Thursday, October 15, 2009

Mahlon

The winter winds were sweeping across the hills and around the corners of the house when Daddy came upstairs one Saturday morning to wake us up. He told John and me to hurry and get dressed while he helped David. Once we got downstairs he gave us a note and told us to take it to Grandma Mast and then stay there until he comes and gets us.

He helped us into our coats and we started up the road as the sun was beginning to rise above the trees across the road. We trudged up the hill and made our way slowly to Grandpas where aunt Emma arranged chairs around the kitchen stove for us to warm up. Grandma read the note and handed it to Grandpa, he read it and immediately went and hitched up his horse Tony to their buggy while Grandma hurriedly got ready to go with them.

I was wondering what all the strange commotion was about and suddenly a light went off in my head as I recalled how they acted similar once before and I all of a sudden grew excited and could hardly wait till Daddy came to get us.

He came shortly after lunch smiling from ear to ear, and asked if we want to go home and meet someone new. I asked if it's a baby girl and he said "No, we have another baby boy." We hurried out to the buggy and hurried into the house the moment we got home. Grandma was standing at the kitchen sink washing a few dishes and told us to warm our hands while we wait till Daddy gets in to show us the new baby.

Once Daddy came in we followed him into the bedroom where Mom was in bed and beside her was the wrinkliest, ugliest little baby I had ever seen. I felt like crying. It had been bad enough that I didn't get a sister, but having such an ugly baby was about more than I could bear. Daddy gently lifted the baby and placed him in my arms and said, "Say hello to your brother Mahlon."

I choked out a whispery hello, just as the baby opened his eyes and his wee little mouth and stuffed his fist in and started making the funniest noise as he started sucking on it. Daddy gave the baby back to Mom and herded us out of the bedroom saying that there is plenty of time to get acquainted with him once he is no longer hungry.

I ran upstairs and flopped across my bed and cried. I could hear voices downstairs but I didn't even bother to try to hear what they were saying. After a bit I heard the squeal of buggy wheels in the snow and looked out the window to see Daddy, John and David starting out the driveway and head up the road.

After what seemed like a long time Grandma came upstairs to find me. She asked what is wrong, but I really didn't know what to say and finally blurted out. "The baby is so ugly!"  She chuckled a little and said "Don't worry, all newborns look like that. He will look a lot better in a few days."

I went downstairs with her and helped start supper, and before to long Daddy and the boys were at home bringing a neighbor girl along. She would stay with us for the next six weeks and do all the housework while Mom rested and enjoyed her new baby.

21 comments:

  1. Soooo, did Mahlon grow out of his ugliness??? ha ha I know the sisterly answer to that one! Isn't it funny how in the "English" culture we spend months preparing the new siblings for the new arrival and it's sort of secretive in the Amish culture. Neither's right or wrong, I just think it's funny how different it is. I bet you were a perfect big sister! ♥

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  2. What a great story! Can't wait to hear the rest.

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  3. funny, funny! i think alot of newborns are quite ugly at birth until they grow into their noses and ears, kinda like a haircut, it takes a few days to have it look good! cute story.

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  4. That is so neat! I really appreciate you sharing your stories with everyone. I live just down the road from a few Amish and I am just MESMERIZED by them! I try to go to their bakeries often! :) YUM!

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  5. Another great story!

    Oh please please come share a dessert recipe with us! I just know you have a special one! You can even make it easy and look through your archives!

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  6. I remember feeling the same way about my little sister when she was born. I wanted a brother so I'd have my own room (I was the only girl at that point). My sister and I are great friends now.

    I love how the Amish help each other out when a new baby is born. I think it is horrible and even damaging that new moms have to jump back into regular life so soon after having a baby. It hardly helps encourage breast milk production and a proper amount of sleep and healing.

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  7. I remember those times too although Mom never had a home birth. We would just wake up in the morning with Mom and Dad gone and a hired girl in the kitchen. But somehow I never suspected Mom is in the hospital to get a new baby, that is until the last time. I got suspicious of it and I was right! Mom had girl number eight. But I was still under the impression Dad & Mom just went to the hospital and chose the baby they want and brought it home. I don't remember when I ever caught on that babies are born... Such was Amish life.

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  8. What a great story keep them coming!!

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  9. I was clinging to every word.

    My older brother thought I was pretty ugly too. He told my parents he'd rather have a chihuahua dog!!!

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  10. Isn't it great that as momma's we only see incredible beauty...just try to tell us otherwise!!!
    Blessings~
    Kathy

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  11. Great blog! Thanks for sharing your interesting background!

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  12. Bless you~
    Did you ever get that little sister you wanted?
    I enjoy your psots very much.

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  13. hello, i'm june, a girl, the 10th child; and born in june. the 2nd girl, and last child my dear mother had. she died with TB, when i was 5. my grandmother, her mother took me at 2 weeks old and raised me. i have 1 sister the 3rd oldest. i have 3 children, son-36, daughter-33 and son-30 and 9 grandchildren. we live in hickory, nc. i love your blogs and watch for them daily. would love to live like you do again, thats the way i grew up with my grandmother, in the mountains of n.c. the new baby story was so sweet and i got a good laugh outa that one. guess we all think babies are ugly.

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  14. I can't wait to hear more. Your wonderful stories are little cliff hangers, making us sit on the edge of our seat.
    Sunny :)

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  15. What a wonderful and delightful blog! i am so glad a friend told me about it! Nice to meet you!

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  16. Lovely memory...and you write with such clarity! Sets up the scene as if you're a little girl again. ~Suzanne

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  17. I'm really interested in your story and all the comments. How don't you know, are the dresses made in such a way you dont show?

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  18. You are such a wonderful story teller. My mom use to tell me that when I was born, I looked like a prize boxing fighter because it was a tough delivery. I was her first, so she thought I was the most beautiful baby she ever saw. She's bring her friends to the hospital nursery window and say, "isn't she the most beautiful baby you ever saw?" They would choke up a "ummm, yeah, sure." Later they told her the truth, and when I look back at the newborn hospital pictures, I was not the most attractive newborn. However, I cleaned up pretty well, after a week or so and was a cute baby, if I saw so myself.
    How nice of everyone to help out so your mom could rest and just enjoy her new baby!

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  19. Re keepingitonthedownlow:

    Pregnancy is something that is not talked about to children in most Amish communities. Young children were totally innocent and carefree with not an inkling why women gained and lost weight so much and it wasn't until we were older that we finally connected it with having a baby on the way.

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  20. Funny! Kids can be relied upon to say just what they think.

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