our spring

Mark & Sara

There were walks in the meadow hunting four and five-leaf clovers, a motorcycle ride to a logging job where I learned to identify Dogwood and Trillium, and looking for those elusive Morrell mushrooms down by the slough. Spring characterized our romance.

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told by Sara

Spring Beauties are a tiny flower that remind us Spring is almost here. In his family, Mark traditionally found the first one every year and brought it to his mom. I have a hunch he did it because he loved her. Spring is a time we start watching for flowers and thinking of love.

Spring was the season I first met you, Mark. You waited one and a half years to ask me out, but I never forgot the good-looking guy my brother introduced me to that April day.

Logging sports brought us together again, then the first letters were exchanged (I didn’t write you first, Mark — it was a letter to your family and you answered it!). An invitation to a Chinese dinner was the first big step (thanks to my brother’s prodding or you wouldn’t have done it!). I remember being enthralled with your conversation that night. You knew about things I had never heard of — choker setting, skidders, yarding, high-lead shows, logging sides, hooktenders. It was fascinating for this love-struck girl of 18 who sat across from a handsome, bearded logger on that Friday the 13th, eight years ago.

Well, the fascination grew over the next four years. It was a “story­book romance” — well, aside from a few normal lover’s quarrels, mostly due to a young girl who runs on emotions and a young man who stubbornly sticks to the facts! There were walks in the meadow hunting four and five-leaf clovers, a motorcycle ride to a logging job where I learned to identify Dogwood and Trillium, and looking for those elusive Morrell mushrooms down by the slough. Spring characterized our romance.

But it was more than just a romantic feeling. My attraction to you was based on character qualities I was looking for in a husband — you were hard-working, dependable, honest, generous, humble, practical, smart, and above all, you loved God and made His will a priority in your life. These things made me know I loved you.

The proposal came long before the engagement, but I still remember the thrill of those words, “You should consider becoming a logger’s wife.” How little I knew of their actual impact! I only made you wait two months for my answer, Mark. (Well, it was a tough choice — choosing you meant saying no to all the rest!)

Two years later we announced the inevitable — our engagement! I still love the way you surprised me with my ring by giving me a box of Whitman’s candy. You had replaced a Jordan almond with a beautiful diamond and then carefully re-glued the cellophane and wrapped the box!

Seven months of planning, dreaming, waiting, decision making, last minute lists, and then the wedding day arrived! You were the most handsome guy ever in a tuxedo! (You look pretty good in logging clothes too). The vows were said, but I can’t remember a thing except the euphoric feeling of looking into the face of my new husband!

When you stepped in the back door after a hard day in the woods, I still loved you with whiskers on your face and grease on your clothes. I didn’t always greet you with a rosebud in my hair, but we were newlyweds and we were in love.

That was Spring. Almost four years ago now. I was wondering, Mark, is it time to start looking for Spring Beauties again?

Let’s Make a Garden

Let’s make a garden, you and I,
With love and laughter there,
To make it grow we’ll spade and hoe
And plant its lines with care.

Let’s make a garden, you and I,
A honeymoon paradise,
Where we always forgive and try to live
According to God’s advice.

Let’s make a garden, you and I,
A home where love abounds,
A circle of three – God, you and me –
Could better gardeners be found?

Let’s make a garden, you and I,
Let commitment be our theme;
So throughout the seasons we’ll have a reason
To stay on the same team.

Let’s make a garden, you and I,
With blossoms fresh and sweet,
A babe in arms and a toddler who charms
Will make our love complete.

Let’s make a garden, you and I,
Where tiny feet can trod,
We’ll teach and instruct and bring them up
To love and worship God.

Let’s make a garden, you and I,
Let’s strive for growth and yield,
We’ll till the sod with help from God
As daily before Him we kneel.

Let’s make a garden, you and I,
It will take lots of love, sweat, and tears;
The crop may be slow, but it surely will grow,
And we’11 reap our reward through the years.

Let’s make a garden, you and I,
Full of precious moments to treasure,
Time will go and children grow,
But memories will last forever.

Let’s make a garden, you and I,
Where after springtime fades,
The roots will be deep and we’ll try to keep
The romance of yesterdays.

Let’s make a garden, you and I,
You, my lifetime friend,
God gave you to me, let’s always be
Sweethearts to the very end.

by Sara
February 8, 1986

presented at a Valentine Banquet in 1986

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