MERRY CHRISTMAS from the Nyman Family!
It’s been a busy week, and pictured here is part of the reason.
(Only Hans and his family of 7 are missing,
unable to come from England this year.)
May you-and-we rejoice together throughout 2017,
celebrating Jesus all year long.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
As Nate’s and my engagement drew closer, his focus was on procuring the ring before the 4th of July so he could propose when I came to Kansas. But with the military’s spotty record of handling mail, he worried the precious package might never reach him. His father thought it best to mail it to me instead, and said it would arrive in a plain box with no special insurance markings indicating something valuable inside. As he put it, there was less chance of theft that way.
This all made me nervous, but with so much mail coming to my address, the mailman and I had become friends. I trusted him to do his part well. Meanwhile, I was still teaching kindergarten (until June 27), and Nate was marching to the beat of a military drum. And since my Corvette was gone, I was driving a rental.
June 21, 1969 – Dear Nate. I’m still mad about losing my car, but am learning something about myself. Though a car is worth hard-earned money, it’s probably not ok to get as attached to it as I was. It actually made me nauseated to think about it, and I felt like calling in sick. That’s probably not good. But, leaving that depressing subject behind, how are you, my love?
June 21, 1969 – Dearest Meg. The thought of you waiting for me makes this Army stuff seem alright. I often think of the moment we parted. I would like to call you, but there are no phones in the barracks. Last time I called I waited 40 minutes to be able to use a phone, and then no one answered at your end. So I will just keep writing.
June 21, 1969 – Dear Nate. I think of you night and day, just constantly, and wish I had the power to exempt you from Army camp or else move to Ft. Riley to be near you for these 6 weeks. But this will be the worst of it for us. From here on out it will be togetherness all the way! How interesting that you ran into a law school friend down there. I hope your sergeant is nice. I’d like to hear all about life in the Army.
June 21, 1969 – Dearest Meg. I’ve been working on the ring. It looks like my dad will be mailing it to YOU. But don’t open the package! I’ll open it when I propose. I love you so much it hurts! (…and I’m writing this letter in line, in the rain.)
June 22, 1969 – Dear Nate. I’m getting all excited about our wedding! I’ve bought a couple of BRIDE’S magazines and am getting all sorts of practical ideas for both of us. I would love to have a formal wedding with the guys wearing cut-away coats and white gloves, and the women in long gowns, including our mothers. That would make it fun for them. But anything I suggest is subject to your changes. That goes without saying.
June 22, 1969 – Dearest Meg. I thank the Lord every day and night for you and our relationship. I love you!!!! I’m so lonely for you that I fight tears when I think of our long separation. Thank you for tending to the details of our wedding. About the ring – I will open it and put it on your finger. I feel like our coming engagement is very real, and I know it is of God.
“The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.” (Lamentations 3:25)
The morning Nate got on a bus headed for his Army duty in Kansas was a sad day for both of us. We stopped en route to have a little hot coffee… and lots of “hot kisses.” Along with many other soldiers, he stayed overnight at the Holiday Inn in Topeka, ready to report for official duty at Ft. Riley early the next morning.
As he sat in his motel room, he began writing a string of post cards (supplied by Holiday Inn) full of sweet words to me, but I never received them. Not knowing his military address (which he thought he had mailed to me), I wasn’t able to send my letters to him, either.
It turned out to be a 5-day black-out with neither of us hearing from the other. When his first letter finally arrived, I could tell by his handwriting he was upset.
June 17, 1969 – Dearest Meg. I am sorry my letters have not arrived until so late. I omitted my return address zip code, along with everyone else in my platoon, and the Army didn’t mail them. We just learned this tonight. I tried to call you, but no answer. I have written you so faithfully, every day, and the Army wacked me. I love you. You’re a beautiful Christian woman; I’m in love with you. I’m with you in my thoughts. Being away is rough, but finding out you haven’t gotten my letters makes me so sick and angry that I don’t know what to do. So I pray. Christ will unite us. Love, love, Nate
Nate needn’t have worried. Not for one minute did I doubt his continuing love, despite the black-out. He’d been consistent throughout our relationship, and I wasn’t the least bit worried. When his first letter finally arrived, 7 others quickly followed, proving me right.
June 13, 1969 – Dearest Meg. We arrived here by 8:30 pm on the day I left you, after liberal gas and coffee stops – and another stop for lunch, then breakfast. Went 70-75 mph through Illinois and Missouri, 85-90 in Kansas. One week ago was a quiet night with you.
June 16, 1969 – Dear Nate. I just ran to meet the mailman, hoping he had something from you, and he brought me multiple postcards and a long, enthusiastic letter from my fiancée. I practically kissed him! But really, my kisses and love are all and only for YOU!
June 15, 1969 – Dearest Meg. I love you so much that being away nearly breaks my heart. But there’s good news. I will get a 3-day weekend over the 4th of July. You could come down and stay at the Holiday Inn in Topeka, about an hour from Ft. Riley. And I can get a pass.
June 16, 1969 – Dear Nate. I love, love, LOVE you and can’t wait to tell the whole world we’re going to get married in November! Kisses and love, Meg
June 16, 1969 – Dearest Meg. Wednesday evening to Saturday night we have a bivouac – camping out in the woods. My letters will be few. I’ll write each day, though, and mail them later. I really look forward to your letters. There’s a chance I might get KP over the 4th of July weekend, in which case I wouldn’t be free. But I made a reservation at the Holiday Inn in my name… hoping.
“Endurance produces character.” (Romans 5:4)