It’s Thursday morning. Daniel just left for work at 3:45 a.m. I feel so lucky that I get to stay home where it’s cozy while he goes out to work and provides for us.

It’s 6 a.m. now, and I just got done feeding Brooklyn and rocking her back to sleep. I made a pot of coffee and let our house dog, Red, outside. We’re living in Dustin and Loretta’s pole barn until we are able to get a place of our own.

It’s still dark outside but the snow makes it seem bright. I sat in the recliner by the heater and ended up dozing off. Mom and Dad got me this recliner for my birthday when I turned 16 and apparently, they call it a ‘La-Z-Boy’ for a reason — because it’ll turn you into one. Just ask my husband. Just joking!

It’s just past 7 a.m. and Brooklyn is up. She woke up really happy. She’s full of energy today and talking as loud as she can in baby words. I rolled her bassinet in the kitchen beside me while I did the dishes.

I laid Brooklyn on the table on her stomach in front of me so she could have some tummy time while I ate lunch. She was cooing to me the entire time.

I think most babies are Mamma babies but Brooklyn is definitely a Daddy’s girl. She prefers her dad even though I’m the one who spends all day with her. Maybe that’s why she prefers her dad — she’s probably tired of me!

Last week, the horse we bought a couple months ago died unexpectedly. This is the second horse we bought. The first one also died a couple months after we bought her — from a condition she was born with. None of us knew about it until the vet checked her out.

It’s very disappointing, but everything happens for a reason, and we just have to trust in God.

We have one horse, which sometimes isn’t enough when you use your horse for transportation, but I’m just grateful we have him! His name is Buddy and he has been with us from the start. Buddy is a bay red Haflinger. He was gifted to Daniel by his family a long time ago. He is the slow but steady type. It takes forever to get somewhere but he will get us there, and that’s all that matters. We hook the sled behind him and take rides when it snows. He’s the perfect horse for it. He doesn’t spook and when we get too rowdy and fall off, he stops on his own.

Daniel and I want to save up to buy a handicap buggy. My sister Loretta and my cousin Steven have one. Kevin is in the process of getting his. The buggy lifts you and the scooter into it, making things a lot easier!

A lot of people don’t realize I have the same handicap as three of my siblings. I tried to hide it for a long time because I think part of me was embarrassed, but not anymore. The four of us are happy and our handicaps haven’t changed that.

The other day, Daniel and I played tag while riding my scooter and electric wheelchair. We accidentally rearranged the furniture in the house. Yes, we are adults, but we just aren’t as adulty as the adultier adults. Daniel likes to drive my scooter for fun, and he uses it to give Brooklyn rides to put her to sleep.

I want to get a sign that says “Not handicapped, just lazy” to hang on the scooter when he drives it. One day, he decided to play a “day in the life of a handicapped person” and he did everything from a scooter for a while. Don’t ask me why; he must’ve been bored. He was complaining how inconvenient it was, and I had to remind him that this was optional and he didn’t have to do it. It was funny to watch him struggle while making lunch and trying to park in front of a table to eat. We both had a good laugh about it.

Daniel, Brooklyn and I are going to the chiropractor today and grocery shopping after. A friend of our family, Jodi, is taking us. Jodi’s husband was killed in the same accident as my sister Susan’s late husband Mose. It’s hard to believe that it was five years ago. My sympathy goes to anyone who’s lost a loved one. Grief isn’t an easy thing.

Tomorrow Daniel and I are going to bake and decorate Christmas cookies. Or at least we are going to attempt to. I can’t imagine what his will look like but I’ll give him an A for effort. I’m just teasing, and I better stop or the next time I wake him up in the night to kill a spider he’s just going to go back to sleep. Anyways, I better set down the pencil and pick up the broom so I can get some work done today.

God bless you all and Merry Christmas!

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife and mother of eight. Her three cookbooks, “The Cherished Table,” “The Essential Amish Cookbook” and “Amish Family Recipes,” are available wherever books are sold.