My Dearest Naomi (3 page)

I think of you often.

With love,

Eugene

Wednesday evening, September 1

Greetings of love.

“They that wait upon the L
ORD
shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

Well, I think I’m feeling a bit more at home finally. Maybe once I get more familiar with things, my feeling of loneliness will decrease. I hope so anyway because something has to be done. I stepped on the scales, and I’ve lost five pounds since I left home a few days ago. I don’t know where the pounds went, but the chairs feel a bit harder when I sit down. And it’s not like I have much to lose.

I went back to the schoolhouse again today. I had this feeling of being penned up while I was there. I couldn’t figure out why until I noticed the iron drapes or blinds they had hanging over all of the windows. Each one covered an entire window with their solid strips. I tried to tilt them open first, which helped a little, but I still wasn’t satisfied. So I pulled them up all the way and latched them into place. Right away I felt the greatest improvement. Now I can see out. They will stay up permanently if I have anything to say about the matter.

This evening the young folks had a softball game at the schoolhouse. That’s not my favorite sport, but I heard they might also play volleyball afterward, so hope lay on the horizon. The softball game started at 6:30, with the meal served at 6:00. Since I didn’t have anything to do at Lonnie and Luella’s, I walked down at 5:30, arriving before anyone else.

The softball game went until dark, and then the volleyball net came out. They played by the light of the electric yard light. It sure beats lanterns on the buggies for light, but there wasn’t quite the same feel of home.
That may have been a good thing for me right now. I don’t need a lot of reminders of what I’m missing. We played two games. The first round our side got skunked, and the next game we beat them twenty-one to five, so it was their turn to get skunked.

None of the men wear beards. I did see a mustache, which was a little strange. But then I don’t know that much about Mennonites. The girls are dressed differently, both in dress design and color.

Afterward, I walked home in the moonlight—the moon was almost full. That brought back a lot of memories, and I longed to have you with me. But wishing does no good for a parting that cannot be changed.

I still haven’t received a letter from you, but perhaps you’ve written one and it’s on its way here. I hope so.

With all my love,

Eugene

Thursday evening, September 2

Hi! I am home from babysitting and still shaky from running around the house trying to get all the work done before the regular chores. We had another cow go dry this week, and I don’t think Dad plans to replace her. I believe he may be thinking of eventually giving up milking altogether, with the prices the way they are. But with Don getting older, he probably won’t. Boys need things to do, and there aren’t many factory jobs around here.

Mom, of course, teased me when I arrived home. “Are you bored? Because if you are, we have something for you. A treasure hunt. Rosanna and Betsy have been working hard hiding your ‘treasure.’”

The little teases. I knew it was a letter from you and let out a shriek. Mom and brother Larry, who happened to be around at the time, got a good laugh out of that. I raced around following the clues. When I finally found it (in the bread box), I took it outside and sat by the hay wagon to read it at once.

It was so good to hear from you!

I’ve had a lonesome time from Sunday evening till now. I kept hoping to somehow hear from you—as if that were possible before you wrote. I’ve been waiting anxiously, figuring you hadn’t had time yet. Still, when there was no letter yesterday, I went up to my room and cried. Big cry baby, I know, but you have my heart. Don’t ever forget that.

This morning I got really sensible and figured the letter surely would arrive today. And it did! You can’t imagine how much happier I’ll be tonight now that I’ve heard from you.

Each night when I go to bed, I lie there wondering how you’re doing, what you’re feeling, and if you’re as lonesome as I am. Last night I wondered about the home you’re in, but after reading your letter, I now know the answers to that.

I want to know everything, Eugene. How the people are, what the scenery is like, what the schoolhouse is like, and about your pupils once you start teaching. But most of all about you.

I’m joining the other young folks tonight in cleaning the schoolhouse. This will be my first time attending the young folks’ gatherings without you since we have been going steady. I’m not at all sure I would go except that I’ll probably be more lonely just staying home.

I’m sure I wouldn’t go if it weren’t for your letter. It cheered me up, and I feel like I have energy again. But I should go now. Dad will have the buggy hitched for me, and I don’t like being late. I will write more later.

Here I am, back from the youth gathering. I felt like crying all evening, often catching myself glancing around, thinking I heard your voice rumbling amongst the boys’ but knowing in the back of my mind it couldn’t be. Would you please hurry back? It was hard to see other couples talking together as we all cleaned the schoolhouse since I know what I’m missing.

Tomorrow night the young folks are supposed to husk corn if it doesn’t rain. I don’t know if I’ll go or not. Anna Hochstetler told Mom I’m not supposed to quit attending the young folks’ gatherings because they need me. It made me feel better, but I don’t understand how they need me. I mostly go to keep occupied so I won’t get quite so lonely.

