It was Sept. 30th., 2004 I remember I was in the Bakery making 300 or so apple dumplings with my sister when my first call came. I was a nervous wreck. Would we hit it off? I just didn't know what to think. I used the cordless phone so that I could go out in the garage and talk on the phone to be away from everyone (Is that even possible?) well it held a bunch of interruptions for me but out of the noise of the oven. My dad had a golf cart that he drove around and it was parked in the garage and so I set on that for most of our conversation! Minus the first 10-15 minutes that I paced the garage. Before I knew it time had flown by and I had been on the phone with Moine for over an hour that first phone call. Actually i think it was more like an hour and half. Moine wondered if he could come meet my family and I on October 15th. I agreeded that it would be okay.
Four days later (Oct. 4th) I received my second phone call from Moine. He wasn't a bigger writer so he preferred calling but he did still send me mail :). On Oct. 6th I received my first text message! Was I ever grateful for texting!! Six days later (Oct. 10th) I got my 3rd phone call from Moine. I hoped we'd hit it off as while in person as we did on the phone. Oct. 13th I got my 2nd text message. By this time I was anxious to meet this guy whom I had been communicating with but yet scared to death to see him face to face.
The day finally arrived I was to meet this guy that i had been communicating with and never met before. We had planned that when Moine got about 45 mins away that my parents would take me to meet him and we'd have lunch together. While, I was waiting for him to call to say where he was so we could meet him I started preparing supper. As it was a tradition in our family that when our boyfriends came to meet the family the first time that we as the girlfriend were responsible to make the food for that meal. Moine finally called, he decided to come earlier. He was excited and anxious as well and decided to just come early. My mom was busy working so we could not go meet him so he just drove straight to the house. I was giving him directions how to get to our place. Our neighbors had, had a yellow house for as long as I can remember well just that past summer they put new siding on and changed the color to grey. I forgot that they had changed the siding so I told him that we were the house right after the bright yellow house that's real close to the road. He finally put together that he was sure that's where I lived. I still don't live that one down either. He was right it wasn't yellow anymore. I felt real small when I realized what I had done. He likes to tease me that I still didn't want him to find me. My stomach knotted as I heard the knock on the door and seen him standing at the door. I swallowed hard and went to welcome him in. He said, I'll take you out for lunch and then we can come back and finish up supper. I told him I wasn't really hungry and he said he wasn't either so we decided to just go to Taco Bell for lunch.
I need to add in here that this poor guy had to bring his mom and dads van to come visit me as they asked him if he'd pick up a new mattress about 2 hours from where I lived and bring it back for them. Okay, so my family thought this was the funniest thing that he brought a van the first time he came to see me and that he had a mattress in the back of it. Yes, he got razzed pretty good. I felt bad. Let me insert here that even though it wasn't his first pick it showed me that he was looking out for his parents and he didn't always have to have his way. It spoke volumes to me even though my family razzed him. Moine handled it very well.
Once we were done eating we did some visiting. When we got home I started to finish up supper. I don't remember what all I made for supper that night but I do remember that I had marinaded chicken& grilled it and then put sour creme & creme of mushroom soup in the bottom of the pan and wrapped the chicken with bacon and put some more of the sour creme mixter on top then cover in cheese. I don't remember what all happened but I do remember that my food ran over and it smoked up the house and made the fire alarms go off. I was horrified. My mom, told me to just turn off the oven and take the food to the oven in the Bakery. I was so embarrassed but went about trying to get the smoke out and getting the food to the other oven. As I walked out the door I just wanted to cry my eyes out. This was to be an awesome meal with no mess ups. All of a sudden I realized Moine is right behind me with the second dish of food for the oven so now I couldn't cry my eyes out. I just wanted to dig a hole and fall under the house. Moine was so kind though and tried to be so comforting. Moine said, "Its okay, it will all work out. Don't feel bad! It will still be good!" I still wanted the floor to open up and swallow me! It did turn out okay. It was just humiliating but good for me!
October 16th, 2004 I woke up and realized that Moine was already at our house. He was early! He was sitting out in the living room talking with my dad and reading the paper. I was so embarrassed but hey he was way early. I quickly got dressed and went and made breakfast. I made biscuits & gravy. As we were eating I found out why he was so early. The poor guy couldn't sleep cause he was too cold. I think he was too excited too but he said he was freezing. Moine had spent the night at my sister & brother-in-laws place (Marcus & Lisa's) and thought he froze. Poor guy! So if you come to visit and your single trust me he will make sure you have plenty of blankets! We did alot of talking and did some visiting. Tonight was the night that he was taking me on the first real date! He took me to Texas Rhodehouse but the wait was 2 and a half hours long so we decided that we'd just go to Pizza Hut. We had a wonderful time! When we got home & walked through the door my dear sisters (Marlene, Anita, Crystal & Roxann) had fixed up a neat little table with cheesecakes, mints & a few other snacks & strawberry daquires & candles and flowers. They also had soft music playing. It was very special! Once we were done we cleaned up our stuff and went and set on the counch and talked for awhile. He left around midnight and went to my sisters place for the night again.
October 17th, I got up early this time and was ready! Moine came for breakfast which was cinnamon rolls & coffee. Played some pool and then he left to go get ready for church. Our church was cancelled due to most everyone going to a wedding for a couple from our youth group (Kenny & Genny Graber.) So we decided to go to the Dunkard Brethren Church. Then home for lunch. Now I have to insert here that as were eating lunch my brother (LaVern) says to Moine, "Now you know I was adopted!" Moine's reply to LaVern was, "So how many of these were adopted with you?" No one ever seemed to be able to come back at LaVern and leave him speechless but Moine did just that. LaVern wasn't sure what to say. We all had a great laugh! I knew right then that he would fit right in!
A conformation I had asked God for was that I would not have to ask Moine what his dating standards were but that he would start the conversation and also that we would both feel like a hands free relationship was best for us. In the afternoon Moine asked if I'd like to go on a walk. I said, "Sure!" As we started out he said, "Rhoda, I'd like to talk about dating standards a bit. I feel like a hands free relationship is what God is asking of us but I'd like to hear your thoughts and feelings!" I said, "Well, thats a conformation! Yes, I feel very strong that it should be a hands free relationship. I never dreamed how hard it would be to have a hands~free relationship but also never dreamed how rewarding it would be!
I knew from that time on that he was the one and that I would marry him someday! How did I know I don't know it was just so real and such a conformation from God I just felt it so strong. We set in the living room andd talked with my parents before he left. He didn't want to leave. I didn't want him to leave but yet I did cause I needed to be able to think about everything and pray! He left about 5pm that night and had to drive all the way home (Hayward, Wisconsin) and had to work Mon. morning. I talked to Moine around 9:30pm that night for awhile. And then again at 1:30am. At the end of one of the conversations he said, "I Love You!" I was speechless and shocked. I don't think I even replied except that I told him by!
After that the phone calls were almost every night and texting was often! Moine finally asked me if I'd fly out to meet his family. He'd send me the money for the plane ticket and would pick me up at the airport in Minneapolis, Minnesota and then he'd bring me back home to Kokomo so he could be with our family for Thanksgiving! I was able to get a plane ticket flying out November 16th,2004! It was a whole month since we first met and we were anxious to get to see each other again! I was nervous about meeting his family but I was so ready to see him again! My dad told me before I flew to Wisconsin that I'd come back engaged. I was like whatever dad! He said, "No, I'm serious!" I said, "Okay, we'll see!"
STAY TUNED for part 5......(Sorry it was too long to finish up today.)
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