August 19th, 2004 I was on the phone talking with a friend when the caller ID showed that it was Emerson Martin. I wondered who in the world that could be but I just kept talking to my friend. It wasn't till later that night I was talking to my good friend (Becky from Camp) and she wondered if anything more had happened and I said, "No, although this weird number and name came across caller ID tonight. So I told her that it said, 'Emerson Martin!'" Becky said, "Rhoda that was Mikes real name I'm sure of it." Ok so I went into panick attack. I was glad I kept talking with my friend earlier in the day.
They didn't give up that easily though. On August 20th, yep the very next morning the school children just left for school when the phone rang. It was just my dad and I home. I went to answer the phone and my heart started pounding. I answered the phone and knew instantly that it was Mike that I had stopped in at the Camp. He talked to me a bit then asked if he could talk with my dad. I said, "Sure!" By this time I was a bundle of mixed emotions. My father very rarely talked on the phone but he was that morning. Then I heard him giving out our snail mail address (and for those that don't know my father was paralyzed from a stroke when I was 10 and it also affected his speech and sometimes he knew what he wanted to say but it would come out different then he wanted) and he was giving him our old address. He was looking at me like is that right and I was fighting with in if I should help him or just let whatever it was get sent to the wrong place. While, I felt bad for my dad so I told him the correct address. My father talks a bit longer then hangs up. I said, "Dad, what did he want?" He said,"While his son wants to write you and wondered if it would be ok?" I said, "And you agreeded?" He got the biggest grin on his face and said, "Yeah, how else would you get to know his son?"
At this time I went through alot of emotions. I couldn't understand why the father was calling my dad instead of the son who was supposedly interested in me. It was later explained to me that it was because they knew that my father didn't talk on the phone often and they decided it might be better if Mike called my dad since they had met before and sorta knew who each other was. Anyhow, I still didn't know that and I was trying to decide if their son really wanted it or if the parents did only. Since, my father gave him permission to write me I decided I'd wait and see what the letter held before I worried to much but it was sure hard. I did alot of praying and not much eating.
On Aug. 25th I received my first letter from Elmoine (Moine)! Okay, so I was ever thankful I was home when the mail man went that day. But was I ever so shocked when I went out to get the mail and not only was this letter in the mail box but also another envelope stating that there wasn't enough postage on that specific envelope to please leave 60cents the following day. I should maybe include here that the envelope was one of those 4x6 brown bubble envelopes. My thoughts raced again, "Is this a sign from God that I am not to except this guys friendship?" I hadn't even opened the letter yet and my mind was spinning. I should add here that Moine told me later that he figured if it wasn't enough postage it would be returned as that was still the normal procedure at that time. he soon realized that wasn't so. I open the letter with the biggest butterflies fluttering inside my stomach. I pull out 3 photos along with the letter. Now I know I'm strange at times but I was like what photos already?? I was just really starting to question alot of things. My dad was the only one home so I took it to him as he knew right away when I flew to my bedroom and shut the door that I had received the letter. I showed him the photos and gave him the letter and was going off about how I exactly felt about all this and my dad looks at me and says,"I think hes a nice looking, handsome man! You'll never know until you try."
My mother on the other hand was alot more hesitant about the whole thing. I myself was still really torn. I made some phone calls to Bemidgi, Minnesota where I had helped out in the Kitchen at Camp Chippewa. I had plans on going back out to Minnesota to help at Family FOCUS on Aug. 29th. I was to help teach one of the children's classes which, I was thoroughly looking forward too. On Aug. 28th one of the youth guys were found and he had already passed away. i was so torn do I stay home now or do I still go so that I don't leave the others short handed on teachers. Besides I was really looking forward to going and I'd be driving to Arthur, Illinois and meet up with some wonderful friends there and go on with them to FOCUS. So that is what I did I went to Focus although I struggled to keep my mind where it needed to be and the head cook from Camp Chippewa was now cooking for us at FOCUS. She couldn't understand why I wasn't eating much and I wouldn't say a word.
Moine thought about coming to Focus but since he hadn't heard back from me yet he decided he didn't want to make it awkward or ruin anything so he decided to just stay home!
