Well, I found another house for Emily in Colorado, close to my cousin Kay, and cleaned all of her old house and some of her new one, and moved her out of one and into the other, all in one of the more physically/emotionally exhausting weeks of my life. And now we'll give Emily a month to improve and if she doesn't I don't know what she'll do but I'll have a nervous breakdown. Or something.
Special applause and thanks to the young Knepp/Witmer guys who hauled the load of big stuff, Jessica who helped with the last carload, and Travis who took care of that unspeakable mouse under the sink.
So now I'll talk about something that always makes me happy: connections.
Em's landlord is a 70-something rancher type with dusty jeans and a few messed-up fingers on his right hand like he caught them in a baler chain or something a long time ago. He grew up in Hydro, Oklahoma, he said. I said, Oh! that's the area where my dad grew up! He said, "Was he a Yoder?' I thought, "How in the world does he know that?" Well, he had known some of the Amish/Mennonites in the area--Yoders, Stutzmans, etc.
Wow.
Yesterday I was at my gate in the Denver airport and decided I had time to get a quick cup of coffee before I boarded, since I was a B as per Southwest boarding protocol, and the A's were just getting lined up. But then suddenly a woman stepped out of line, touched my arm, and said, "Are you . . . Dorcas??"
Well, believe me, that was the first time in my life I truly felt famous. It isn't so unusual for this to happen in Eugene, but in Denver??
She turned out to be a blog reader from Indiana named Mary who was headed to Portland to see her son and his wife and new baby. And she had Beachy-Amish roots. "Ich halt un sitz fa dich," she said as her line was boarding ("I'll keep a seat for you") and on the plane we discovered lots more connections. Mary's sister's daughter recently married my e-friend Mrs. I's son. Over the wedding weekend Mary's family had stayed with the Hershbergers, parents of Regina D. from this area. Mary worked for some time with my cousin Harvey at one of Indiana's many RV factories. And so on. What a treat.
Quote of the Day:
"Hi. How are you?"
"Sick. How are you?"
"Sick"
--IM conversation beginners between Emily and her cousin Jason. She says it's so nice to chat with him because he just "gets" it. After they establish that they're both sick they go immediately on to other subjects with no time wasted on sympathy, questions, suggestions, etc.
Here's a connection for you. I'm one of your faithful blog readers from northwestern Ontario. And I was in Westcliffe when you were in Canon this weekend. We're staying with my sister-in-law, Sandra, who goes to the same church as Emily. We went to church here in Westcliffe today, so I didn't get to meet Emily.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy your blog! And I hope and pray - for your sake and hers - that Emily gets better in the next month!
that is just so cool! It was like some special little hugs from God (who totally "gets you") in the midst of your very busy and stressful week. This makes me smile.
ReplyDeleteHow I hope that this house makes all the difference for Emily!! Aren't Knepps and Witmers the best??!! :-)
Here's another "noodle" in the connections spaghetti...my sister in law, whose maiden name is Slagell, is from Hydro, OK. Her parents were Elmer & Elsie. (those names always make me chuckle) So very possibly her parents and your dad knew each other since Hydro is a pretty small town. Oh I love the Mennonite game too. =)
ReplyDeleteDorcas, you really ARE famous! I told the lady in line who you were, and that you have three books, and write a monthly column for the Herald Registry(?)... and she's read your column! It was such a treat to meet you and share a bit of our lives!
ReplyDeleteI'm praying that things will work out for Emily, and that you find the missing piece to this puzzle about her health.
Oops! You write for the Register Guard. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm Mary's sister who's daughter married Mrs. I.'s son. Mary was so excited that she got to travel with you she called me yesterday afternoon from OR to tell me about it. I was so happy for her!
ReplyDeleteI trust and pray too that you can find help for Emily somehow, someway. Bless her heart, and yours.
Well, hey - I want to get in on the action too! So I am a "Life in the Shoe faithful" (sounds like a cult!) from Ohio and my cousin Shelly (actually 2nd cousin) is married to your nephew Randy. Also, "Jenni", my uncle and aunt (Bontragers) live in Westcliffe and you probably went to church with them because I don't think there are very many churches in Westcliff!?? Also, "Mama K" my husband went to Rosedale Bible College with a Slagell from Hydro and we stopped in there a couple years ago to visit so aren't we all just one big happy family! :-) Gotta love connections!
ReplyDeleteI so hope and pray that the new house will work for Emily.
Don't "Non-Mennos" just shake their heads when we start in on these Mennonite connections! Gotta feel sorry for them! :-)(just kidding!)
ReplyDeleteI first met Mary in IN when SHE had a new baby, and I was visiting the baby's aunt Susanna next door. I'm so glad you got to meet her too, and had enough time to make all those wonderful "making-the-heart-glad" connections.
ReplyDeleteEmily's ills seem cloaked in layers and layers of mystery, and I wonder why God doesn't allow them to be peeled back in one swift action. I hope someday the "why" will be answered. In the meantime,I'll be praying for you.
Our Dorcas was here part of the time while you were in Canon. So nice to see her again.