We got a phone call last week from some friends who had a lamb that had a mother who wouldn't take him. He was the smallest lamb I have ever seen. Smaller than our cat. I wasn't going to take him, knowing the work involved and figuring he never got any colustrum to start. Well our youngest has a birthday on Monday, and she said that this would be her present. So for ten days, we've doctored this guy through scours and constipation, sniffles and a bum leg. So here's a pic, not of him, but he does look like this:
Friday, March 19, 2010 - What projects are you ladies working on????
Posted by Gabbie
I just read on Crystal's message boards that several of the ladies are working on crochet projects, knitting projects and yes even sewing projects. I felt a little like the black sheep of the family when I posted that I am currently working on 3 recipe scrapbooks. LOL I don't crochet or knit, and I wanted to finish these projects before starting a new sewing project. Two of them are for Christmas presents for my SILs and are more than 70% done I would say. The third one is for a friend and I haven't even started it yet. I am hoping to get my goodies out tonight and do some work on them though.
I am done with baby quilts for now (which I took pics of and uploaded on the computer and now can not find. LOL So I have requests out to the mommy's to send me pics of the babies with their quilts. When I get them I will try to post for you all!) and will move on to Noah's quilt, and then the sisters and neices aprons for Christmas presents. I love sewing up aprons. Many moons ago every woman had several aprons to wear while housekeeping and cooking. Now a days, I find many of my family and friends don't have one, but when they see mine they want one so badly! LOL So hopefully the girls will love their aprons when they receive them.
So, the question is....what projects are you working on right now??? Perhaps you are dipping candles like Chas, or making a new Spring table runner. Tell us if you are making jelly, or sewing up pajamas (another project for the littles for Christmas this year!), or scrapbooking. Enquiring minds want to know!
I'm sitting here listening to my little 6 week old baby girl coo at me! It's the sweetest sound! She is so smiley and sweet!
We've had some beautiful weather today and yesterday and the day before! Soo nice to get baby girl outside without being completely bundled! For St. Patrick's day (being Irish, of course) I made cabbage rolls, corned beef in the crock pot and Irish soda bread! Got to visit with my family and had a friend over earlier this week. Today the kids got the sidewalk chalk out and went to town on the concrete patio outside. My little one filled up his toy shopping cart with pinecones and tree bark. I've thinned even more the indoor toys. Seriously, my kids are happy with pens and paper a laundry basket and a blanket for a fort and spend hours outside playing with sticks and rocks and stones. We are just people at least myself and my kids who do so much better with less. In fact, I prefer less I think! It's so much easier to focus on my goals and priorities without being distracted by clutter and an endless to-do list. For me less really is more! Happy belated St. Patrick's Day!
P.S. our purple finches are back in our yard! Spring must be here!
I have to admit I have more energy than in previous weeks of this pregnancy, but I haven't accomplished much with that extra energy. LOL I am still dragging my feet a little, and I just need to get my booty into gear!!! I have made a goal to get this house back into working order by next Friday! I will work hard on it this weekend with a little help from hubs, and finish up the last details and grocery shopping and pantry organizing next week while Noah is in school! I feel so disorganized and not myself when the house is in disaray, there is laundry waiting, etc.
So, today is Friday and Noah has no school. He will be helping me in the toy area cleaning up, putting away and organizing. He is a wonderful help!!! After that is done, I will dust all the tables and such and vacuum. Noah loves to wipe down the tables, so perhaps he will help with that as well! In between cleaning, vacuuming, etc. I will try to get the dreaded laundry caught up today and put away before the weekend really begins. For me that means, no laundry during the weekends. We like to have at least one thing we don't worry about on the weekends.
Matthew will help me with dishes since my hip has been bothering me and I just can't stand very long right now. It's one of the things he honestly doesn't mind doing. I am thankful for his help, and hanging out in the kitchen usually puts him in the mood to bake. LMSO So maybe we will have some muffins or biscuits this weekend from hubs.
Tonight Matthew has an appointment at 6 with our tax lady. I have all the paperwork in order on the family's finances, etc. but since he has his own electrician business, he needs to talk to her about what she needs, etc. to figure his side of the taxes correctly. We are praying for some BIG MONEY on our tax return, because I have a few bills that need to be paid in full soon. If the tax refund is as big as I am hoping, we should be debt free except for our mortgage by the end of summer, or the end of the year at the latest!
I wrote our picture appointment for Easter pics down on the wrong day....so pics are TOMORROW, not today. LOL I am glad I checked with Renea last night instead of just showing up on the wrong day. LOL I got NOah some cute sorts and polos yesterday, so I am thinking he will wear his choice of them.
Well ladies, that is the boring antics of our household. LMSO Nothing too exciting here this weekend....taxes, coffee with the girls on Saturday morning, pictures that afternoon, etc, LOL
1. Whip the cream cheese and vanilla with an electric mixer.
2. Add the powdered sugar.
3. Add enough milk to reach the desired consistency.
Chocolate Butter Frosting
We used this frosting for our Root Beer Chocolate Cake. It’s a simple frosting that works well on any cake.
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter
About 5 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Additional milk as required
Directions
Cream the butter. Add half the powdered sugar and two tablespoons milk. Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar, beating as you go. Add the vanilla and melted chocolate. Add more milk as required to reach a spreadable consistency.
Root Beer Butter Frosting
We used this frosting for our Root Beer Spice Cake. It’s a simple frosting that works well on any cake.
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter
About 5 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons root beer
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Additional root beer as required
Directions
Cream the butter. Add half the powdered sugar and two tablespoons root beer. Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar, beating as you go. Add the nutmeg, vanilla, and more root beer as required to reach a spreadable consistency.
Easy Buttercream Frosting
This is an easy, no-cook buttercream frosting that works very well for decorating. Because it has a high butter content, it has a nice flavor and mouth-feel. It is a stable frosting in all but the warmest weather.
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup shortening
1 pound powdered sugar
2 tablespoons meringue powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Milk as needed for consistency
Directions
1. With the paddle attachment and your stand-type mixer, beat the butter, shortening, powdered sugar, and meringue powder together.
2. Add the lemon juice and vanilla. Beat the frosting, adding enough milk to reach the desired consistency.
Baker’s notes: You may use one egg white in place of the meringue powder. (Meringue powder is mostly dried egg white.)
Always apply your buttercream frosting at room temperature. Your frosting may be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.
This week’s Recipe Hit List is a collection of tempting recipes for ground turkey that I’ve found online. Substituting ground turkey for ground beef is a popular trick for dieters since it’s an easy way to shave fat from your diet (and you won’t even notice a difference in taste for many dishes). Altering recipes for ground turkey can be a bit tricky (so the dishes aren’t too dry), but I’ve found plenty of recipes that claim success and look so tempting and delicious: meat balls, meat loaves, lasagna, soup, burgers and plenty more ideas. Enjoy!
Ground Turkey Recipes
*Note: Descriptions below are quotes from the recipe sites
Moist and Tender Extra-Lean Turkey Meatballs Recipe By danispies.com
Moist and Tender Extra-Lean Turkey Meatballs: (as seen in picture) When opting to use all white meat in this recipe, my fear was that the extra lean turkey meat could have the tendency of drying out. So the challenge was to find a way to keep these babies moist and tender. And guys, I am proud to say, “Mission Accomplished”! o today I share with you my, “How-To-Keep-Your-Lean-Meatballs-Moist-and-Tender” Tips. Recipe & tips from Dani Spies.
Asian Meatballs With Sesame Lime Dipping Sauce: This was a very enjoyable meal and I will make it again. The meatballs were very easy to assemble. I used a 1/4 cup to measure the amount for each meatball. Then they baked in a very hot oven for just 15 minutes, emerging juicy and full of flavor. The tangy lime, sesame seed, and soy dipping sauce elevated the flavor–and added a fun factor. I love dipping sauces. Recipe from What Did You Eat?
Turkey Meatballs: Thank goodness for ground turkey. I just get a pound of it, season it with lots of fennel, red pepper, rosemary, and garlic, and form it into little balls. I usually brown the meatballs then simmer them gently in sauce to finish cooking. This whole meal takes less than an hour to make and eat, which is perfect for the middle of a workweek. Recipe from Where I’m Cooking From.
Curried Turkey Meatballs: Adapted from Indian Food Made Easy, by Anjum Ananad, this recipe originally called for lamb and cilantro, but I had turkey and parsley in the refrigerator and the turkey made for a much lighter dish. The meatballs and gravey were delicious as is, but you can serve them over basmati rice or noodles, or stuffed into a pita sandwich. Serves 4. Recipe from The Perfect Pantry.
Spaghetti With Turkey Meatballs And Sundried Tomatoes: This recipe was simple to make and great fun to eat. The meatballs were juicy and full of flavor, due to the chopped sundried tomatoes mixed into them. Meatballs freeze beautifully and I like to have them on reserve, to pull out a few to eat when I’m feeling a little hypoglysemic. And they’re handy for when I don’t feel like cooking. I served these with pasta, but they’re wonderful with rice or (my favorite) a big chunk of crusty bread. Recipe from What Did You Eat?
Chiptole Turkey Burgers: Do you have recipes that have you convinced that the dish is healthy, virtuous, practically spa-worthy because it involves a certain ingredient? Because I’ve got tons of them. Come summer, the turkey burger is at the top of that list. Swap out the ground sirloin for ground turkey and, voila, you’re on a diet! Never mind the fact that the generous canopy of cheese, the giant bun and the smears of condiments remain. It’s a turkey burger: eat it with reckless abandon. From The Kitchen Sink Recipes.
Grilled Cheese-Stuffed Turkey Burgers: Take a break from traditional burgers. Lots of spicy chiles, Monterey Jack cheese and salsa mix with ground turkey breast for burgers to serve to a crowd. Recipe from Betty Crocker.
Thai Turkey Burgers: They were quick to come together and had all of the great Thai flavors that my husband and I love so very much. All of the flavors worked perfectly together which resulted in a very flavorful burger. I topped the burger with a Cilantro Lime Aioli which lent itself perfectly to the flavors of the burger. Honestly, this is one of the best burgers I’ve personally had; I absolutely loved it. Recipe found at Le Petit Pierogi.
Mediterranean Turkey Burger Pitas: The burgers themselves are filled with feta cheese, onion, garlic and pesto, which smells so good when it grills you’ll be glad you made them before you even take a bite. Recipe from Culinerapy.
Turkey Meat Loaf: Today’s recipe is Turkey and Roasted Red Pepper Meat Loaf. I originally found this recipe in Real Simple and I was surprised. As much as I love the magazine, I usually find their recipes a little bland and they leave a little to be desired. But this one made the cut and I wanted to share it with you. Recipe from Christa Wagner.
Turkey Meatloaf: When I saw this recipe for turkey meatloaf I was intrigued. It is certainly healthier than the version I usually make using ground sirloin, and it is an Ina recipe – she’s never let me down before, so I gave it a shot. Good thing I did because we both agreed this is even better than my old meatloaf. The flavor was fantastic and I honestly didn’t really notice a difference in taste due to the turkey. It was also a lighter meal so I didn’t feel overly full after dinner which I appreciate. I guess we can kiss the old recipe goodbye! Recipe found at Annie’s Eats.
Autumn Turkey Loaf: What I love about this dish is that it incorporates pretty much everything I’d like for a turkey dinner all into one easy loaf. And it actually comes out tasting like all of those things at once, too! Recipe from The Red Kitchen Project.
Turkey Pasta Soup: This quick soup has such a great flavor that everyone I’ve shared it with has added the recipe to her list of favorites. It also simmers up well in a slow cooker. Recipe from Taste Of Home.
Black Bean and Turkey Chili: The awesome thing about chili is that you can do whatever you want to make it your own. Recipe from We Are Not Martha.
Grown Up Sloppy Joes with Ground Turkey and Avocado: I swapped out ground beef for ground turkey to lighten things up, added a little kick of Tabsaco, and topped it all off with some avocado. I was pretty pleased with my new rendition and decided to throw them to the wolves when my lady friends came over last night. Judging by the empty tray at the end of the evening, they were too. Recipe from Feast On The Cheap.
Ground Turkey Tacos: I have cooked with ground turkey before… and the result was not the greatest, but I’m happy to report that this turned out well! I was also a little afraid they would be too spicy for my husband, but they tasted almost exactly like the store bought packet of taco seasoning minus all the extra sodium! Recipe from Oh, My Restless Soul.
Turkey Tacos with Cinnamon and Cumin: I saw this recipe several years ago on one of those fat-guy-learning-to-exercise-and-eat-right shows… I don’t remember what show it was. But my mouth was watering as they were making this so-simple meal, and the next day I got some taco shells so I could do it too. Not only is it low-fat and full of flavor, but it’s super-easy and quick to make, too! Recipe from Joyful Abode.
Ground Turkey Stroganoff: Yes; it does have Cream of Mushroom Soup in it. But I’m no food snob, and I am short on time, and I happen to have a husband who adores the stuff. While I know there are recipes out there to make the soup from scratch, and believe me I have plans to try doing so, this meal hits the spot when you have a bit of time, a hungry family, and a huge to-do list. It’s in our meal rotation because like I said Brad loves it. Plus it can be made with ground turkey, which I often use in recipes that call for ground beef because it’s less fatty and better for us. And the best part? When all is said and done you can’t tell the difference in this dish. Recipe from Confabulation In The Kitchen.
Ground Turkey Shepherd’s Pie: I started working on this shepherd’s pie recipe after ordering an amazing plate of it in a nearby pub and vowing to recreate it. Half a dozen tries later, and I think I’m pretty happy with the final product, which is mostly a mix of a Joy of Cooking recipe (the best cook book for simple base recipes) and a Rachel Ray recipe I caught the last half of on TV. Recipe from Brood.
Unstuffed Cabbage with Ground Turkey: My mom and I really enjoy this recipe — I have made it with beef in the past, but it works just as nicely with the ground turkey. It is an easy way to use up a cabbage, something I get a lot of from our CSA. There’s only so much coleslaw a person can eat. Recipe from Chick In The Kitchen.
Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms with Ground Turkey and Nuts: I saved the artichoke bottoms because I wanted to try this artichoke recipe from the book The New Book of Middle Eastern Food by Claudia Roden. Called Mahshi Kharshouf, Roden claims this dish is an old classic in the Arab world. It was good! Instead of ground beef, veal or lamb, I used ground turkey meat. I also added crushed chili pepper for my husband who likes dishes spicier. Recipe from Cafe Nilson.
Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps: It’s like a copy-cat version of the lettuce wraps from PF Changs, it looks like a chinese taco to me. I served this along with brown rice, and some steamed potstickers. It’s a light and refreshing and super easy meal to make and it also helped that I had fresh mint available growing in my garden to use. Be sure to have your napkins ready, you will get messy! Recipe found at Mrs. Regueiro’s Plate.
My Fried Turkey Dumpling/Potsticker/Guotie Recipe: Making potstickers/dumplings involves a special frying technique that is a combo of frying and steaming. I’m not one who gets picky about exact amounts. Turns out that dumplings are pretty forgiving. Recipe from The Fortune Cookie Chronicles.
Today, a recipe: Make your own Hamburger Helper. It's so easy, and you'll be kicking yourself for spending $2-3 on those little boxes of chemicals all these years! You can also make this gluten free by using chinese rice noodles and cornstarch.
We can't eat MSG or food dyes, and we would be a 3 box family by now, so this really saves money and health.
Hamburger Helper is basically meat, sauce, and noodles. The sauce usually comes in a powdered form, and is highly processed so that all you have to do is add water. I use egg noodles (plain, yolk free, whole wheat - whatever floats your boat) or no bake lasagna noodles, broken up, work well too. Now you know what to do with those crushed pieces in the bottom of the box! You can scale this up or down: the ratios are roughly 1 lb. ground meat, 8 oz. egg noodles, 16 oz. of sauce (that's two cups). But since YOU are in charge here, not Betty Crocker, you can make it noodlier, saucier, or meatier. Allow 1-1/2 oz. noodles for each adult portion and 4 oz. of uncooked meat.
Basic recipe Brown the meat (sometimes I get sassy and use ground sausage. I always use ground turkey or turkey sausage, it's cheaper, healthier, and once you throw all the other stuff in you can't tell the difference). Add some chopped up onions if you've got them. Drain it to reduce fat (dump meat in colander, rinse with hot water, dump back in pan.)
I usually use half an onion in a recipe, but I'm lazy, too, so I sometimes chop the entire thing and save half in a sandwich baggie so I only have to wash the knife and cutting board once. Save money on soap, too!
Now, add sauce:
For Lasagna style, add 1 jar of spaghetti sauce, which I get free with coupons or buy the WalMart brand, for $1.00/16 oz. jar. I can't make this same amount of marinara sauce for cheaper than that! My family's big, so I brown 2 lbs. meat and add 2 jars of sauce, or 1 jar sauce and 1 large can of crushed tomatoes. I like the crushed tomatoes, it is thicker than tomato sauce but doesn't have chunks like diced tomatoes. Add garlic and italian seasoning to taste.
For Cheeseburger style, put about a cup of beef broth per pound of meat in a measuring cup. Add a spoonful of flour or cornstarch. Flour will give you brown gravy, cornstarch will give you a translucent sauce; use a small spoon if you go with the cornstarch. Mix it up with a fork until there are no lumps. Pour it into the skillet and bring to a boil.
For Taco style, drain 1 can of diced tomatoes into a measuring cup (15 oz. size). Add beef broth to make 1 cup, add flour, dump broth and tomatoes into pot. Add garlic and cumin, and maybe a spoonful or two of salsa if you prefer. Bring to a boil. (You can add a can of corn or whole pinto beans if you need to stretch it, or make it meatless. Use the bean juice and corn water from the can instead of adding water.)
For Stroganoff, make it like the cheeseburger style at this point, using milk instead of broth. Or use 1/3 dried milk powder mixed into 1 c. broth . Or, you can add in canned mushrooms; drain into a measuring cup and add milk to make a cup. I don't buy canned mushrooms, because they are pretty much expensive and tasteless. I buy dehydrated mushrooms at the Chinese food store (not shiitake, just generic dried mushrooms). You put them in a bowl, add boiling water, and let them sit. Much tastier, easier to store, and you get tasty mushroom water to use instead. Of course, that takes some of the convenience out of the hamburger helper style meal. Put a dash of Worcestershire sauce in if your family like it.
Bring meat and sauce to a boil, stirring often. (For stroganoff, make it a gentle simmer - don't want to have burned milk taste!) Add the noodles and stir them in. Add more water if needed, so the noodles mix well into the sauce (note: it should not cover the noodles. You are not making soup Just enough water that you can mix the noodles in easily without a lot of clumping or your spoon getting stuck.)
Cover and continue to simmer, stirring often, until the noodles are soft (15 minutes or so down here at sea level for 16 oz. of noodles).
Now, top it off: Lasagna style, turn off the stove and stir in some ricotta or cottage cheese, or I just sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top. Serve.
Cheeseburger, reduce heat to low, add a handful of cheddar cheese, and stir it in until it melts. Turn stove off, sprinkle more cheese on top, and serve.
Taco, turn off stove, top with cheese - monterey jack, pepper jack, or queso fresco are good choices. Serve.
Stroganoff, reduce heat to very low. Add a couple of big spoonfuls of sour cream and stir into mixture. Cook gently until heated through - do not boil! You can use non-fat plain yogurt as well, but it has a more acidic taste so it won't taste like true stroganoff.
I like this recipe because it is a true pantry recipe (except the stroganoff). Everything can be stocked and stored on a shelf, (My freezer is part of my pantry, so the meat counts as a pantry item too!) It cooks up in one pot. It's quick, convenient, and you can make it without meat for vegetarians or meatless Fridays. (Just add some sort of bean or tofu for protein.) You can easily make it fat free, or whole grain; it works as an organic recipe or regular; you can use stuff from your garden or from cans; you can use up your leftover spaghetti sauce or noodles; you can easily hide veggies in here for picky kids (shredded zucchini, carrots, smushed up white beans... )
Thursday, March 18, 2010 - It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.....a beautiful day in the neighborhood.....
Posted by Gabbie
I woke up to birds chirping outside my window.....a cool crisp air.......a little boy laughing......a hubby's kiss......oh what a wonderful day! LOL Ok, so I wanted to sleep in (but Noah had school), but most of the rest is true!!! While I was running errands I had the window down from some fresh air and I have enjoyed the sun today as well!!!!!
Noah quickly got ready for school today because I spent an extra 10 minutes in bed trying to wipe the sleep from my eyes....and when he was gone on the bus, I went to WAL-MART!!! Wally World and I have a love/hate relationship. I love going there......and spending money.......but I hate going there....and spending money!!! LMSO I ended up finding a few winter shirts for Noah for next winter on clearance for $5 each and then found a pair of shorts and polo shirt he can wear for pics tomorrow.
Noah is having Easter pics taken tomorrow. It is cheaper to have them taken now when they are running a special than to wait until his birthday in April to have his 4 year old pics taken, so I am taken advantage! LMSO He better smile is all I am going to say!!!
Noah's bus was LATE today coming home. I was wondering if they were every going to bring my boy home. LMSO I called the school and they had some bus problems and were running late. When they got here, the bus driver said it was their 3 bus of the day!! UGH!!! And since they have 19 kids in kids carseats, that means they moved carseats and had to rebuckle, etc. 3 times today! UGH!
Friday, Matthew is talking to our tax lady. I already have the paperwork all ready for her, except his receipts and such on HIS business. So the rest is up to him and her. I am praying for BIG MONEY< NO WHAMMYS!!! LMSO I already have alot of the money allocated for one thing or another, so I am hoping it comes in quickly so I can pay off some bills. I think by the end of summer, or at least by the end of the year for absolutely sure, we should be debt free again except for the mortgage. Then we will start putting our extra money into paying off the mortage again!!! YEAH!
This weekend, I am having coffee (ok I dont' drink coffee, so I will have chai! LMSO) with the girls at the coffee shop. I don't get to make it often, but when I found out my girlfriend from California is going to be there, I put it on the calendar and told Matthew I needed to go and he was in charge of Noah!!! LMSO
Horse carriages await their Amish owners after a gathering near Pawnee City to discuss midwives and home births. (MARK ANDERSEN / Lincoln Journal Star)
Three bills that would have made it easier for certified nurse midwives to attend home births have not advanced out of the Health and Human Services Committee to the floor of the Legislature this year.
LB457 -- to strike the requirement for certified nurse midwives to have a practice agreement with a physician
LB481 -- to allow certified nurse midwives to attend home births
LB406 -- to allow certified nurse midwives to have clinical privileges in hospitals
PAWNEE CITY -- Five women and two men swap tales of nurse midwives, mostly explaining a preference by the Amish for home deliveries over hospital births.
Anna Schwartz, wife of Pawnee City-area Amish Bishop Jake Schwartz, gave birth to seven of eight kids at home with midwives.
On the other hand, Ellen Stutzman had doctors and hospitals for all six of her children, including five by Caesarean section.
There's broad support among the Amish for legislative proposals making it easier to employ nurse midwives for home deliveries. Three bills empowering midwives are stuck in legislative committees again this year.
Although known for their religious beliefs, the Amish support midwives and home births mostly out of earthly concerns.
"We get scared if somebody goes to the hospital," Jake Schwartz says. "It's the price."
Religion gets scant mention in this conversation.
Members of this growing Amish community began moving here a couple of years ago, coming mostly from Iowa and Wisconsin. Nebraska law does not permit nurse midwives to attend home births. Midwives receive less training than physicians.
While there's broad support among the Amish for allowing midwives at home births, there's a diversity of opinion on the ability of midwives to address complications like breach babies or bleeding.
It's a free-ranging conversation. As bishop, Jake Schwartz explains, his role is more like an elder.
"I don't have all the say so."
The Amish discuss things, usually in German, until there's general agreement, he says. But today they've come to the stove-heated house of EliJay and Elizabeth Gingerich to make the case to the English -- their name for car-driving, Internet-addicted Americans. It's the "us" as opposed to "them."
There is a difference.
Old Order Amish don't use electric appliances, don't drive motorized vehicles and won't be photographed. Even the youngest boys in the house wear suspenders, and all of the girls cover their heads and wear traditional dresses.
And yet the Amish hire cars and drivers to travel distances. And it's OK to seek modern medical technology to save lives.
EliJay Gingerich praises Omaha surgeons for fixing an infant son's bowel malformation.
The nuances of Amish beliefs and customs aren't easily conveyed.
"(For an English person) to try to get down to the way we live is about impossible," Jake Schwartz says. "The only way would be to come out and live with us for a week and do without what you're used to."
It's just an hour's drive from here to the state Capitol, but the journey bridges the 19th and 21st centuries.
Many, if not most of the 80 Amish souls in this Pawnee City community of 13 families, were born at home using midwives.
Among the women gathered, only Stutzman, with her history of complicated births, says she feels more comfortable delivering children in hospitals.
"When I get into a hospital, I relax," she says. "I know there's (Amish) people that can't."
Stutzman says a midwife told her after her fourth C-section that she (the midwife) wouldn't be scared to attempt a ******l delivery.
"I was the one scared," Stutzman says.
And had she gone forward, Stutzman says she later learned, it would have led to placenta acredia, which means an abnormal attachment of the placenta to the uterine wall.
"And she wouldn't have known it," Stutzman says.
The others in the room view midwives with far more confidence.
If it's been a normal pregnancy with monthly checkups, if the mother and midwife feel comfortable, they say, there's minimal risk.
"If they (midwives) have a concern," Anna Schwartz says, "they recommend you go to the doctor."
EliJay Gingerich says a midwife knows what to do if there's an emergency, but many times, they don't have to do anything.
In established Amish communities in Iowa, women from within the group attend home births. Families pay them what they can afford.
Anna Schwartz says she's been present for several births but feels she doesn't have enough experience should something go wrong.
In Wisconsin, the Amish hired professional nurse midwives for about $1,200 per birth, including prenatal care. In Nebraska, Elizabeth Gingerich says, they were quoted a price near $20,000 for a normal delivery at a Lincoln hospital.
"That's more than I make in about a year," says EliJay Gingerich.
The Amish don't carry health insurance, Jake Schwartz says. And unlike insurance companies, they don't have the ability to negotiate cheaper prices, so they get stuck with inflated bills.
The distance to a hospital is another problem.
"When I start going into labor," Elizabeth Gingerich asks, "what transportation would I have?"
She moved to Nebraska while pregnant and felt frustrated by the state's laws. She ended up having her child at home anyway.
Lastly, there's the issue of comfort and control.
Jake Schwartz relates an incident in which he felt hospital officials usurped power.
He had taken a son to a Wisconsin hospital around 11 p.m. with symptoms of a respiratory virus, he says. He'd done the same thing with another boy a year earlier, and his doctor had placed that child in a humidifying tent.
But this time, his doctor wasn't there. Six nurses descended on the crying child, trying to get blood, he says. Jake Schwartz went into the lobby, thinking, "This isn't going to work."
A woman in charge at the hospital told him a helicopter was on the way and she needed his signature to send the child to a hospital in Madison, Wis.
It's not necessary, Jake Schwartz says he told her, but she kept on him. Eventually, he signed.
"It's the same as lying," he says. "I'm not for it."
A nurse drove his wife to Madison, he says. There, she was told to take the child home.
The helicopter ride cost $15,000. The hospital bills totaled $9,500. The child's regular doctor later admitted, Jake Schwartz says, the boy should not have been taken to Madison.
Everyone makes mistakes, Jake Schwartz says. But in a situation like that, he gets nervous.
"They do as they please. You're just stunned."
Elizabeth Gingerich says, "I just depended on the midwife and believed God would help."
This pillow will delight any cowboy fan. Make it from one color with embroidered designs, or make the top plaid or stripe and use plain for the bottom.
Make the pattern on paper and cut the top apart from the bottom. Lay the pieces on material. Add 1/4″ for seam allowance.
Turn under the seam allowance on the top edge of the bottom part of the boot. Stitch this to the top part of the boot as shown in the original pattern.
Make “pull-on” tab and baste in place.
Cut a matching or contrasting strip of material 2 and half inches wide and about 42 inches long. Sew this strip around the edge of one side of the boot. When sewing the other side of the boot be sure and leave about five inches open for putting in the filling. Turn right side out and fill.
We all must have a lighter side to us and I'm hoping that in my blogs to share crafts, game ideas, recipes, funny happenings etc. I have another blog with my quiet spiritaul thoughts as well.
