The Beloved Christmas Quilt

by Brunstetter, Wanda E. ; Brunstetter, Jean; Brunstetter, Richelle

  Karen rolled her eyes at him. “What your daed is trying to tell you is we’ve been invited to James and Rachelle’s tomorrow for Thanksgiving supper.” She looked at their girls. “How’s that sound?”

  The girls’ eyes grew wide with anticipation.

  “That sounds like fun to me.” Roseanna smiled at Mary.

  Mary let out a squeal and hopped off her chair, grinning widely.

  “Okay, Mary, we know you’re excited.” Karen laughed. “Please, sit down now and eat your supper.” She forked some casserole into her mouth.

  “You gotta admit, the Lord works in mysterious ways, but always for good.” Seth took a bite of his green beans.

  Karen drank her iced tea. “I can hear the rain.”

  “Yep, it’s getting slippery out there.” Seth grabbed a bottle of dressing for his salad. “I’ve been thinking about deer season. It starts after the holiday.”

  “We could use some venison for meals,” Karen commented.

  “Does this mean you don’t mind if I go hunting for food?” He wiggled his eyebrows.

  Roseanna laughed. “Daddy, what are you doing?”

  Mary giggled at him.

  He continued to wiggle his brows, and soon made Nancy Anne giggle, too.

  “You may go, husband.” Karen chuckled. “You wouldn’t be happy if I said no.”

  When they’d finished eating Seth helped Karen clean up the kitchen. He went out to the living room and added more wood to the fireplace before relaxing in his favorite chair. As he thought about home and how much he missed it, Seth felt at peace with the decision he’d made. He’d grant Karen her wish and have the family move back to Paradise. But he would wait and tell her when the time was right.

  CHAPTER 12

  Paradise, Pennsylvania

  Karen sat at her folk’s smaller kitchen table with a cup of coffee in her hand, gazing about the warm kitchen and soaking in its familiarity. Her mother’s old, well-used roasting pan sat ready for the holiday turkey. Karen never grew tired of seeing Mom’s rustic-style upper and lower cabinets. She smiled at her folks, who were busily stuffing the bird.

  Karen enjoyed being home, especially during Christmas with so many traditional pleasures: filling up with the mouthwatering foods at Dad and Mom’s big table and then eating yummy pies and joining in Christmas songs with Seth’s family.

  “This is a nice-sized turkey. It will feed all of us.” Dad cleared his throat. “Earlier this morning we got the pheasant ready that you and Seth brought. That’s now in the spare refrigerator in the basement.”

  “I like making the dressing. It’s your grandma Ebersol’s recipe.” Karen’s mom smiled.

  “The stuffing sure does smell good. The aroma of it drifted to the top of the stairs, and I smelled it as soon as I came out of the guest room.” Karen sipped her coffee.

  “You could?” Her mother held on to the turkey pan.

  Karen rose and walked to the sink. “I’ll do up these dishes for you first and then get out the items we’ll need for breakfast.”

  “Turkey’s stuffed!” Dad’s brown eyes twinkled as he nudged Mom’s arm with his elbow. “The bird is ready to go into the downstairs oven when you’re ready. We will cook the pheasant in the oven up here.” He carried the spoon he’d used to the sink with his messy hands.

  Karen stepped aside to allow her father to wash up. When he was done, she finished the dishes.

  “How about we have some flapjacks and cook up some eggs for breakfast?” Karen’s mom molded some aluminum foil over the turkey.

  “Sounds good to me.” Dad grabbed a hand towel to dry off his hands. “I can’t wait for supper later. It’ll be nice to have all the family here.”

  “I’ve been waiting to come and see all of you, especially when we couldn’t spend Thanksgiving here.” Karen dried the dishes and put them away.

  “We are glad and blessed to have everyone able to come today. I love our family being together. Seth’s folks will be having you all to their place for dessert. That’ll be nice, too.” Mom lifted the bird off the counter and headed to the basement steps.

  “I’ll help you open the oven door when we get there,” Dad said as he followed.

