Young Love (#72)

July 25 – 27, 1969:

After Nate’s graduation, the 8-hour drive together to his parents’ home was pure pleasure. As he drove, I studied my handsome groom, tanned and muscular after his hard physical weeks under the Army’s tutelage. He had never looked better, and my eyes drank him in.

Main St.Throughout the weekend with his parents, we shared gourmet meals lovingly made by his mother, and talked about wedding plans. Nate and I took late-night walks around his old neighborhood, strolling hand-in-hand with frequent stops to give and receive more of those stored-up kisses. It was fun to hear stories of his childhood, and I could easily picture him biking down Main Street with his grade school buddies.

PackingToward the close of the weekend, we were back in the car driving the 4 hours to Wilmette where a massive clean-up was under way after my folks’ garage sale. Their moving date was 3 days hence, and the last big push to empty their home was at hand.

Nate and I had begged out of our first counseling week at the church camp to help Mom and Dad, and it’s a good thing we did. They needed all hands on deck. After working non-stop for many weeks readying the house, both of them were depleted, carrying on by grit alone.

LoadingThe peaceful calm of Nate’s home evaporated as we joined forces with Mom, Dad, Mary, Bervin, and brother Tom, sorting, lifting, hauling, shoving, and driving load after load to other locations. In the process, Nate and I inherited a small apartment-sized stove, for which we were grateful. It was stored at the next-door-neighbors’ house, since we hadn’t yet looked for an apartment in Champaign.

In retrospect, I can hardly believe we had insisted on a big wedding so close to my parents’ big move. The word “selfish” springs to mind. Today I am the age my father was when this unfolded, and just reading about it makes me tired. I’m grateful their double duty didn’t swamp them completely. That move was difficult for them in every way.

They were leaving a home that had been the place where my brother, sister, and I had grown from children into adults. It’s where all of our youthful dates originated and where our teenage pals hung out, day… and night. It’s where Mom produced hundreds of dinners, parties, and celebrations, happily including our friends in whatever was happening. It’s where Dad walked out the front door every morning to his office in the Loop and walked back in every night at 6:15 to Mom’s squeals of delight and her kisses. And it’s where he finally retired at the age of 70.

In addition to the move and the wedding, Mom’s 3 children were all stepping into new lives, leaving a mother who’d loved every minute of parenting them and had no interest in an empty nest. (None of us have a single memory of her ever saying no.) She had wanted a dozen kids, but when that couldn’t happen, she told us she’d just had the 3 best instead.

Mary and Bervin at front doorAnd we all knew that when moving day came, for these reasons and many others, Mom would struggle to walk out the door.

“This is what the Lord says – Do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!” (Isaiah 43:18-19)

Young Love (#68)

At Ft. Riley.As Nate’s summer camp neared its conclusion, he was eager to become a civilian again. But he’d been moved by the loneliness among the troops (sometimes his own), whether they were there voluntarily or not. His Army friends missed their families and homes, and Nate promised himself that after he was back “on the outside,” he wouldn’t forget them.

In Chicago, I bought an overnight bus ticket to Manhattan, Kansas, thrilled to be reuniting with my true love at last. On July 25, after graduation festivities at Ft. Riley, we planned to drive the 8 hours to his parents’ home in western Illinois for the weekend. His brother, also in the service, was stationed in Delaware, so he wouldn’t be with us. But I could get better acquainted with his folks, and the four of us could talk wedding details.

Announcement.July 20, 1969 – Dear Nathan (more from his mother). We are expecting you and Margaret to arrive here on Friday, July 25, about nine o’clock. We’ve written to all the relatives, telling them the news of your engagement. We plan to have it announced in the newspaper before you get here.

July 20, 1969 – Dear Nate. Did you get my goodie package? Have you eaten all the cookies yet? That was a double batch, by the way. I hope your cadet-mates gave you a little assistance. I’m so glad when you tell me you’ve shared what I’ve sent. I think of the guys who don’t get many letters and stuff, and they need encouragement and goodies, too.

July 20, 1969 – Dearest Meg. Your goodie package was outstanding! Thank you from me and the men of Co. B, 2nd Bn, 3rd Plt, for the cookies, gum, and chocolates. We all look forward to the “Nyman call” every day. Thanks, honey, you’re so fabulous and understanding! And when you wrote a while ago that “nobody is going to get more mail than my Nate,” I got so excited I wanted to shower you with love and provide you with whatever you wanted. I want to please you!

