Lovina’s Diary: A January day at the Eichers

4:30 a.m. – Our alarm rings to awaken us for another day. Another day God granted to us. Are we thankful enough for his many blessings he sends?

I pack my husband Joe’s lunch with last night’s leftovers of vegetable soup and fresh ham that was grilled. I also add an apple and cookies and fill a thermos with coffee. I fill his water jug with ice and water.

5 a.m. – Joe leaves for work. Son Benjamin left for the factory at 4 a.m. before we were up. He usually grabs some leftovers for his lunch. I get a cup of coffee and snuggle on my recliner to read, but I end up falling asleep for a few more hours on some days.

8:30 a.m. – I take a shower, then gather the laundry and throw it down to the basement. I use a cold air return vent on the floor for my laundry chute. Then I help my son Kevin get up in his mobility scooter. I am so thankful for the Hoyer lift since he is 6-foot-4. I used to be able to lift him easily. Joanna comes to help me wash our laundry. She stops to get her daughter Verena’s laundry, and we wash theirs too.

11 a.m. – The laundry is done and drying on the lines in our warm basement. Daughter Loretta and her three little ones come over for lunch. Daughter Verena joins us, too. We heat leftover soup and meat from last night. Denzel, 3, and Byron, 2, are really starting to like looking at books. They notice a lot of little things in the pictures. Kylie, 1, is walking everywhere now. When she comes, we close the gate on the stairway and shut the bathroom door. She loves crawling into the wet shower or unraveling the toilet tissue.

After lunch, Loretta puts all the children down for a nap. I mix up a batch of sugar cookies. I will chill the dough and bake it tomorrow morning.

Daniel Ray and Benjamin are home from their jobs and eat some leftovers too. I lost track of time, so not really sure what time they came home.

3 p.m. – Joe is home from work. Loretta is getting ready to leave, and the children are glad to see Grandpa Joe before they leave. Daughter Lovina, Daniel and baby Brooklyn stop in for a while. Brooklyn is asleep in the stroller, so I don’t disturb her. She looks so sweet. Daniel was pushing the stroller, and Lovina was driving her electric wheelchair. They were going to go on a walk since the temperature is 50 degrees and much warmer than it should be for this time of year.

4 p.m. – Daniel Ray is digging a small trench to bury some wires for our solar power. We sure appreciate all the sunshine we had today. It helps charge the backup batteries for our solar power.

Benjamin walks down to my sister Verena’s house to get her mail. She is staying with my sister Liz and Levi for several weeks. Benjamin does the evening chores after he gets back.

5 p.m. – I start supper, which is pon hoss that Dustin and Daniel and Lovina gave to us when they butchered pork. I make coffee soup, fried eggs and toast with that.

6 p.m. – Supper is ready. It’s still hard to get used to cooking for only four people now.

8 p.m. – Everyone is settled for the night. Kevin and I are still awake and reading. I like to sit in my recliner and unwind at night. I finally have my reader mail all answered and ready for the mail tomorrow. I am sorry for the late responses to some of you. It is so easy to push it off for another day. I really do appreciate all your kind letters and encouragement. It means more than you know.

Good night, sweet dreams and God bless!

Gold Rush Brunch Casserole

8 eggs, beaten

1 pound frozen tater tots or hash brown patties, thawed

1 pound sausage or ham, cubed

2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons parsley

1/2–1 pound shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1 3/4 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

Scramble eggs on the stovetop and set aside. Place potatoes in the bottom of a greased 9x13-inch pan. Fry meat lightly and layer on top of potatoes along with onion and parsley. Layer scrambled eggs on top of the meat. Layer cheese on top of eggs. Set aside.

Melt butter in a saucepan and whisk flour into the butter, gradually adding milk. Cook and stir until thickened and boiling. Add pepper, salt and sour cream; mix well. Remove sauce from heat and pour evenly over the casserole.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30–40 minutes or until bubbly and heated through.

Yields 6–8 servings.

• 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.