  When they returned to the kitchen, Dad grabbed a coffee mug. “Since it’s still a little early, I’m gonna go sit in the living room after I’ve stoked the fire.” He poured some hot coffee into his mug and headed out of the room.

  “Seth and the kids are sleeping well with all the noise we are making down here.” Karen’s mom took the sponge and cleaned off the counter.

  “They sure are, but the sounds from down here don’t carry that loudly to the guest rooms.”

  Just as the two started putting breakfast together, the patter of little feet came up behind Karen, and she turned. “Good morning and Merry Christmas, you guys.”

  Seth, holding Nancy Anne, and their girls swooped in and wished Karen a good morning and Merry Christmas in return.

  Karen’s mother smiled and hugged them all. “There’s coffee, Seth, if you’re ready for it.”

  “Sounds good. Then the baby and I will go out to the living room with Karen’s dad.”

  Seth held their baby in the rocker. Nancy Anne giggled when he tweaked her nose. Karen felt warm inside, seeing her husband continuing to take so much interest in Nancy Anne.

  Soon breakfast was ready, and Karen called everyone to the dining-room table. They bowed their heads for silent prayer. Karen hoped the day would be filled with joy. She looked forward to telling Seth that she had decided to embrace living with him in Lykens.

  Seth rocked the baby, ignoring Atlee’s snores from across the room and thinking back on the days leading up to this morning. He had enjoyed going turkey hunting with Mike and catching two nice-sized birds. Seth had arranged to bring each set of parents a turkey for the holiday dinners, as well as the pheasant to eat here.

  His workplace had a Christmas party at the boss’s home this year. Seth was surprised when Stan didn’t show up, but Mike told him Stan had gone out of town to spend the holidays with some family. Stan was back working again, and Seth’s relationship with him was much better. The more he was kind toward Stan, the easier it was to get along with him. Stan had thanked Seth several times for staying with him the day of his accident and making sure he was taken care of. Although they might never become best friends, they had a mutual understanding of each other, as well as mutual respect.

  Seth was happy the weather had been decent and Mark, their driver, was able to bring them yesterday. He’d been in better spirits, and thought today he would share his decision about moving to Paradise with Karen. He figured Christmas Day would be an appropriate time to share the good news.

  Mary and Roseanna, still wearing their pajamas, rushed over to Seth.

  “Remember those pretty dresses we were gonna wear for Thanksgiving?” Roseanna put her hand on his knee.

  Mary also placed her dainty hand on Seth’s knee. “Mama made schnee fracke.”

  Seth slapped his forehead. “How could I have let that slip my mind?” He laughed. “First we should head to the kitchen and see if breakfast is ready. When we’re done eating, you girls can put on those pretty dresses.”

  Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania

  Later in the evening, Karen sat at the dining-room table at Seth’s parents’ place. His whole family was there, eating pumpkin pie with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Everyone seemed to be enjoying their desserts and the opportunity to catch up with one another.

  Both of Seth’s parents stood, smiling at Karen and her husband. “Paul and I have an announcement to make.” Seth’s mom looked at his dad.

  “Jah, we have prayed and feel led to put our house up for sale soon.” His father looked at the family. “Our decision is to move to Lykens to be near Seth, Karen, and the children.”

  Karen’s jaw dropped.

  Seth gasped. “What? I—I mean really, I can’t believe this!”

  Karen looked at her husband
with tears blurring her vision. “What a wonderful Christmas gift this is.”

  Paradise

  Before turning in for the night, Karen sat on her mother’s guest-room bed. She felt ready to tell Seth about the decision she had made before leaving home.

  He came into the room and closed the door behind him. “Our children seemed to enjoy being tucked into bed by their grandparents this evening.” He sat on the bed and slipped off his socks. “This has truly been a blessed day.”

  “I agree with you.” She shifted to face him. “I’ve needed to tell you something.” Karen looked into his eyes. “Before we came here, I realized that, in spite of our families living at a distance from us, Lykens is my home. I have a dear husband and supportive friends who will help me through whatever the future brings.”

