Although we had “said it all” in letters to each other, Nate and I never tired of reading the “I love you’s” and “I can’t wait’s.” We wrote of our undying devotion to each other many times every day, doing our best to bridge the distance across 3 wide states that separated us.
It was satisfying to envision the life we would have together. Unfortunately, we had none of the actual details: a place to live, a way to support ourselves, the wherewithal to make these changes, or a timetable. Although we thought we were moving forward, none of the important things were being decided. And the days were ticking away.
July 17, 1969 – To my wonderful Fiancé. I love you afresh this morning as I awake to a new day of life, bursting with thoughts of a partnership with you, my favorite of all men. I have chosen you above all others. And somehow, by God’s grace and love, even before I was able to choose you, you chose me. I can’t even express my gratitude properly on this sheet of paper. I will be so grateful, day after day, year after year, for you loving me first… long enough and strong enough (with very little encouragement in the beginning), to allow me eventually to make up for the time lost, and love you in return. Oh boy! Do I ever love you!
July 17, 1969 – Dearest Meg. In our last phone call, when you said that if you had the power to change anything about me you wouldn’t, I was overwhelmed. That thought has stuck in my mind. It has stayed with me through all my hours of sleep and is the first thing I think of each morning. I’ve thought about it all through writing my letters to you and still retain it now. Thank you so much for saying it, and thank you forever for feeling it! I reciprocate all your love and would never change one thing about you, either. Oh how I love Meg!
July 17, 1969 – Dear Nate. How can I ever adequately thank you for what the mail brought to me today – 14 postcards, 3 letters, and a special delivery letter, all in one day! Today I was thinking back to our very first meeting in the Evanston “Huddle” restaurant with our college friends. I was so impressed with you that night, but who would ever have thought that we’d go from ice cream sundaes all the way to marriage! Just beautiful….
July 17, 1969 – Dearest Meg. Thank you for sharing with me all the details of the wedding planning. I like to envision you shopping for your gown, invitations, crystal, glass, and china. Let me know all the wonderful details. I respect your taste and choices a great deal. When you say you’ve bought some new clothes, my desire is to see you model them immediately. And when you say you’ve bought a peignoir, I about go crazy. You’re a beautiful woman, so sexy and desirable.
July 17, 1969 – Dear Nate. If you were in this room with me right now, would you ever get the loving! I feel physical affection only toward you! I got a hint at what our wedding gifts might be like last night. I was up at the folks’ house with Mary and Bervin. They had brought a trailer to remove all of their wedding gifts from the parents’ house in preparation for their move to the smaller house, and you should have seen the boxes! After dinner with the parents, we took all these gifts to a locker in a warehouse Bervin has downtown and stacked them up – a giant wall of boxes! It sure was fun to spend time with them. Our project took over 4 hours, but we messed around a lot of that time, too. You were greatly missed. Can’t wait for us to be a foursome — one that will last for many years!
“Wait for your God always.” (Hosea 12:6)