I recently filled out a survey. One of the questions was "When you look at your life compared with your dreams graduating from high school, where are you now?" In my case, the answer would be "different". It has been amazing watching God work in the life of this family, and influence not only the 5 children born here, but also the ones that God has brought into our family: Reba, Lisa (from Philadelphia), Mary and Jodi (Andi's friends from New Life Drama), Lori (a friend of Laura's who stayed with us several months.) Our lives have been anything but boring. At any given night, I may come in from a late night milking to find a kid sitting there wanting to talk.

Brenda is an amazing woman. As much as you hate to see wife as employee, she is my right hand in managing the milking. She is also in charge of feeding the calves, and turned around a pretty bad death rate from several years ago. Between being a husband an mother for a chaotic family, she keeps a very busy schedule. On the side she has the occasional Pampered Chef show. She is an amazing cook, sew, gardens and does an almost limitless number of things. I daily think about how fortunate I am to have her at my side.

One reason Brenda needs to do so much because I am so busy that at times she needs to get some of the things that I do not have time for. I keep busy in DHIA, serving as Lancaster DHIA president, and chairman of the board of the processing center in Raleigh. I also help provide support for the PCDART herd management software. My heart in is in Bible teaching, teaching about 50 lessons of some sort every year. Brethren Bible Institute is in late July, when about 150 people come from the eastern US for Bible classes at E-town college. I have been teaching a course there since 1990, which a different topic every year. The topics have ranged from evolution/creation to the parables of Jesus. I find myself doing retreats several times a year with the occasional sermon thrown in. The bulk of my teaching comes from teaching the youth Sunday School class, plus an adult class at White Oak church of the Brethren.

Yes we are busy, but not too busy for you to stop by for a visit. If you find yourself in the Manheim area, please drop by. We would love to have you visit.

Steve and Brenda Hershey