know our children would help us, but they have farms and jobs of their own.  First we are going to offer it to the rest of our children - maybe one would want it.  Anna has already picked out the lot and where she wants the house built.  She's not in a hurry or anything.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer