Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 9

Introduction: The Disappearing Childhood 11

Section 1 Children Are Loved but Not Adored 15

The Rabbit Hutch 19

The Mud Hole 22

Workshop Raising 26

Family Vacations 30

Too Much Money 34

Christmas Day 38

Bill Coleman and a Quilt 41

Mothers-in-Law 46

The Christmas Bird Count 50

Section 2 Great Expectations 55

August Pies 58

Laundry Day 61

How to make a Marriage Last 65

A Teacher's Viewpoint 69

Snow Day! 73

Little Boys and Eggs 77

The Do-Over Boys 80

The Girdle 84

Amish in the City 87

Read, Read, Read 92

Interlude: A Year in an Amish Family 97

Section 3 Daily Bread 103

God doesn't Make Mistakes 106

Gas Thieves 110

Sitting on the Front Bench 113

Calvin and Goliath 117

Widow Maker 120

Northern Lights 123

A Rare Bird 127

Seventy Times Seven 131

The Miracle of the Neighbor 136

Section 4 Letting Go 141

Bear! 144

Chain Saws and Worries 147

Pastimes 150

A Dog's Life 153

Chuck and Henry and Two Eagles 157

Rumspringa 161

Singing to Cora 165

Wedding Season 168

An Early Good-bye 173

A Circle of Life 177

Epilogue: An Evening of Trivial Pursuit with the Amish 181

Recommended Reading 185

Notes 187