My abiding thanks to the following folks, whose time, wisdom, expertise, and hospitality enhanced this book immeasurably:
To Amish friends in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and Muskegon and Macomb Counties in Michigan, my sincere thanks for opening your doors to an outsider and trusting me with your privacy and wonderful money wisdom. I will never forget your gentle helpfulness.
Bill O’Brien: I couldn’t have done this without you, Bill, and I thank you. Your sense of humor came shining through that first phone interview, and I knew this would be a fun book. Thanks especially to you and your wife for inviting me to dinner that awful day in February!
Erik Wesner: Your encouragement and insight into the Amish community enriched this book. Thanks a million!
Dr. Donald Kraybill: Thank you for your kindness and for taking the time to be interviewed. No one knows more about the Amish than you, and your comprehensive knowledge and sensitivity deepened this book considerably.
Diane Goslin: Thanks much for your kindness and hospitality to me, and for taking good care of me at your lovely cottage bed-and-breakfast, Laurel Inn the Hollow. Thanks for introducing me to some of your Amish friends as well, and for your wealth of wisdom on the Amish community.
Will and Dana Kenny: For your long-term friendship and for being impeccable—and fun—hosts to my family while we were in Harrisburg, my sincere thanks and love.
Thanks to Hope Adair from Breton Travel for her tenacious help.
Also, thanks to Devon Hamstra, Russ and Linda Johnson, and others who helped me connect with those in the Amish community.
To Tracy Bianchi, author of Green Mama, for the fantastic tips on recycling and reusing!
I owe a debt of gratitude to my friends at Thomas Nelson, including Jennifer Womble and Brenda Smotherman, who have been a pleasure to work with over the last few years on various projects. Many thanks to Joel Miller, who went to the mat for this book, and who got the idea instantly. Thanks for being such an encouragement to me and my writing. And to Bryan Norman, an editor and friend, thanks for being an unexpected blessing to me.
To my incomparable agent, Esther Fedorkevitch, whom I adore and who fought for this book every step of the way, my fervent thanks and much love.
Thanks to Ken and Linda Craker, who took my kids more than once, and even took Phoebe to Wyoming for a week, so I could finish this book on time. Love you. Also, thanks aplenty to my “bonus” mom and dad, George and Pat Vanderlaan, for support and love.
To my beautiful mom, Linda Reimer, who grew up “semi-Amish” in some ways, and who always prays and always supports me, whatever I am doing!
I could not be the writer and woman I aim to be without the never-ending, soul-filling wisdom and cheerleading of my Sisterhood of the Traveling Nightie, aka The (Writers) Guild: Ann Byle, Shelly Beach, Tracy Groot, Angela Blyker, Cynthia Beach, Alison Hodgson, and Sharon Carrns. Thanks to Rhoda Janzen and Julie Barnhill for more writer-ly boosts here and there.
Last but not least, all my love and devotion to my husband, Doyle, and my children, Jonah, Ezra, and Phoebe, for loving me and supporting me through it all, and for entering into the Amish Zone with me for quite some time!