July 21, 1969 – Dear Nate. I just went to check the mail. Darn – no mail today because of the holiday about putting men on the moon. But it was pretty fantastic. I can’t believe our separation will be done in only 4 more days! And I hope never to be away from you for that long again!

JGoodie packageuly 21, 1969 – Dearest Meg. I’ve been thinking about friends we know who are also in the military. We’ll send letters and packages to Ron, Ken and others to keep their morale up. When I’m out of the service, I want to join the American Legion and support service clubs. People ought to remember servicemen. Meg and Nate will. We’ll snow our friends in the service with photos of our 4 papooses named after Army posts!

July 21, 1969 – Dear Nate. I just finished drawing up a complete guest list for the rehearsal dinner, which your parents are waiting for, and I’m afraid to submit it to them. Man oh man, it’s big – 58 people! I haven’t talked it over with Mom yet, though, so I may be doing it wrong. And if that’s too many, we can sit down together and eliminate a few. I’ll bring the list with me when I come. Somehow it’ll all work out, so don’t worry.

July 21, 1969 – Dearest Meg. Last night I re-read the note you included with your last goodie package. It so moved me that I got down on my knees and thanked the Lord for you. Love to you forever and ever – for eternity!

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:4)

Young Love (#67)

Knowing Nate and I would be together at Ft. Riley in 4-5 days didn’t stop the heavy flow of letters between us. Writing back and forth had become a well-established daily habit, a long-distance way of spending time with each other, and we both did it with pleasure.

While Americans were celebrating the first man on the moon, we were “over the moon” about our relationship — and glad to be only 4 months away from our wedding day. Almost as exciting was my yet-unplanned move to Champaign to establish our first apartment — only a month away (we hoped).

July 19, 1969 – Dearest Meg. I love the card you sent that says you’re saving kisses for me. I am anxious to get them! I love you so much, and oh how I miss you! I’ve saved all your letters and pictures. What a scrapbook for our kidlets and grandkidlets to read one day!

First foot on moonJuly 20, 1969 – Dear Nate. I hope the Army allowed you guys to experience the thrill of the first manned rocket on the moon. I prayed all during the evening service and CCClub afterwards that the Lord would somehow postpone the first step on the moon until we could get to a TV. We raced to Connie’s apartment and got there at 9:50… just as his foot was coming out of the LM! Pastor Sweeting said (during his evening sermon) that he thinks this new command over space will cause a fresh awareness of the reality of God and His power. I agree!

Chapel..July 20, 1969 – Dearest Meg. In just a few days I will see you! I’m going to hug and kiss you and bite your ears!!! I just thrive in the security of your love. Today I got up early, went to the Laundromat on base, polished my boots, spent time reading Scripture, and soon will study my squad leader’s manual. Later I’ll go to the chapel here. When you come at the end of the week, I want to show you an Army chapel. Though they don’t generally compare in physical features to civilian churches, the Holy Spirit can do its work there as well.

July 20, 1969 – Dear Nate. Thank you for your expensive phone call. How I appreciated it! It was a terrific boost for me, and I pretended we had been on a date together. Beautiful. I had Sunday dinner with the folks and Aunt Agnes today, and your name came up repeatedly at the table. Aunt Agnes loved that you sent her a birthday card and said, “I think Nate is kind of a chum-y person, don’t you?” That’s her description of “friendly,” coming from the old term “chum” or pal. DadAnd once again my parents brought up the letter you wrote them. Dad actually went and got it, and read it silently… again. Mom said, “Why don’t we let Margaret read it?” but Dad defended you and said, “I’m not so sure he meant this to be passed around.” (They didn’t know you’d already told me what was in it.) Mom finally convinced Dad to let me read it, since I hadn’t seen the actual letter. I was so proud of you and what you wrote – the perfect things. They all agreed that you are “a thoughtful person” and are glad we are marrying. I’m so happy about that!

“Truth springs up from the earth, and righteousness smiles down from heaven.  Yes, the Lord pours down his blessings.” (Psalm 85:11-12)