Elizabeth (husband Timothy), age 30
Happy birthday to you, Mom, the heart and soul of our family! Another year wiser!! :)
I like to think we are, as the saying goes, “like mother, like daughter” (because who wouldn’t want to be you!) with similar physical traits and personality. Perhaps I think too highly of myself in that manner. I suppose the little girl in me is still attempting to grow up to be “just like my mom” ... strong, wise and beautiful.
God knew what he was doing when he placed you on this earth as my mother, as Tim’s mother-in-law, and as the grandmother to our children. We couldn’t have asked for better! We know we can count on you to always (Lord willing) be there for us with our questions and concerns in life. Thank you for your love and support. We pray you’ll have good health and unlimited happiness in the year to come – and always. God’s many blessings to you! We love you!
Susan (husband Ervin), age 29
Happy 54th birthday, Mom. I wanted to thank you for all you have taught me. It takes a lot of patience to be a mother. You did a great job raising us. Now, with my own children, I see all the responsibility that it is to be a mother. I remember when you would sit down and read us a story. I really enjoyed that. May your birthday be filled with joy, and many more birthdays to come. Thanks for being a great mother. May God bless you. We love you.
Lovina (husband Daniel), age 21
I was born four days before Mom’s birthday, so Dad named me after her. Now I get the honor of being Lovina Jr. I think my mom and I share more than just the same name. I have her sense of humor. Even though she doesn’t show it a lot, she really does like to tease and joke.
Living away from home now, one of my favorite things to do is to call Mom after every slight inconvenience and ask her questions – from asking her why my gravy isn’t thickening to asking her who I’m supposed to call when my tooth hurts. Obviously, the dentist, ha, ha ... but like, which one? What’s the number? (and other questions I could figure out myself, but I have Mom). Living at home, the biggest question was always, “Mom, where’s this?” I think moms have a superpower of knowing where everything is. I’m glad that I have the privilege of asking my mom things. Some people never have that. So I try not to take that for granted.
Anyway, happy 54th birthday, Mom! I’m glad to help you celebrate another year, and I hope I get to celebrate many more with you! Thank you for all your help, love, time and all that you’ve taught me. I love you. God bless!
This is Lovina’s daughter Verena writing. We needed a few more lines written to fill up the space. Today is a dreary, rainy day. I went over to Loretta’s this morning around 7 to stay with her as Dustin goes to work, but he was back around 9 due to the rain. Denzel, age 2, and Byron, age 1, were up around 8, and both of them gave me morning snuggles. Kylie, age 4 months, woke up right before I left, so I was able to get some snuggles from her too.
My sister Lovina’s birthday was May 18, and she had us all over there to help her celebrate her 21st. Her husband, Daniel, grilled chicken while Lovina made a campfire stew. Mom made rhubarb custard pies for Lovina, as she wanted that rather than a cake. It was so good that we could all attend.
This week, Mom will be busy cutting out and sewing my and her dresses for my wedding June 20. I am happy that Mom will sew mine as well, as I am not the best at sewing yet.
God’s blessings!
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Cinnamon-Topped Rhubarb Muffins
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon vinegar, mixed and rested 5 minutes)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups diced rhubarb
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease well.
In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour and baking soda. Gradually stir into the wet mixture until just combined – do not overmix.
Gently fold in the diced rhubarb.
Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling about ¾ full.
Topping
½ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter, softened
Combine sugar, cinnamon and softened butter with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over each muffin.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, an 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, P.O. Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091 (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply), or email questionsforlovina@gmail.com and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.