I’ve always wanted to be poised and graceful. Alas, that is not the case. I have always been a klutz. My husband used to tell me, “Be careful! You’re an accident looking for a place to happen.” One of my earliest memories shows my klutziness even as a preschooler. I grew up on a farm, … Read more
My late husband Jack and I dated more than fifty years ago, during a time when people wrote letters on paper and mailed them with a stamp in the Post Office. No expensive long-distance phone calls, no emails, no texts. Although I’m not much of a poet, through the months I was away at school, … Read more
Seven years ago today, I buried the love of my life, my best friend, my husband of forty-five years. Usually, I share memories of Jack on the anniversary of his death, September 23. But this year, I was very busy that day. My son William and his wife Kathy were here for a visit—the first … Read more
Last week was deadline week for a magazine I edit. In fact, the deadline had been missed, and last week was the new deadline. For some reason, we had delay after delay, and everything that could go wrong did. When we finally finished and I had time to catch my breath, I thought about maybe … Read more
This photo was taken fifty-two years ago today, after our wedding ceremony held on the back porch of my parents’ home. It was a simple service that began our married life that was filled with love, laughter, and joy. If my beloved husband were still alive today, he might have given me a huge, elaborate … Read more
On Valentine’s Day, we celebrate romantic love, but we can celebrate other kinds of love as well. If we are very blessed, we love family (parents and grandparents, siblings, children and grandchildren, cousins, aunts and uncles) and friends (old and new). If we are Christian believers, we love our church family and spiritual leaders. Above … Read more
On January 22, 1992, I walked into a chiropractor’s office for a neck manipulation for a migraine. I was carried out after suffering a stroke, although I didn’t know it was a stroke until several hours later. Although I thank God every day for all my blessings, I am always especially grateful on this day … Read more
My father disliked Jack long before he met him. After all, Jack was thirteen years older than me, divorced, and—worst of all—a city slicker. Daddy was convinced he was out to take advantage of this naive farm girl, and Daddy didn’t want to see me hurt. But when I announced that I was going to … Read more
Today is our fifty-first wedding anniversary. We were together forty-five years before God called Jack home in 2012. This morning, a friend took me to visit Jack’s grave then to lunch. I came home and re-read Jack Stories: Favorite Memories of Jack Jordan Ammann Jr., the book of stories about my late husband that I … Read more
