Technically, I didn't marry an Amish man. I married a man who was raised Amish, and there is a big difference. My husband was raised in an Amish family, one of five boys, in the heart of Illinois Amish country. Growing up, his family drove a horse and buggy to get places, made their own clothing, lived without electricity, and attended Old Order Amish church services. Those who are raised Amish are all given a choice whether they wish to continue in the faith. This choice cannot occur before the age of 16, because the Amish do not allow their members to be baptized until they are adults (the Amish have decided that 16 is considered an adult) and they must be baptized when they join the church. My husband chose not to join the Old Order Amish church, mainly because he likes trucks and stereos (and several other spiritual reasons), and later joined a First Christian Church at the age of 26.
So many people are confused about this time in an Amish person's life because the media and fictional books have romanticised the Amish into being a cult of people who shun those who leave. On the contrary though, those who are raised Amish are generally only shunned if they join the Amish church and then leave. My husband never joined the church; therefore he never left the church. The way I see this is... he never made that promise to them, so he never broke that promise to them. My husband and I eat lunch with his Old Order Amish parents every Monday, attend family gatherings, celebrate holidays, and just simply hang out with them on a regular basis. Furthermore, my Amish in-laws have accepted me as part of the family and when we are around each other, the only difference among us is the way we dress.
I certainly welcome any questions about this time in his life, or in mine for that matter. Stay tuned for more educational, humorous, and just plain interesting stories about my life as the wife of a "fence jumper."
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