A Few Precious Childhood Memories from Growing Up Amish

I want to share some of my childhood experiences and take you with me down memory lane.

I am grateful God chose the Amish culture route for me to come into this world. I have learned many valuable lessons and traits— like what contentment is. I’ve learned to appreciate true family values.

Some of my most treasured memories are of spending time on my grandparent's farm, watching two of my uncles milk cows. They yodeled and sang as they milked for hours. I remember the smell of the cow stables and the sounds of the milk splattering into the galvanized milk pails as they perched on the little wooden stools. Every day at milking time the barn cats would come in anticipation, waiting for my uncles to squirt milk into their mouth straight from the cows.

I remember the times I would sit beside my grandpa out in the barn on warm summer afternoons as he smoked his tobacco pipe. I enjoyed the smell of the tobacco from his pipe. At times I can still smell it today. It seemed like he was off in another world as he lazily puffed his pipe.

There were the times when all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins would all gather together at my grandparents' house for a home-cooked meal. I mingled in the kitchen with my aunts as they chatted and laughed together while cooking up a big meal for a large family.

Back then everyone would sit down at the dinner table to eat. The men and children would get to be served by the women. Then after everyone else was satisfied then us womenfolk would eat last. And then came the big job of dishes and clean up.

The best part came later in the afternoon when all of my uncles would gather around the table and sing songs. They sang acapella, harmonizing making beautiful music with no musical instruments. They truly sounded like angels. These experiences and many more I cherish still to this day.