I spent a good hour or more talking with a dear lady & friend (Krystal Yoder) who gave me some good advice and I went off to pray some more. Right, I knew this guy must be getting pretty antsy I mean I got the letter on the 25th and till I got home from Focus it was the beginning of September. I still felt like I needed a bit more of a comformation so I talked with some dear friends (who were like mentors to me while I lived in Mississippi) who I felt would give me some great insite as well. After talking for quite awhile my friends (Phillip & Mary Ellen Knepp) agreeded theyd make a phone call and see what they could find out for me. In the mean time my mom seemed to question it all quite a bit (but what mom wouldn't, right?) although my dad seemed to be all for it. I finally decided that Moine had waited long enough even though I hadn't heard back from Phillips (Yes, I was trying to get ahead of God. To my shame.) but I went ahead and wrote a letter got it all ready stamped and all and that night I headed to Michigan to meet some friends. On my way I dropped the letter off at the post office. I got home like real early the next morning (about 3 or 4am) and I was so tired that I fell to sleep in the car. About 7am my phone rings and it was Phillip Knepp calling. We talked for a good bit and he encouraged me to give the young man a chance. He had talked to Moine's neighbor and he also would of been a pastor at the church where Moine would of went at one point. I was shocked and I was like what am I going to do now? Why didn't I wait? What was another day? So I didn't even go into the house I flew out the drive and went straight to the post office where I had mailed the letter. I went up to the desk and told the clerk where and what time I mailed my letter the night before and would there be anyway that I could get that letter back right now before it even got mailed out? I knew my chances were slim but I was praying. She said, "Give me a bit and I'll go see what I can find out!" Stay tuned for part~3.....
On Aug. 25th I received my first letter from Elmoine (Moine)! Okay, so I was ever thankful I was home when the mail man went that day. But was I ever so shocked when I went out to get the mail and not only was this letter in the mail box but also another envelope stating that there wasn't enough postage on that specific envelope to please leave 60cents the following day. I should maybe include here that the envelope was one of those 4x6 brown bubble envelopes. My thoughts raced again, "Is this a sign from God that I am not to except this guys friendship?" I hadn't even opened the letter yet and my mind was spinning. I should add here that Moine told me later that he figured if it wasn't enough postage it would be returned as that was still the normal procedure at that time. he soon realized that wasn't so. I open the letter with the biggest butterflies fluttering inside my stomach. I pull out 3 photos along with the letter. Now I know I'm strange at times but I was like what photos already?? I was just really starting to question alot of things. My dad was the only one home so I took it to him as he knew right away when I flew to my bedroom and shut the door that I had received the letter. I showed him the photos and gave him the letter and was going off about how I exactly felt about all this and my dad looks at me and says,"I think hes a nice looking, handsome man! You'll never know until you try."
My mother on the other hand was alot more hesitant about the whole thing. I myself was still really torn. I made some phone calls to Bemidgi, Minnesota where I had helped out in the Kitchen at Camp Chippewa. I had plans on going back out to Minnesota to help at Family FOCUS on Aug. 29th. I was to help teach one of the children's classes which, I was thoroughly looking forward too. On Aug. 28th one of the youth guys were found and he had already passed away. i was so torn do I stay home now or do I still go so that I don't leave the others short handed on teachers. Besides I was really looking forward to going and I'd be driving to Arthur, Illinois and meet up with some wonderful friends there and go on with them to FOCUS. So that is what I did I went to Focus although I struggled to keep my mind where it needed to be and the head cook from Camp Chippewa was now cooking for us at FOCUS. She couldn't understand why I wasn't eating much and I wouldn't say a word.
Moine thought about coming to Focus but since he hadn't heard back from me yet he decided he didn't want to make it awkward or ruin anything so he decided to just stay home!
I spent a good hour or more talking with a dear lady & friend (Krystal Yoder) who gave me some good advice and I went off to pray some more. Right, I knew this guy must be getting pretty antsy I mean I got the letter on the 25th and till I got home from Focus it was the beginning of September. I still felt like I needed a bit more of a comformation so I talked with some dear friends (who were like mentors to me while I lived in Mississippi) who I felt would give me some great insite as well. After talking for quite awhile my friends (Phillip & Mary Ellen Knepp) agreeded theyd make a phone call and see what they could find out for me. In the mean time my mom seemed to question it all quite a bit (but what mom wouldn't, right?) although my dad seemed to be all for it. I finally decided that Moine had waited long enough even though I hadn't heard back from Phillips (Yes, I was trying to get ahead of God. To my shame.) but I went ahead and wrote a letter got it all ready stamped and all and that night I headed to Michigan to meet some friends. On my way I dropped the letter off at the post office. I got home like real early the next morning (about 3 or 4am) and I was so tired that I fell to sleep in the car. About 7am my phone rings and it was Phillip Knepp calling. We talked for a good bit and he encouraged me to give the young man a chance. He had talked to Moine's neighbor and he also would of been a pastor at the church where Moine would of went at one point. I was shocked and I was like what am I going to do now? Why didn't I wait? What was another day? So I didn't even go into the house I flew out the drive and went straight to the post office where I had mailed the letter. I went up to the desk and told the clerk where and what time I mailed my letter the night before and would there be anyway that I could get that letter back right now before it even got mailed out? I knew my chances were slim but I was praying. She said, "Give me a bit and I'll go see what I can find out!" Stay tuned for part~3.....
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