Thursday, February 17, 2011

After the Wedding

The next morning when we got up we weren't too enthused to discover everyone else was eating breakfast already. We slipped quietly out the back door and went to the showroom to start cleaning dishes away. Entering the showroom we were pleasantly surprised to see that all of the dishes had been washed already. There was still plenty of other things to do so we got right to work.

When the others came out to start cleaning up they were surprised to see us there. We smiled and refused to tell them what time we got up.

One by one vans stopped in with aunts, uncles, and cousins to tell us good-bye before they started their long trips home. They all came to shake hands with LV and me. I felt self conscious as everyone had to tell me how they thought I looked wearing a white head covering instead of the black one I had worn up until that day. I was almost relieved when most of them left and we could concentrate on sorting all the dishes.

Once all the dishes were sorted Daddy took them back to the homes where they belonged while LV and I went to open the rest of our gifts. Grandma Swarey and the aunts and uncles from Canada were still there and sat to watch and visit until it was time to go catch the bus.

One package after the next contained mixing bowls of every shape and size. By the time we were done I had 83 mixing bowls. I knew I would never need all of them so after I selected the few that I thought I would like the best we packed the rest into boxes. Maybe someday I would re-gift them but for now they would be stored in the attic as soon as we settled in our home.  There were lots of other gifts as well and I had nearly everything I would need for my kitchen.

The rest of the day was spent packing all my things and piling them in the sewing room so they would be ready to be moved to my new home bright and early on Monday morning.

17 comments:

  1. 83 mixing bowls I would love to know what happened to all of them

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  2. I can't imagine what young non-Amish girls and guys would think if they had to do the dishes after their own wedding! I look forward to reading each part of your story.

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  3. That's a lot of mixing bowls! *giggles* Bless the hearts of the unselfish dish washers.

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  4. That's a lot of mixing bowls! *giggles* Bless the hearts of the unselfish dish washers.

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  5. I am so glad others washed the dishes for you and LV! I can't get over 83 mixing bowls! I have a lot of them and still occasionally purchase one that I take a fancy. Used to display them. But now most are stacked away in deep corner of some corner cabinets that don't have the turning shelves. I wondered what Amish gave for wedding gifts since parents gave a set of china. Where I live we pick out china, flatware, glassware, etc and people give us a place setting or a piece or two. We have showers where people give kitchen needs. Now most register at stores in the area and you go pick something from what they want.

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  6. I loved the part about you packing up the (many) extra mixing bowls to regift for later.

    Now, I don't feel so bad. I've done pretty much the same thing - but in my case it was sets of towels.
    Thankfully we didn't get 83.

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  7. I wonder how many homes those bowls had to visit before being chosen as a keeper. ;)

    I love your story. So very sweet and simple. Thank you for a glimpse into the life of the Amish.

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  8. I have enjoyed reading about your wedding. Thank you for being so personal in your telling.

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  9. How long have you now been married?

    I chuckled when I read how you had despised LV, and now you're married to him! Isn't it funny how things work out

    BTW, did you send an invitation to Edith to attend the wedding? If yes, did she attend?

    If you did, I can't imagine she would have gone... after reading about 'The Rumor' and 'Digging For the Root'.

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  10. Lily, Since entire youth groups were invited to weddings I couldn't really go uninvite Edith. She attended the wedding, gave a gift that was beyond awful, and was escorted to the table that evening by her future husband.


    For every one else that was wondering about the mixing bowls. Only one set ever got re-gifted. Most of the others are packed away in the attic and only my favorite ones get used regularly.

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  11. That's a lot of mixing bowls!

    I'm enjoying reading all about your wedding and the preparations and so on. It is so different to my own.

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  12. That was nice of your friends and family to pitch in. My mom had a similiar experience. Great to hear about your wedding and all the preperations for the big day. Blessings, Joanne

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  13. At least you will never have to buy a bowl!! :-)

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  14. Congratulations on your wedding, that is a lot of mixing bowls, wishing you a blissful marriage:)

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  15. I guess you don't have wedding gift lists there then? Although I've never really agreed that you should be dictating what you want,it would have saved such a large inventory of mixing bowls!

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  16. Thank you for stopping by my blog. I now follow you and am looking forward to following your journey. I really enjoyed this post and can't wait to go back to the beginning to catch up!

    blessings,
    Jacqui
    www.homesteadbountyblessings.com

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  17. Loved your wedding story. I felt like I was there taking part.

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment. I love hearing your thoughts.