ELMER TRIES TO CATCH UP

Baby John is doing well at home.  Sarah called Anna the day after she got John home from the hospital and said he doesn't cry.  Anna asked if he is breathing right, eating well, etc.  Sarah said yes.  Anna told Sarah to thank the Lord, and enjoy it because none of her other babies will be like that.  It's true he rarely does cry.  You go to get him after a nap or feed him, he is in his crib, happy and doesn't cry.  Sarah will check when she brings him into the doctor next week, but Anna says he just isn't a baby that cries.  They are few and far between.

Michael and I had our Birthday party on October 31st.  It was suppose to be at our house, but because of all we had going with Baby John, Jean decided to have it at her house.  When we got there, all the men were taking the pumpkins and storing them in the barn.  Last year, they didn't take them in and someone smashed them, so I helped to get them in the barn.  Even David Jr., helped us by carying some small pumpkins.

We had a delicious dinner and played some board games.  Michael and I exchanged gifts.  We talked about going hunting.  Right now, you can hunt with bow, but gun season opens on November 21st, Marilyn's birthday.  All us men are planning on going.  Jean and Anna decided they want to go, too.  Someone has to stay home to answer the phone if someone wants a deer slaughtered and packaged.  Thomas said he would stay home as he doesn't care to go hunting.  If he gets a call, he will call David to come home and do the job.  In a way they want someone to call, but in a way David would rather be hunting.  I can't blame him.

Amos and Fannie, Olive and Albert left for Pinecraft on November 1st.  Olive and Albert are coming back for Thomas' wedding next month.  They all went on Amtrak and Porter, their friend,  was on so they enjoyed the trip down.

The year has passed since Sarah's Father passed, so she doesn't have to wear black all the time anymore.  She is now able to wear dark blue, brown, or burgandy color dresses now.

Anna and my wedding anniversary was November 14th.  We have been together 31 years.  Our daughter Alma, had us over to her house on Sunday as it was not a church day.  All, but two of our children was there.  One and his family were coming, but one of his children got sick and it was going through the other children.  They thought it was better to stay home that spread the cold.  Oh, John and Sarah didn't come either because they thought that would be too large a crowd for Baby John to be in yet.

Alma invited Eli and Emma, too  We had a great dinner.  We sat and talked.  Later we sang hymns.  Some of them gave us gifts, which we opened.  Alma had made a cake and had ice cream for desert.  We all enjoyed ourselves.  Eli closed with a prayer.  We got home in time to milk the cows.

The ladies were discussing who would have Thanksgiving Dinner this year.  Sarah wanted to, but with the new baby, Anna thought it would be too much for her.  Anyway it went all around and guess whose house it is going to be in? Ours.  That's where it was last year.  After a lot of discussion it was decided that with Hannah and Moses, their family and Anna and Hannah's Mother and Father, our house would be the best.  If their Mother isn't having one of their good days, Hannah doesn't have far to take their Mother home as they live right next door to us.  So Thanksgiving will be at our house.  I really think Anna enjoys it.  She will get help from Hannah, my Mother, our daughters and daughter-in-laws so it doesn't all fall on Anna.  They will decide who will bring what and they will help Anna do the rest.  We hope Baby John is cleared by the doctor so John, Sarah and Baby John can come, too.

Well, I guess that has us all caught up on what has been going on here.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer

DOG RULES

I am taking Saturdays and Sundays unless it is a special day or holiday.

PIERRE WELCOMES HIS NEW FRIEND - MURPHY

Hello, You may remember me as Marilyn's friend, Vickie, with two toy poodles.  We have been on this blog before showing Mable and Henry.

Mable is our grey toy poodle we have had since she was a puppy.  She has some slipped discs in her back.  You have prayed for her in the past when Marilyn asked for prayer for her when she was not doing well.  Now she is doing fine.  She can not jump onto or off of the furniture or use the stairs, but otherwise is normal.

We rescued Henry from a breeder 2 1/2 years ago.  He lived in a cage a lot of the time.  The breeder told me that all he wanted to do was be on her lap, and she did not have time for that.  Well, Henry, is very happy here.  Henry and I visit the elderly at a nursing home, monthly.  The elderly love him.  He is perfect for them.  He is only 6 pounds.