  Seth’s eyes widened. “You’re not going to believe what I’m about to say.” He leaned close to her. “When I realized how much I missed having my dad nearby to talk to about difficult situations, I began to understand why being near family was so important to you. I was going to tell you that I was ready to move to Paradise so you could be near your folks.”

  Karen laughed. “Seriously?”

  He chuckled. “Jah, it’s the truth.”

  They held each other in a long embrace. This was a Christmas Day Karen would always remember, so full of cheer not only for her, but also for Seth.

  EPILOGUE

  One year later

  Karen stood in their nursery, currently occupied by their son, Adam Seth. As she stroked the beloved Christmas quilt draped over the rocking chair, her gaze rested on the embroidered verse: “For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me”—Psalm 31:3. Her prayers for strength and healing had been answered, although not in the way she had expected.

  Things were much easier now that Seth’s parents were living in Lykens. The men in their community had helped build a small daadihaus for Emma and Paul to live in on Seth and Karen’s property. The cozy cottage stood just down the road, so both couples were available to help each other out at a moment’s notice.

  Seth’s parents were creating special memories with their grandchildren, memories that wouldn’t have been possible when they lived farther away. Karen treasured her friends, but she was thankful to God for the extra blessing of having family close by.

  Peace filled Karen’s heart. Someday her little Roseanna would marry, and on the first Christmas after her wedding day, Karen would give her the special Christmas quilt. She hoped it would be as meaningful to her daughter as it was to her. Each generation of her family might face different challenges, but God was faithful. His strength and guidance were always available to His children.

  KAREN’S VANILLA CRUMB PIE

  Filling

  1 cup brown sugar

  1 cup light corn syrup

  2 cups water

  2 tablespoons flour

  2 eggs

  ½ teaspoon cream of tarter

  1 teaspoon vanilla

  1 teaspoon baking soda

  3 (9-inch) unbaked pie shells

  Preheat oven to 375°. In saucepan, combine brown sugar, light corn syrup, water, and flour. Bring to a boil for 1 minute. Set aside. In large bowl, beat eggs, cream of tartar, vanilla, and baking soda. Add to cooked mixture. Divide mixture equally into unbaked pie shells.

  Crumb Mixture

  2 cups flour

  1 cup brown sugar

  ½ cup shortening or butter

  1 teaspoon cream of tartar

  ½ teaspoon baking powder

  Blend all ingredients until mixture forms crumbs. Divide crumbs and sprinkle evenly on top of filling in pie shells. Bake for 45 minutes.

  Jean Brunstetter became fascinated with the Amish when she first went to Pennsylvania to visit her father-in-law’s family. Since that time, Jean has become friends with several Amish families and enjoys writing about their way of life. She also likes to put some of the simple practices followed by the Amish into her daily routine. Jean lives in Washington State with her husband, Richard Jr., and their three children, but takes every opportunity to visit Amish communities in several states. In addition to writing, Jean enjoys boating, gardening, and spending time on the beach. To learn more about Jean’s books, visit her website: www.jeanbrunstetter.com.

  CHAPTER 1

  Lykens, Pennsylvania

  Roseanna Allgyer breathed deeply as she eyed the nearest tree outside the dining-room window. The autumn leaves glimmered in the evening sunlight, almost matching the blending colors in the sky. The sight calmed her nerves, for a little while at least.

  Her mother’s African violet plants bloomed, revealing their own beauty as well, with the pinks and purples of the velvety petals. The house had brimmed with family when Grandpa and Grandma Zook arrived a couple of days ago. They’d been helping with some preparations and answered any questions that might arise about wedding etiquette.

  Roseanna was on the threshold of change. Knowing this caused her throat to constrict. By the time tomorrow was over, Roseanna would no longer be a Miss. She would approach the bishop with her beloved, and they would be married. Her name would then be Mrs. John Beiler.

  She wasn’t sure if she was prepared for the life she was about to enter. She remembered when John first moved to the community a couple of years ago. At the time, she was twenty years old and wasn’t being courted by anyone. She’d had a chance to be with her friend Mark, but Roseanna didn’t have romantic feelings for him. Eventually, he and his family had moved to Perry County.

