I'm obsessed with the Amish!

I love going to my parents home in Kansas...it is literally out in the middle of nowhere---9 homes and a beautiful Catholic Church in their neighborhood....then they are surrounded by farms.  The wheat fields earlier this year were just like the song says, beautiful "Amber waves of grain", before it was harvested.  I don't LOVE the 15 minute drive to the nearest grocery store or the 45 minute drive to church on Sundays---especially because church starts at 9 am!  But, I DO love the Amish town of Yoder that is about 20 minutes from their home.  They ALMOST bought a home there...dang! The first time we went through we were buzzing along at 70 mph on the freeway and passed a horse and buggy....driven by a woman! You go girl!  Then we went past the school and there were probably about 10 carriages parked there.  I LOVE the "carriage and horse parking only" signs! My favorite "site" was an adorable couple driving along in their carriage and she was holding her sweet little baby....it was just precious.  Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera for ANY of those photo ops! So, I came prepared this time!!!  We were disappointed on the way to church---not a single siting! They must have been taking care of their farms.  But on the way home, just as we were about to leave Yoder and get on the freeway....we saw one!  So, my sister LaDawn...who is almost as crazy as I am....and I both SCREAMED, she slammed on the brakes and backed down the freeway onramp (it was only a few feet!) and literally chased them....inconspicuously.  :)  And I was ready with the camera!  We literally giggled, screamed and oohhhed and aaahhhed as we saw 4 different carriages!  We felt like Amish Paparazzi Stalkers! :)  These are the best photos that we got.  I really admire the determination, conviction and commitment they have to their lifestyle. There's so much peace in it and I wonder if the reason I'm so obsessed with them is that I might just be a little jealous----maybe not jealous, but in awe and admiration for living such an uncommon life in a world of followers. I think it's wonderful! (I wonder if people going to Utah for the first time do the same thing for the crazy Mormons! :) I might be in someone's scrapbook, photo album or blog! Cool!)

 

p.s. Their food is GREAT too! Dad brought home some wonderful sweet rolls on one of our visits...HUGE and yummy---not as good as the recipe that I got from LaDawn but still yummy!