A Time for Peace (21 page)

And then Mary squealed and clapped her hands. "You're going to have a baby?"

Jenny nodded.

"You," Matthew said. "But you—"

"Didn't think I could. But I went to see the doctor while I was in New York City," she told him, enjoying his bafflement."I thought I was sick from something going around. That the exhaustion was from caring for my grandmother when she was sick. Then I blamed it all on stress." She knew he knew what stress she was talking about—the upset between her and her grandmother, and their own marital problem it had caused. "I decided to see her while I was there. I'm not sick.I'm pregnant."

"A
boppli,"
he said and he shook his head. His expression was changing from bafflement to joy. "Can it be true?"

She nodded and he stood and lifted her in his arms to swing around and then clasp her to him.

Laughing, she cried, "Stop!"

"Oh, sorry!" he said immediately and he bent to place her gently on the sofa. "I didn't hurt the baby, did I?"

"Of course not, silly!" She held on to the sofa armrest, waiting for the world to stop spinning. "I'm still having trouble with the nausea, that's all. Let's not move me around too much too quickly."

And then as the children crowded around her, hugging her, telling her how happy they were, she started crying.

The children backed away, looking concerned. "It's okay," Matthew told them.

"Happy tears?" Joshua asked.

"
Ya,"
Matthew agreed and he was grinning.

But he looked concerned when Jenny couldn't stop crying.He gathered her into his arms and shushed her, saying that she needed to stop or she'd make herself sick.

Safe in his arms, feeling a tremendous relief, Jenny sagged against him.

"What's all the commotion?" Phoebe wanted to know as she walked into the living room. "Why Jenny, you're back early."

Jenny pulled back from Matthew and wiped her eyes on the handkerchief Matthew handed her. Then she held out her hand to her grandmother who came to sit beside her on the sofa and stare at her, concerned.

"Tell me: What do you think about being an
urgrossmudder
again? A great-grandmother? "

aenti—
aunt

allrecht—
all right

bauch—
stomach

boppli—
baby or babies

bruder—
brother

Daedi—
Daddy

danki—
thanks

dawdi haus—
addition to the house for grandparents

eldre—
parents

en alt maedel—
old maid

Englisch or Englischer—
a non-Amish person

fraa—
wife

grosssohn—
grandson

gwilde—
quilt

grossdochder—
granddaughter

guder mariye—
good morning

gut—
good

gut nacht—
good night

gut-n-owed—
good evening

haus—
house

hochmut—
pride

hungerich—
hungry

kaffi
— coffee

kapp—
prayer covering or cap worn by girls and women

kich—
kitchen

kind, kinner—
child, children

lieb—
love

liebschen—
dearest or dear one

Mamm—
Mom

mann—
husband

nee—
no

onkel—
uncle

Ordnung—
The rules of the Amish, both written and unwritten.Certain behavior has been expected within the Amish community for many, many years. These rules vary from community to community, but the most common are to not have electricity in the home, to not own or drive an automobile, and to dress a certain way.

Pennsylvania Deitsch—
Pennsylvania German

redd-up—
clean up

rotrieb—
red beet

rumschpringe—
time period when teenagers are allowed to experience the
Englisch
world while deciding whether to join the church.

schul—
school

schur—
sure

schwei—
sister-in-law

schweschder—
sister

sohn—
son

urgrossmudder—
great-grandmother

verdraue—
trust

wilkumm—
welcome

wunderbaar—
wonderful

ya—
yes

Please don't read before completing the book as the questions contain spoilers!

1. Jenny studied to join the Amish church before she married Matthew. She knows that she—and her Amish friends and family—aren't saints. But she experiences unaccustomed envy when her sister-in-law conceives.Have you ever envied someone? What was the situation? What did you do about it?
   
2. Jenny inherited a ready-made family when she married Matthew: little Annie, Mary, and Joshua. Many people have stepchildren these days. Do you? How are they the same—or different—from your own children?
   
3. Chris—Jenny's brother-in-law—also converted to the Amish faith. Did you convert to a different religion when you married? How did you adjust?
   
4. Hannah—Jenny's sister-in-law—practiced forgiveness when she was injured by a man who carried a grudge against Chris. What do you think about the Amish practice of forgiveness? Do you think they are right to refuse to prosecute those who try to harm them or in some way break a law?
   
5. Jenny's family loves to tease her about her cooking.Many people don't know how to cook these days. Do you like to cook or do you prefer to buy ready-made food or eat out? If you like to cook, what's your favorite thing to cook?
   
6. Jenny is devastated when she finds her grandmother ill. Since Phoebe is her only living relative, she experiences real anxiety at losing her. Have you lost a beloved mother, father, or grandparent? How did you cope?
   
7. When she goes to get clothes for her grandmother, Jenny unexpectedly finds a letter that changes everything for her. Have you ever discovered a family "secret" and had it change how you felt about someone you loved?
   
8. Friends of Jenny's decide to make a major change in their lives, downsizing and living simpler. Have you ever done this or thought about it?
   
9. Joy, Jenny's friend, asks her if she's ever considered adoption. Have you adopted? What do you think of adopting?
   
10. When her stepson is hurt, Jenny discovers she has much to learn about God's will and obedience to rules and to God. Sometimes it's hard to be obedient to God or to have faith that He has a plan. Sometimes it takes faith you feel you don't have at the time. How do you deal with that?
    
11. Jenny's relationship with her husband changes when she discovers he kept part of the secret. It affects their marriage. People say "don't go to bed angry" but their distance isn't because of anger but because of a difference in culture. How have you resolved differences in your marriage or significant relationship?
    
12. Jenny wrestles with what she calls "unanswered prayer." Do you feel if you don't get the answer or thing that you've prayed for that God hasn't listened or given you what you prayed for? How do you feel? What do you do?