Hannah stirred the cookie batter with her wooden spoon, scraping the sides, and blending again to make sure that all of the flour was mixed in with the wet ingredients. This was her fifth batch of sugar cookies that she had made this week in an attempt to perfect her Grandmother’s recipe. None of the cookies would go to waste; with her younger brothers at home, and her father’s sweet tooth, she could always count on them to polish off a plate after evening meal. She remembers standing on a chair pushed up against her Grandmother Miriam’s kitchen counter, stirring batter the same way she did now, the way her Grandmother had taught her when she was only a wee child.

This would be Hannah Miller’s third year on the Holmes County Lodging Council, and her first time making cookies for the 7th Annual Christmas Cookie Tour of Inns. December 12th was approaching quickly with only 6 more weeks to go. She worked at the front desk of the Carlisle Inn, located in Sugar Creek. Carlisle Inn was one of the twelve inns participating in the annual tour, and it was Hannah’s job to come up with a cookie for Carlisle Inn. All of the tourists over the two day period would be visiting each inn and receiving a different Amish cookie to taste.

Hannah was giddy with excitement. Her life long dream had always been to own her own bakery, and there was a small piece of property next to Samuel’s Woodworking Store that she had been eyeing up for over six months.

The space had been vacant now for over a year. She couldn’t understand why. It was the perfect space, and it already had a full kitchen from when Sarah’s Shoofly Pie had closed. Sarah was with child now and so it was expected that she would be at home to care for her family. There hadn’t been any offers on the property in all of this time, which suited Hannah just fine. She needed a down payment to secure the spot, and in only four weeks and two more paychecks from the inn, she would be purchasing her very own bakery. Hannah’s Hot Cross Buns, she thought. Her face beamed with joy every time she imagined one day owning her very own bakery. She was famous for her hot cross buns, and when she wasn’t at the inn or her monthly meeting for the Lodging Council, she was baking. She could smell that the cookies were ready, and so she opened the wood stove door, closing her eyes, as she breathed in the warm, sweet, fresh goodness.

Hannah was hurrying now. She had spent way too long in the kitchen and she was running late for the Lodging Council meeting. This would be the second last formal meeting before the Tour of Inns, and the preparations needed to be decided on by tonight. She would be announcing the cookie she had chosen for Carlisle Inn. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. There was a part of her that feared the other members would oppose her choice. What if one of the other inns has picked a sugar cookie too? She bit her lip, tied her bonnet under her chin, and headed out the door.

Jacob swung open the door and brusquely headed toward the long, rectangular, mahogany table. He wasn’t keen on these meetings, he didn’t like to talk much, and he knew that Hannah would be there. She always made him nervous. He had been working up the courage for several months now to ask Hannah if she would spend time alone with him at her parent’s house after Sunday evening singing to talk. Amish tradition was extremely important to Jacob and out of respect for Hannah, his and her family, and their community, the first step and every step in customary Amish courting would be followed. I will have to ask her if she would like a ride home in my buggy right after singing tomorrow. He decided he needed to start courting Hannah before another suitor approached her. Jacob would only have ten minutes after singing before she headed back to Sugarcreek.

Jacob Hershberger shared a small dairy farm with his younger sister Ruth. When their father passed away two years ago, he left the farm and farmhouse to them both, and he expected them to carry on with making different cheeses from the goats’ milk, and then selling the cheese on Saturday mornings. Saturday was the busiest day of the week because most tourists and city folk came to Walnut Creek to shop and check out the attractions or events going on at the time.

Jacob scoped out the room for a seat and found one directly in front of Hannah. Even though he was nervous around her, he liked being near her. She had a way about her that calmed him and made him feel comfortable. The meeting was just about to begin. Everyone settled in, all twelve of them. Isaac Yoder, the representative from Berlin opened with a prayer.

During the meeting, the members discussed exterior and interior decorations, the process for ticket sales, and all duties were assigned. Cookie choice was saved for last. Jacob tried hard to listen through it all, but most of it wasn’t of interest to him and it was hard having the distraction of Hannah standing across from him. Jacob looked up at Hannah while she announced her cookie choice. She had beautiful, dark, silken hair. He could see that she was excited to share her cookie choice. “I will be making Merry Cherry Sugar Cookies this year” Her eyes were clear and bright when she spoke. He loved those cookies. His mouth started watering just thinking about them. He realized that he was staring at her intently and she noticed too. They made eye contact. Jacob knew it was not right to allow his thoughts to wander, so he quickly diverted his eyes and prayed silently, asking for the willingness and strength to avoid sinful thoughts.

It was his turn next and last. He was there to share the cookie that his sister would be making for the tour. Ruth was only fourteen years of age, and in order to be a member of the Lodging Council it was necessary to be sixteen years, so he was there to represent her. She was an excellent baker even at that age, probably one of the best in all of Holmes County. Jacob stood up, all six foot three inches of him, and in a low gruff voice, told the group that Ruth intended to make Christmas Cheesecake Cookies. He heard a few “oohs” and “ahs”, which made him feel proud of his little sister. He knew that they were a favorite among the villagers, and that’s why he had encouraged Ruth to bake those ones. Embarrassed now, he briskly sat down. Being on display in front of a group made Jacob feel uncomfortable. He felt all eyes on him. When he looked up, he saw that Hannah was watching him. His shoulders relaxed. She smiled at him and he smiled back without even thinking about it.

Hannah waited with her mother and brothers for her father Abram to pull up in front of their house with his black buggy. Abram came around front and stopped, they piled in one by one. She got a window seat because she was the eldest sibling. As they drove, Hannah stared off and thought about Jacob. She had been patient, trusting that it would be God’s will for her and Jacob to marry, but so far, Jacob had not started courting her. She saw the way he looked at her, and she believed that he would make a wonderful husband, father, and provider. Whenever they were together in the same room for gatherings, she wished that he would approach her for a ride home after singing, so that they could spend some time alone together. Hannah’s faith in God was strong and she knew that if it were in God’s plan, they would be together. She hoped that it would be.

Abram parked the buggy in front of the barn where Sunday service had taken place that morning. Hannah opened the door and hopped out, waving good-bye as her family left and headed back to Sugarcreek. The air was fresh and crisp. She felt her nose get cold first, and then her cheeks, forehead, and lips. She wrapped her arms over her chest. She was glad she had on her warmest coat. There were about six or seven people heading in, so she sped up and followed behind them. Hannah made it inside. She warmed up instantly. Scanning the room, she walked over to the room at the right side where all the winter coats were hanging. She took off her coat and found an empty hook to hang it on. She stepped out of the coatroom, searching for a table with an empty seat. The laughter and chatter was loud, almost deafening at first, and it took several minutes for her ears to adjust. Hannah spotted an empty seat next to Rebecca, so she rushed toward the table to grab a spot next to her dear friend.