Entertainment

The 'Return To Amish' Cast Is Keeping Busy

by Laura Rosenfeld

Even though it's been three years since we first watched Abe, Rebecca, Jeremiah, Kate, and Sabrina leave their strict religious upbringings at the end of of Breaking Amish, it hasn't been any easier for them to navigate their new lives, as we saw on Return to Amish this season. There's always a bunch of drama with this crew, and they definitely delivered with fights among friends, crumbling romantic relationships, and coping with the strange purgatory of life in between the Amish and English (the Amish word for non-Amish Americans) worlds. Now, with the season finale coming on Sunday night, I need to know when the new season of Return to Amish will premiere, because my life always feels a little empty when I can't catch up with my favorite ex-Amish peeps every week.

Alas, it seems the show will be shunned from us for a while. TLC has made no official announcement regarding a premiere date for another season of Return to Amish. In fact, the network hasn't even announced that there definitely will be another season, although I would find it very hard to believe that TLC wouldn't bring back one of its most highly-rated and talked-about franchises for another installment.

That means if TLC does give another run of Return to Amish the green light, it will most likely return in late spring or early summer, since the other seasons premiered the last weekend of May/first weekend of June. If this pattern continues, which it most likely will, it should be back on TLC around May 29, 2016.

Say what now? That's like a whole year away! Well, if the Amish could live without electricity, indoor plumbing, and Wi-Fi for centuries, I suppose I could wait 10 months for Return to Amish to come back into my life if I have to.

Speaking of time passing, this season of Return to Amish ended filming around the end of 2014/beginning of 2015. A lot could have happened to the gang in six months. As you figure out what you're going to do with your life until you can Return to Amish, here's an update on all of the ups and downs the cast has experienced since Return to Amish ended.

1. Abe & Rebecca Schmucker

As they were on Return to Amish this season, Abe and Rebecca are still all about family. The couple celebrated their five-year anniversary in March. Abe got a new job as a trucker, while Rebecca quit her job to be a stay-at-home mom. Rebecca is also now a brunette, and what I would have given to be in the room when she showed off her new 'do to her mother-in-law Mary and Jeremiah, because they have an opinion on everything. Other than that, the couple seem to be living a pretty normal life, spending time with their daughters and Mary. Well, as normal as your life can be when you're part of the TLC family, that is.

2. Mary Schmucker

Speaking of Abe and Rebecca's family, Abe's mother Mary had a tough season this go-round of Return to Amish. She had to deal with her Amish community shunning her, her husband Chester keeping his distance from her because of that, her son Andy returning to jail, and her daughter Katie Ann finally deciding to leave the Amish lifestyle and home to move to Iowa.

It's no surprise then that Mary may not make it back for another season of Return to Amish. Mother Schmucker reportedly wrote in a Facebook post in May, which seems to have since been removed, that the current season of Return to Amish would be her last so that her shunning will end and she will be accepted back into the Amish church. If this is true, I'm extremely sad to hear that because Mama Mary is the best thing about Return to Amish with her ever-present placid demeanor but hidden wild side that included a love of Slippery Nipples.

On this season of Return to Amish, Mary collapsed and was rushed to the hospital because of a problem with her kidneys. Mary was soon released from the hospital, and everything seemed to go back to normal. However, in April, Mary was admitted to the hospital again because of a hernia, and she underwent surgery. I'm sad Mary might not be coming back to Return to Amish, but it's probably for the best so she can get her health back in tip-top shape. We need Mother Schmucker on this Earth for as long as possible.

3. Jeremiah Raber

Jeremiah has had a rough time since the cameras stopped rolling for Return to Amish. Right before the season premiere in late May, Jeremiah was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and public drunkenness after allegedly yelling at state troopers at a traffic stop. He responded to the charges with a statement on Facebook, taking responsibility for what happened.