Over several months I have been pondering a problem out there in the world of the elderly.  Many elderly own a pet and then they have to go live in a nursing home, or perhaps they die.  Then the care of their pet, falls on their adult children. Many times these adult children do not want the pet.  Sometimes, these adult children lie to their remaining parent and tell them the pet died, and they actually give it to the humane society.

Well, we went and adopted a poodle from our local humane society.  Murphy is a miniature poodle (like Pierre).  He had a rough time.  His elderly owner went to a nursing home.  The woman's adult daughter did not want to keep Murphy, so she took him to the shelter, who transferred him to our local humane society.  Murphy began straining to urinate there.  The veterinarian determined be had bladder stones and needed surgery to remove them.  He was so confused.  He is 12 years old.

Our humane society has a program called fostering-to-adopt, for animals that have special needs.  Since he was recovering from surgery (we got him 3 days post-operation) and he needed medicine daily.  We brought him back for the vet to take the staples out. We cared or fostered him  until his lab report came back on his bladder stones.  We now know what kind of dog food Murphy needs to eat the rest of his life to prevent bladder stones from forming again.

All three poodles got along from the start.  Murphy truly prefers people to dogs, but that is because he was an only dog of one elderly woman.  Henry has figured out that Murphy allows cuddling.  Murphy loves to sleep on your lap.  When I read in the recliner, Henry and Murphy are both with me.  We take turns letting one on my lap and one next to me in the recliner.  We switch the next time I sit to read.  It is a good thing Mabel does not prefer lap sitting.

If you are looking for a pet and maybe you do not want a puppy or a kitten, the humane society is a good place to look.  Older pets are overlooked all the time.  I had never thought of them until several months ago.  We are so glad he will be in our loving home the rest of his days.

JEAN'S CABBAGE AND NOODLE DISH

JEAN'S CABBAGE AND NOODLE DISH

8 slices of bacon
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup vinegar
1 medium sized cabbage
6 - oz medium sized egg noddles, cooked
1/2 cup sugar

Cut onion in pieces and fry out, add onions until glassy.  Drain off fat.  Add vinegar and sugar.  Set aside.  Cook cabbage in salty water until crunchy done.  Drain.  Cook noodles in salty water. Drain. Combine noodles and cabbage.   Stir in bacon dressing.  Serve hot.

VETERAN'S DAY

                                         THANK A VETERAN !!



Are any of you that view New York State of Mind, a Veteran?

BISHOP ELI TELLS

Some people wanted to know a bit about about our lives and families.  So let me start with my family.  My wife Emma and I have nine children.  They are all grown, married and with families of their own.  We all live pretty close together.  They are all farmers and raise cows.  At present, we have 15 grandchildren with at least one more on the way.

I come from a family of 16 children - I am the eldest.  Emma came from a family of 10 children.  We grew up near each other, and went to the same school.  Emma and I courted for quite a while and would probably still be courting if her parents hadn't decided to move.  They would be taking Emma with them.  The night I heard that, we went to the Bishop, set the wedding date and married about a month later.  By the way, her parents did move, but ended up moving back again.  I kid them and say they did that to get me to finally marry Emma.

Like Elmer said, we moved around and ended back in Pennsylvania. Our last move, so far, is in New York State.  We have no plans on moving again, but we never know what the Lord wants us to do. So what's that old saying: you never say never.

Telling about our lives, I assume you mean Bishop family life.  When I became Bishop, as happened when Bishop Joseph became Bishop, some of our older children were not happy.  They had to accept it because it was God's decision not ours, but that did not make them happy.  Young folk seemed to think they were going on display because their father was Bishop.  In a way, I guess they were.  If any of them did anything wrong - not matter how small - people would say, but you are the Bishop's son or you are the Bishop's daughter.  Emma and my reply were they are not perfect.  They are young folk and so make mistakes.  Whatever they did was taken care of at home.  No one adult or child or young folk is perfect.  We all make mistakes - some worse than others.

It doesn't bother them as much now,  as they are all grown up with families of their own.  Still my grandchildren get that there Grandfather is the Bishop - like they didn't know that already.

