My Dearest Naomi (16 page)

The information you wrote about the yeast was not new to me, but I suppose I work with such things more than you do. I too have often wanted to operate a microscope. I think that would be very interesting, so perhaps you can show me when we come out before Thanksgiving.

Darrel Hooley still comes to church once in a while, but I’m not sure what his plans for the future are. It must be hard even thinking of joining the Amish if you haven’t been raised in the faith. At least it seems so to me.

Today we received a letter from Dad’s side of the family. Three of his siblings might come to visit this Saturday. Yippee! Anything to break the boredom around here.

The weather has been seventy degrees two days in a row, which is pretty odd for November. Especially since it’s supposed to snow on Friday. Or so the lady I work for told me.

Mom was helping Monroe and his wife move today.

And so it goes around here. I miss you awfully, Eugene.

With all my love,

Naomi

November 3

The weather isn’t cooperating at all. It has turned cold and windy, so it’s yet to see how the planned outing tomorrow will go. The children are enthused enough about the trip. I informed them tonight on where we’re going.

I was looking through the
Pathway Readers
today, searching for poems I could use for Christmas and ran across this one. I won’t use it, but I really like it. I think I heard it used for one of the Amish school programs once. Here it is…

Light after darkness, gain after loss,

Strength after weakness, crown after cross,

Sweet after bitter, hope after fears,

Home after wanderings, praise after tears.

Sheaves after sowing, sun after rain,

Sight after mystery, peace after pain.

Joy after sorrow, calm after blast,

Rest after weariness, sweet rest at last.

Near after distant, gleam after gloom,

Love after loneliness, life after tomb.

After long agony, rapture of bliss,

Right was the pathway, leading to this.

—F
RANCES
R. H
AVERGAL
, 1879

When I arrived home from school, a wonderful letter from you was waiting. I quickly headed upstairs to read it. I agree, your mom had a good answer to the question on marriage.

The weather today didn’t turn out well, but we still went on our field trip. It was cold, with a strong wind blowing. When we arrived at the river, we walked out to the water, where I expected the air to be much warmer. Not so at all. It nearly snapped my ears off, so we stayed around for a few minutes, leaving to look for someplace else to eat our lunch. We found a woods with a deep ravine that cut the wind off, so it wasn’t too bad.

I’m having fun with the microscope. I looked at a scab, which had blood vessels running all over the place, and at some green leaves, which had many straight lines and were, of course, green.

I love you,

Eugene

November 4

I’m back from babysitting, and it’s 9:00 p.m. I was there the whole day, the husband having picked me up at 8:00 this morning. I tell you, I have never met a family I have admired so much. Lee and Chris seem to have a wonderful relationship. He is the exact opposite from her—well, maybe not exactly. She is a little taller than I am, slender, with dark hair, and on the beautiful side. She speaks softly with a very pleasing voice and is somewhat of a perfectionist.

Lee is tall, and not really fat but
big
. He has a booming voice, very hardy, with an outgoing nature and a nice personality. They get along great with each other. Their Christianity struck me immediately. In all the places I’ve worked, I’ve never found a family that is as dedicated like they are. They even say grace before meals, which is a very rare thing to see outside the community. Anyway, I have never been happier with a job than this one.

Do you have any idea how happy it makes me that people out there like you so well and want you to teach another year? I am thrilled even though we plan to get married and you won’t be going back.

I’m sure I would never be a good speaker, even if I managed somehow to speak in front of a group. I’d collapse afterward, feeling a great relief that it was over. I’d probably fear I didn’t say something right. I think it’s great that you feel so good about it afterward. I believe you are probably very good at speaking in front of people.

Now it’s late, and I should get some sleep. This letter isn’t very long, but I will try to write a long one over the weekend.

With all my love,

Naomi

November 5

“Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law” (Romans 7:7). I have spent time looking at this verse, trying to understand it. It’s some mystery, and I wonder if anyone understands it. Stan probably has an answer, if I ever get a chance to ask him.

I forgot all about telling you what I wanted for Christmas. You really don’t have to bother, and that’s naughty to say that boys are harder to buy for than girls. It all depends on the perspective. I’d say don’t get anything big. I’ve been picking up small things here and there for you as I have the chance. Of course, if you want something in particular, please tell me.

I’m still thinking hard on what I want, and all I can come up with are books. You know what my tastes are. I could also use work or dress handkerchiefs, and perhaps a gray shirt would be nice. Does that give you enough options? Oh, and a wife would also be okay.

Luella was making plans at the supper table where to place everyone for the night when you come out for the Thanksgiving trip. She doesn’t know yet, but the Sauls are offering to take in several people. I’m sure Luella will have things figured out by the time you arrive. She said everyone is very anxious to meet you. If they stare at you and you pass out from the glory, I promise I will join you on the floor.

We received the news this morning that Lonnie’s mother died last night. It was not totally unexpected, but everyone is in mourning around here. There will be no school on Tuesday because of the funeral. I was hoping we could have school the day after Thanksgiving, but I’m doubtful the school board will approve, as they usually take the day off. I would like to get as many school days in as possible, the sooner to meet my quota, plus it gives me something to do.

They are making active plans to ordain a minister at the church. It’s still a long process, but by the end of this month they hope to at least have the date of the ordination.