For the people wondering about or bashing me for what happened last night, I do take full responsibility for the way I acted. I took it overboard and acted stupid therefore I was arrested. It was my own fault. For the people bashing me about it. The only reason you guys are doing it is because you are haters of me but thanks for making talking trash about me a priority of yours. At least I know i mean something to you. It happens to allot of people so move on. It's not an earth shattering thing.

Other than that, Jeremiah has continued to work on his business ventures, which includes doing meet-and-greets, signing autographs, selling T-shirts online, and selling Amish doughnuts. He's also working on some super-secret project that he was looking for three people that meet certain requirements to take part in with him. So, that should be interesting.

4. Kate Stoltz

Kate is still doing the fashion thing in New York, continuing to model and build up her collection. She has a full-blown website where you can purchase many of the designs featured on Return to Amish this season. Kate's website also has a section dedicated to recipes and a fashion blog, which shows that she has moved beyond just growing her career in modeling and fashion design in an effort to create her own lifestyle brand.

Kate is currently enrolled as a full-time student at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. She also went on a mission trip with the organization Developing Faces, which was founded by the plastic surgeon who gave Kate her new nose earlier this season on Return to Amish. Kate traveled to Guatemala with the organization, which performs surgery on children in developing countries with facial abnormalities, and even assisted in the operating room. I smell yet another career move.

5. Andy & Chapel Schmucker

Last November, Andy was sentenced to seven months in prison, seven months in a drug/alcohol program, and seven months in a halfway house after failing a urine test while on probation for theft by unlawful taking, of which TLC's cameras captured the proceedings. That means Andy is probably still serving his sentence.

As for Chapel, she wanted to divorce Andy in the penultimate episode of this season of Return to Amish, and it's unclear where their relationship stands today, although she did write a Facebook post about wanting to put her wedding dress up on eBay, which doesn't seem like a good sign. Unfortunately for Chapel, she seems to have suffered some other major setbacks in her life since filming on this season ended. Her sister was involved in some type of serious accident in May, and Chapel helped take care of her as she recovered in the hospital. The Return to Amish star has also written some dark and depressing Facebook posts as of late. Chapel's life has been filled with so many problems, I really hope that she's able to find some peace of mind soon.

6. Katie Ann Schmucker

The youngest Schmucker may have left Punxsutawney for Iowa in the second-to-last episode of this season of Return to Amish, but it looks like she has made her way back home recently, appearing at such local hotspots as Punxy Phil's Family Restaurant.

She also got a boyfriend, got fake-arrested, and is generally enjoying life as a badass. Clearly, Katie Ann is the Schmucker to watch.

7. Sabrina High

If you've watched this season of Return to Amish, you immediately noticed someone was missing: Sabrina. After giving birth to a baby girl last season of Return to Amish, Sabrina did not appear on this season at all, and social media showed she was going through a lot. Lately, Sabrina hasn't revealed much about what's going on in her life, which is completely understandable, although she did recently post a status update on Facebook, which shows her in better spirits.

My dear, amazing fans.... I LOVE YOU. I was feeling down in the dumps the past couple of days, for some reason tonight I decided to look at my inbox. I read every single one of your messages. Every single one. I cannot even begin to express my gratitude, you have all touched my heart. Ever since I opened up about my struggles, I was afraid to open my inbox, the fear of judgement and hate kept me from reading your messages. And you know what? I read them all, and there was not a single, unkind message in my inbox!!! Only love and concern. I am so thankful for each and every one of you right now, I am so blessed, I can never repay you all for your kindness during this difficult time in my life. Thank you sooo much, and please know, even tho I cannot answer each and every message, I do read them, and I appreciate every single one of you all, for taking the time to write me, and for taking the time to care. Tears are streaming down my face as I write this, I feel so unworthy, and so blessed. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!!

Here's hoping things are finally looking up for Sabrina and that we'll get to see her, as well as the other aforementioned Return to Amish stars in a new season soon.

Images: TLC (6)