Being a Bishop, at times, I live a busy life.  In addition to my farm, I have the work of the Lord.  It helps that my sons live near by as they help with chores when necessary.  Also Amish members of our church help when they know I have other things to do and can't handle everything.  Even our English neighbors have come to help milk cows, feed the animals, etc.

In our home, I have an office, that I use for my study.  Also, it is used if someone wants to come to my home to discuss something with me, set up their wedding, funeral or something else.  If women come along, Emma comes in the office with her.

I am sometimes called to a home if someone is ill, a fire, someone is injured, and more.  Also, I go to the hospital at times.

 Really, I am not like the Bishop you read about in the novel books.  I don't think my Amish people are afraid of me as you read people are in novels.

I don't really know what information you want to know about the Bishop.  So please ask.  That is how I know to answer your questions.

Our Amish people help me as much, if not more, than I help them at times.  They help me on my farm.  Most anything I ask someone, they will do for Emma or myself.  When I go on vacation, they care for our farm.  Even Bishop's need vacation for a rest.

God Bless and Keep you,
Eli

JOHN AND SARAH'S FIRST ANNIVERSARY

Today is John and Sarah's first wedding anniversary.  They got a little pre-wedding anniversary gift - they got to bring a little bundle home from the hospital - Baby John.

The doctor called yesterday morning, told them that Baby John was just fine, but would like to meet them at the hospital after their church service.  So John and Sarah had a driver come and pick them up after church.  When they got there, the doctor said she seemed to remember their wedding anniversary was tomorrow and they said yes.  Well, she said, I have a present for you - Baby John weighs just a bit over what she wanted him to - so he can go home.

John and Sarah were thrilled.  Doctor had all the release papers made out, told them all she wanted them do - what to watch out for - what not to watch out for and more.  Sarah packed up all the items she had there for Baby John.

They asked the doctor if she came into the hospital just for them.  Doctor sort of laughed and said no.  She had delivered one of her patients that morning and had another one on the way in.  So after she delivered the first baby, she thought of checking Baby John and remembered their anniversary. Baby John weighed over the limit she feels safe sending him home and what an anniversary gift he would be.

The doctor told Sarah she knew what Sarah went through last year with her father being ill and passing.  Anna had told her when Sarah first went to her so she would know Sarah's fear of hospitals.  Doctor said this time, good things do happen in hospitals, too.  Now take your little boy home with you and have a Happy Anniversary.

Anna, Sarah's Mother and I went over to their house after church and waited to see what the doctor wanted.  Anna said she thought the doctor was sending Baby John home.  If he was fine, why else would she call them down there on a Sunday.  But we all waited just in case.

When the car pulled up, we went out on the porch and we could see John in the front next to the driver and he was beaming.  Anna was right. When the car stopped John was out and opened the back door where Sarah was holding the baby.  John took the baby from Sarah, she got out, and the three of them walked into the house.  I think even Baby John was glad to be home.

Even though Baby John is home, there are rules about people seeing him yet.  Doctor doesn't want a lot of people in their house at the same time.  No one with colds, flu, etc. that Baby John should get.  Make sure he gets all his rest.  She would say to make sure he eats, but he will let you know when he is hungry - although Sarah does have a schedule.  Don't take him to church or where there are a lot of people.  Sarah has to bring him back to the doctor in two weeks or before if necessary.  Doctor said she knows everyone will want to see him and in a few weeks, he will be able to, but let him get use to home and away from any illness.  Even then, the doctor said, you still can't avoid illness sometimes, but Baby John is strong now.  Between Sarah, Anna and the midwife, I think Baby John will be well taken care of.

So the party we were going to have for their anniversary, we are delaying until Baby John can have more people in.  Anna said she really thinks, they would want just the three of them together on that day, anyway.  Their maude had the baby room all ready for the baby.  They had given them Monday evening off before they knew Baby John was coming home - so they told her take it off even though he is home.  They could manage Baby John.

John said he is so glad Baby John is home.  Not only to have Baby John home, but Sarah has finally stopped crying.  She has a smile now, not tears.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer


PLEASE READ PRECEDING POST, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY.