October 13 – 17, 1969
These days I felt like I was living in three different worlds: fiancée, school teacher, and wedding planner. But much like a child, I dealt first with what was immediately in front of me. That meant my students and lesson plans occupied most of my time.
I was falling in love with my little first graders and looked forward to being with them every day. And as I worked with them, my mind often drifted to the kindergarteners I’d taught in Chicago. They were in first grade now, too, and I hoped they were doing ok.
Nate and I, wanting to have some children in the wedding, sent several letters to 4 of my former students, asking if they would take part in our wedding. We asked Timmy if he’d be the ring bearer, Brittany if she’d be the flower girl, and Kim and Carla if they would pass out groom’s cake to our guests. I also called my Chicago team teaching partner and asked if her two children, Marea and Paul (a little older) would be our candle lighters.
The yes-es came back quickly, and each child enthusiastically agreed to participate in the wedding. And I was thrilled that I would get to reconnect with at least several of the children I loved so much.
Although I still had doubts about my 1st grade teaching abilities, there was one area of my work in which I had unshakeable confidence.
Teachers in small schools like ours sometimes doubled as gym teachers, and to my delight, our gym had a trampoline. Having taken classes in high school (and even winning a contest), I was eager to show my admiring students how to jump. But as I began demonstrating somersaults, back drops, and flips-with-twists, rather than the admiration I’d expected, I got laughter. Later I learned they were catching repeated glimpses of their teacher’s panties and didn’t know what to do with that information. (Could I help it if teachers wore only dresses back then?)
Mom said she was praying for me, that I would do a good job with my students and wrote of her confidence. “Hope you’re getting the victory over that first grade assignment. You’re more than equal to it: yessir, you are! ‘See Spot run! Look! Look! Look!’ ”
Ever the optimist, she filled her letters with praise and good cheer. “Dad just said, out of the blue, ‘Margaret will make it: she has a way with kids.’ And we weren’t even talking about you, darling.” I accepted it all and moved forward accordingly.
My groom was also supportive, always having a cup of coffee and a listening ear waiting when I arrived home from work. He never tired of hearing about my day and began knowing who-was-who among my students. “Did Todd cooperate today? What about Karen? Did she say anything funny?”
I reveled in his rapt attention and was always sad when it came time for him to drive away at night. Standing at our un-curtained 3rd floor window waving until he was out of sight, I couldn’t believe we had 8 long weeks to wait until we were married — an eternity.
“Live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way…. being strengthened…. so that you may have great endurance and patience.” (Colossians 1:10-11)