Thursday, May 17, 2007
Amish Country (edited)
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~~This is edited to add that the Amish don't like their pics taken and the pics in this entry were taken from the internet-links included. Our Amish driver did tell us that it was ok to take pics if their faces weren't showing, so I chose pics where faces couldn't be seen. The first pic is taken from the homepage of the place we took our buggy tour from~~
We drove several hours to go to Lancaster, PA for a couple days and had a GREAT time. The hotel we were in ended up being Christian, which was SO nice, but they didn't have a pool like Pat thought, so the kids were disappointed. Susanna talked about "wimming" all the way there. But, disappointment was soon forgotten when we ended up going on an Amish tour in a horse and buggy, which was fantastic!
 Our Amish driver was so friendly. As we were getting in the buggy, he said, "hold up-the boy rides in front with me" and Jonah loved it. He even let Jonah drive a little. We were right behind them and learned so much on a personal level about the Amish. We passed by 2 boys driving a team of 5 mules and loading beautiful alfalfa round bales with a device that I've never seen before. They don't use conventional tractors.
 There were horses everywhere and they looked so well taken care of-they all looked like athletes, for sure. Their horses were mostly standardbreds, but also a lot of mules and draft horses. It was so neat to see fields being baled, planted and mowed all by horses. Their farms were gorgeous, neat as a pin, their gardens were incredible with no weeds in sight and they all looked very well off. There were huge playsets for the kids, the houses were big & beautiful. Their clotheslines looked a mile long-from the houses to the barns.
We saw a "grandma" & "grandpa" plowing a garden. The grandma was holding the 1 blade plow and the grandpa was leading the draft horse. We saw 2 Amish boys fishing in a creek. We saw two different one-room school houses and 14 Amish children walking to school. We also saw an Amish family running thru a field after a loose horse.
There were buggies everywhere the whole time we were there. It was so enchanting-it was like going back in time and I loved it. Pat & the kids loved it, too. Mr. Mennow & the kids talked up a blue streak and he asked us if he could take our kids home to work & play with his kids. He said, "besides-your kids would be so easy to be Amish-they already have Amish names." Jonah said, I don't think so. But, Hannah was all ready to sign up. LOL
I was really inspired by their gardens and play to be more diligent with mine-not just in growing, but at making it neater and more beautiful, too.
We ate at a place called "The Family Cupboard" which featured Amish style food, but wasn't touristy according to the hotel lady. It was good and there were several Amish families there, which was so neat to see. I had to coach Jonah before we went in not to stare at anyone.
The next day we went to Sight & Sound theatre to see "In The Beginning" and that was really powerful. Here's a pic of a beautiful lion & lamb statue in the front of the theatre:
 Susanna loved all the life size angels flying all around the theatre during 2 of the scenes and all the live animals and the life-size animated animals, too.The play made many things more real to me:
--Adam & Eve's fear & sorrow when they disobeyed and were cast out of the garden. One thing that really hit me was when "God" said that woman would try to rule over her husband, but that he had authority over her. I've been struggling with that a bit for the last 2 weeks especially-and it hit me b/w the eyes.
--God's love for them, even though he had to cast them out
--Adam & Eve's sorrow & grief when Cain killed Abel and was then banished from them.
--The scene that showed God making Adam from dust and breathing life into him. And then when he made Eve from Adam's rib. It brought home to me some things about the husband & wife relationship.
We had a good time with my in-laws & BIL. My FIL tired very easily, so he didn't do all the things we did. My BIL stayed with him so my MIL could come with us to eat and go on the buggy ride.
We can't wait to go back there sometime-there was lots to do and see that we didn't have time for.
Glad to be home! |
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Thursday, May 17, 2007 - Untitled Comment
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