Since I’m not a member, I don’t hear everything that goes on, but there is talk that depending on who gets ordained, there may be a split in the church. There is much argument amongst the members on whether to change the rules on allowing photos and musical instruments. I thought only the Amish argue about such things. I guess it just goes to show you.

I’m feeling quite lonesome again, and it would be so good to be home.
I’d love to see you, as well as everyone else. Sundays are long days in which the air itself doesn’t seem to move. Things go so slowly.

I think so much of you and love you dearly.

You are so sweet.

Eugene

November 5

I have finished writing a page for my cousin Malinda’s circle letter. I told them I’d like to drop out and asked them if it would be okay if I entered Rosanna in my place. I think there are ten people on the list and she’d like to keep it that way. I decided I can’t keep up with my letters to you, let alone writing circle letters. Rosanna isn’t writing anyone that I know of, so she might want to, if the others don’t object.

Last night we got our first snow, and it has been snowing off and on all day. The temperature was twenty-seven today, and this morning Dad said the wind chill must be close to zero. Brrr! Winter is here from the way it looks.

You said you don’t like how early it gets dark out there, but I like it because it seems we get supper finished earlier and Dad doesn’t stay outside working as late.

I did get one of your wonderful letters today, and that’s usually the first thing I ask about when I get home. “Did I get a letter?”

You said that two months have gone by. I don’t keep track because they go too slowly. When I think of all the months that lie ahead, it gets pretty depressing. That’s usually what I think of instead of how many have passed.

I wonder how your trip to the river went yesterday. I hope you had nicer weather than we did.

By the way, I don’t especially like being independent. Well, maybe sometimes I do. I hardly ever feel independent when I’m with you, and it’s not that I want to either. Though I might always get independent sprees, but that’s a girl thing, isn’t it?

Goodnight for now, and I love you. I think if you’d walk in the house right now I’d give you a big hug regardless.

All the above was yesterday. Now it’s the next evening, and Dad’s relatives have just left. It’s only 7:30, so they didn’t stay very late.

Our chores are done. Don helped me milk so Dad and Mom could visit. We had eaten supper before chores. I fully enjoyed the day, and I think the others did also. You can enjoy the time better when only a few families come rather than the whole clan. Oh, and they were having a royal time teasing me about getting married!

Grandpa said, “They’ll marry on Thanksgiving without any question.”

And I said, “He’s out in Iowa, you know.”

Someone else chimed in with, “Oh, well, you could even get married on a weekend.”

Another said it just takes a half day. Gary said, “Not even that long.”

Then Grandpa said you probably couldn’t get married before school is out, and I said that was right.

Then he very matter-of-factly said, “Oh, so you’ll get married next year in June?”

I just sat there and laughed at them. They don’t know how right they are.

Dad and his brother Henry made it through their business transaction okay. Dad had borrowed some money. Mom and Dad had been praying that they might be able to pay Henry $1000 today on the $3000 debt and the accompanying interest charges. And wouldn’t you know, Dad was able to sell enough hay so he had the money. When Dad handed Henry the check, Henry said, “Well, now, I don’t want to make it hard for you.”

Then Henry went and removed the interest rate of 5 percent he’d been charging. So now we only have $2000 to get together by Christmas and it’s over with. What makes me happier than anything was to see them handle the matter so well because Dad said loans between family members can sometimes cause more problems than they do good.

Don and I plan to make a trip to the east district for church tomorrow at Stan Hochstetler’s place. I wanted to visit just for anyhow, and Don agreed, so that’s that.

How I wish I could be sitting beside you downstairs instead of having to write long distance. I did have an enjoyable day with flashes of sadness here and there when your name came up. One thing has cheered me considerably, and that is we have decided on the final date for our trip—the week before Thanksgiving. So I don’t have to wait as long as I thought. Just think: I’ll get to see you! I’m so anxious to see how everything looks—Lonnie and Luella’s place, the schoolhouse, the young folk girls, but most of all you.

James Yoder was not in church today, and Bishop Enos mentioned
that we should all pray for the family. I’m certain there were tears in his eyes, the poor man. He seems burdened about the matter, as are Mom and Dad. Excommunication can’t be far away if things continue on like this.

Betsy invited James’s oldest daughter, Martha, home with her for the afternoon. I suppose she’s trying to be extra-friendly with the family’s situation the way it is. On my part, I’m trying very hard to be more tolerant of people and refrain from saying anything harsh or unfeeling about anyone. Sometimes I say things without thinking or only think of it afterward. I guess such habits are deeply ingrained and take a long time to break.

I have to babysit again tomorrow.

Take courage, it won’t be long now till I see you again. I’m saying that for me as much as for you. Let’s not think of the parting on the other side.

Love you,

Naomi

November 8

I received one of your wonderful letters today. When I arrived home from babysitting Mom announced there was one with a mischievous look on her face. I thought at first she was up to something, but it turns out the mailman had dropped the letter at the neighbor’s place a mile down the road. They were kind enough to send their oldest girl down after school with the letter. I don’t know how it happened, the address was perfectly correct, so don’t blame yourself.

Mom and I have the chores to ourselves tonight because Dad and Don are working late baling cornstalks on the farm across the road. It’s a poor man’s version of straw, which gives you some indication of how the finances are around here.