  Back then, Roseanna had been focused on making her hobby into a living. While most Amish women were taught to sew at a young age, some of her friends weren’t as skilled or as passionate about it as she was. She spent her days after school making dresses, not only for herself but for anyone who needed one. It had become a full-time job and a good way to make money. She hadn’t seen herself getting involved in a serious relationship with anyone, but meeting John had changed all of that.

  She had made a new dress for her friend Katie Glick and had been on her way to deliver it. That was the day she’d met John….

  Roseanna guided her horse and buggy down the road, heading toward Katie’s house. She was almost there, when she saw a young Amish man she didn’t recognize, riding a scooter. Suddenly, he lost his balance and plummeted toward the asphalt.

  Thinking he may have been hurt, Roseanna pulled back on the reins, got out of the buggy, and tied her horse to a branch of a nearby tree. “Are you okay?” she called, reaching her hand out to help him up.

  “I… I’m fine.” His blond hair brushed the side of his flushed face as he clasped her hand. “I recently moved here from Ohio. We ride bikes there, not scooters.” He motioned to the object, still on the ground. “Guess it’ll take me awhile to get the hang of things.”

  “It does take a certain kind of balance. If you need a ride to wherever you’re going, you can put your scooter in my buggy and I’ll give you a ride.”

  He looked down at his leg then stared off to the side. “No, that’s all right. I can walk.”

  “Okay.” Roseanna was on the verge of going back to her horse and buggy, when she noticed a tear in the knee of his trousers, where blood seeped out. “My friend Katie lives just down the road. If you want to follow me there, we can get you a bandage.”

  He hesitated at first but finally nodded. His genuine smile and twinkling blue eyes made him quite appealing. Roseanna had a hard time not staring.

  Before she got in her buggy, he introduced himself as John Beiler. Roseanna told him her name. Then she headed for Katie’s house, hoping he would follow.

  Bringing her thoughts back to the present, Roseanna moved away from the window and took a seat at the dining-room table. Tugging on the ties of her head covering, she chuckled over the memory of Katie’s reaction when she’d opened the door to Roseanna standing with a good-looking young man beside her. After Roseanna explained what had happened, Katie gave J
ohn a bandage and some antiseptic then showed him the way to the bathroom, where he could tend his knee in private. When Katie returned to the living room, she commented on how cute John was, and said she hoped they would see him again.

  After that initial meeting, Roseanna found the prospect of settling down with someone to be surprisingly appealing. At first, she worried her friend would end up with John, but it hadn’t turned out that way. Within a few months, she and John began courting. He’d mentioned once that he’d felt intimidated because Roseanna seemed so confident—an idea she thought preposterous.

  I’m far from being confident. It may appear that way to other people, but I’m actually afraid. Roseanna clutched the corner of the table and squeezed her eyes shut. I’m afraid of not being the perfect spouse for you, John. I’m afraid of how our lives might change after we’re married. I’m not even sure if I’m ready for marriage.

  Roseanna had been astonished when John proposed to her. They’d been courting for two years, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise. She’d eagerly accepted. Now here she was, about to become committed to a permanent relationship with a man she dearly loved.

  From the open window, Roseanna heard a buggy come into the yard. “Oh, I bet it’s Grandpa and Grandma Allgyer.”

  Her mom rushed past her. “I’ll get the door, Roseanna. It looks like your other grandparents are here, too.”

  Roseanna watched as Grandpa and Grandma Zook, along with her father’s parents, walked toward the house. When she heard her mother oohing over a chocolate cake one of the grandmas had made, Roseanna went out to the hall to greet them.

  Grandma and Grandpa Zook, who’d traveled the farthest, hugged Roseanna. Then her other grandparents, who lived just down the road, greeted her with tender embraces.

  They all moved into the dining room, and Grandpa Zook grinned as he tweaked the end of Roseanna’s nose. “I can’t believe my little granddaughter is all grown up and about to become a married woman. This makes me feel so old.”