Charm, Ohio, September 30, 2010~

Dear Diary~

My name is Samuel Isaiah Yoder.  I am fourteen years old.

I live with my family (Mamm, Dat, Grosdawdy, my five brothers and two sisters, and our dog, "Speckles") in Charm, Ohio.  We are Amish; we are the "Plain People".

Our grandmother, Mammi, died last year.  I miss her.  She fell off a horse and broke her neck wrong; it killed her.

I don't have much time for frolicking:  I have to help with the farm duties; it is expected of me.  I am nearly a man; it's what Dat would want me to do, in case something should happen to him.  Then I would have to help out.

On Sundays, it's church.  We are at church all day.  We are expected to mind our manners and behave in the Amish way.  Sometimes I fall asleep before Mamm or Dat poke me awake and tell me to pay attention to Bishop Holfultz.  It is embarrassing when this happens because the other boys (and the girls and women on the other side of the church) titter at me.

The best part of church is the dinner-on-the-grounds afterwards.  Mmmm, I can just smell or taste that apple kugel or fried chicken with parsley and sage right now .... *licking lips*

Monday through Friday we go to school, but we have to help out on the farm first.  We get up at two/three in the morning, so we can be done by the time the bus comes to pick us up for school by seven.  I don't like riding the bus; I'd much rather walk or ride the buggy, but school is too far away.

I go to an "English" school.  There are other Amish kids there, and I hang around with them.  I don't talk to the "English" kids.  They make remarks about how we look or act; they are not very nice about it either.  And they try to force their worldly ways on us, and I don't like it.  That is not our way.  We are Amish.

Riding the bus to school is bad enough.

I'd rather walk everywhere or ride the family buggy.

At home, I speak German and Dutch (Pennsylvania Dutch); at school, meanwhile, I speak English, like the "English" kids do.  I speak both very well.

Saturday night we have Singings, where we get together and sing about God and His goodness upon our lives.  We also hang out with our friends, and we have a good time.

I guess my favorite part about being Amish is the simple way we live.  No distractions to keep us from the love of God or sharing God with others.  I also love the farm and taking care of the animals and helping Dat with the crops.

Well, the bus is due to arrive soon, so I must go.  I will write in here again; until later, this is Samuel saying so long and God bless!

~Love, your new friend, Samuel Isaiah Yoder.  :)

*to be continued.*