I’d like to write something cheerful and make you happy, but I don’t quite know what it could be. Maybe we can think on the future when we can be together again. When I think of that time, it seems a long way off so I get quite impatient. As you know, I’m not especially blessed with patience—not in some things anyway. Sometimes I imagine how it will be in our future. How wonderful when that day will finally arrive.

Usually when I’m looking forward to something, I have this awful fear of being disappointed. Sometimes I have been, and other times I’m nicely surprised. But since my future involves you, I don’t know how I can ever be disappointed.

I brought home two books of poetry from the lady I work for. They contained all different kinds of poems, with one that really expressed the feelings I have about us. Well, it would be even better if you were here, but this is the best I can do for now. So here it is…

From My Heart…

May our friendship uplift us and draw us together,

May it continue transparent though trials we weather.

May our love be as strong and as pure as the snow,

May it grow in the sun and deepen in woe.

May our joy in each other never dim or decrease,

May it climb into ecstasy and decline into peace.

May our hope be as bright as the sun in its shine,

May the shadows remind us of the light that’s behind.

May our love ever deepen and sweet’n the way,

May it ever grow dearer with more wonder each day.

—T.T. W
ELLS

Well, it is past 11:00, and I should get some sleep. The rest of the children are in bed. Mom and Dad spent the evening at the Burkholders, and I can just now hear the buggy drive in. They must have had a good time to have stayed so late.

I’m thinking I’d better finish this letter tonight as I go to work tomorrow and I might not have time.

Write me everything, please. It all interests me. I even wonder how everyone looks, not that I expect you to describe everyone, but try.

With all my love,

Naomi

P.S.
Eugene, would you cut this stamp off the envelope and send it back for Betsy? She is collecting stamps, and she doesn’t have this one. Thanks.

Thursday evening, September 2

“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” ( John 16:33).

Whee…and so ends my first day of school, which went fairly well, all things considered. Those first graders are something else. You have to keep them occupied every minute or they start squirming in their seats.

I purposely didn’t plan too heavy a schedule for the first day, as the year I taught in the Amish school I’d started in too fast. But today I ran out of things to do before the day was over. The school here has an extra hour of schooltime, for which I will need to make adjustments.

Everything is strange and different, and the adaptations keep hitting me in the face. First there was meeting Lonnie and Luella that first night, followed by seeing the countryside when it got daylight, visiting the schoolhouse, getting to know the young folks, and now watching all the children sitting there looking at me expectantly. It did bring back a lot of memories from my previous year of teaching though.

Here are the big events of my first day…

I called two girls down for whispering, and saw at once that their faces looked funny. I asked them, “Were you whispering?”

They said, “No.”

So I said, “Okay, then.” Didn’t know what else to do with them. They looked so innocent…and yet I know they were whispering.

One of the first graders stuck up his hand and asked me something I couldn’t understand. I had him repeat it three times and still couldn’t understand him, so I simply said, “Okay.”

He then got up and shoved his desk over beside his sister’s desk. So that was what he was asking.

A first grader said he had to blow his nose and didn’t have a handkerchief. I gave him mine.

Well, they are a lively bunch and pretty well behaved, so I shouldn’t have any problems in that area. Wish me well and the best of success. I think I need it.

My love is always yours,

Eugene

Friday evening, September 3

Greetings in our Savior and Comforter’s dear name.

We had a great time at the youth cornhusking last night. I actually broke through my loneliness for you and enjoyed myself. Don just turned sixteen yesterday, so he got to go along. It helps having company on the long drives to and from the gatherings, even if it’s my brother.

Don is helping Dad with the hay making today. I suppose Mom and I have to go out after chores and help them unload a wagon or two. When I got home from babysitting, I noticed they were letting things stack up. I’m still very tired from last night, but so it goes. Before long I’ll be like an old mare with a limp and a bent back.

I squealed tonight again at the sight of your welcomed letter. I sat down and read it right away. I’m so glad to hear you’re well occupied with school. I can imagine it helps pass the time better. I thought, “Oh, if only I could be there to help you.” But that, of course, isn’t possible.

How is the weather? Ours has been kind of cool the last couple of days, but it was warmer this morning for a change.

Your sister Mary told me tonight that one of your chinchillas had more babies. I want to look at them Sunday, a day I’m afraid is going to be pretty hard without you. Especially since church is right there at your place.

Mary also told me that some of them want to go out to see you sometime soon. She said I could go along. I can hardly wait.

You are in my thoughts,

Your Naomi

Saturday evening, September 4

Christian greetings of love.

I hope it doesn’t bother you that I write so often, but I have to do something to relieve my homesickness. Maybe later on I will get used to things around here and won’t have to write to you constantly.

I received a letter from my folks Friday evening, which helped some, giving me a few minutes of profitable time reading the letter in the living room. Luella glanced in while I was reading, so I gave it to her afterward. Don’t worry, I don’t give her your letters. Lonnie and Luella are very interested in any news from our community and act like they want to make friends with our folks if they get the chance. They have a soft spot in their hearts for Amish people.