Plain City Bridesmaids
Page 96
September
Fall allergies. Monday night Lori teased us about our his-and-hers inhalers. Micah’s a hands-on preacher and keeps a “To-Do for Others” list. He employs my help whenever possible. This week we cleaned out the root cellar for Mom. He suggested we sneak back in after dark that night, light some candles, and spend the night for old time’s sake, but I was having nothing to do with it. Normally, he’s full of good ideas, but that wasn’t one of them.
October
We went to the corn maze, and on the drive over, Micah teased me about chasing him and demanding a kiss on our first date. I told him if he didn’t get the story right, he wouldn’t be giving me any candy corn later. That shut him up even though he was right. I did ask for that first kiss. After that, my obstinate husband seemed to know what to do on his own.
November
Micah painted the spare bedroom blue. Stubborn man! I told him that it was too early to know what color it needed to be. I thought little Hope Marie would favor a light pink room. But in a way, I hope Micah’s right. Wouldn’t it be fun to raise a miniature Ichabod Crane?
December
David Miller gave us an early Christmas present. He set it up for Micah and me to go on a winter’s sleigh ride. So I added horse handling to my husband’s amazing talents. Afterward the entire church met at the Stucky’s farm for a bonfire and ice-skating party on the Big Darby Creek.
January
Lil’s little bean arrived. She’s cute as a button. She still sleeps too much to tell if she’s as strong willed as her parents. Something new is happening at their house. First, they traded Jezebel in on a new car. They’re looking for a bigger home. It’s kinda sad because the doddy house holds a lot of memories for us.
Today Aunt Louise sent us something blue for baby Isaac Michael’s growing nursery. We were unanimous on the name Isaac. Micah says it means laughter. And we are certainly riding the giddy wings of joy these days. For me it’s a precious pet name, shortened from Ichabod Crane. I never told Micah about the nickname, but somehow it lives inside me to symbolize my all-inclusive love for my husband. I envision this little life within me growing into a gangly tree climber, all arms and legs. I hope Isaac’s just like his dad in every way. Well, it’d be nice if he didn’t have our allergies, but that would take a miracle.
February
For our anniversary, we dressed up and went to Volo Italiano for dinner. Giovanni’s anxious for Lil to return to work, though she’s undecided about it. Micah held my hand and quoted Song of Songs to me across the lasagna. Honestly, I don’t know how I ever made do without him.
Dear readers,
For more of Megan’s journal entries, please visit my website at: www.diannechristner.net.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Which of the following adjectives best describes Megan: principled, adventuresome, naïve, or late-bloomer?
2. Megan’s family didn’t have television or the internet. Imagine all you would have to delete from you mind if you’d never experienced such technologies. How did it shape her worldview?
3. Would you say Megan and her mom’s relationship was close, normal, or dysfunctional?
4. Who was your favorite minor character?
5. After one of Micah’s sermons, Megan tried to set her heart. Did it work?
6. Do you think Micah acted honorably around Megan? Why or why not?
7. Did you learn anything new or unusual about the Mennonite faith?
8. In line with the title Something Blue, what blue things were mentioned in the story? How were they symbolic?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dianne Christner enjoys the beauty of her desert surroundings in Phoenix, Arizona, where life sizzles when temperatures soar above 100 degrees. She and husband, Jim, have two married children and five grandchildren. Before writing, Dianne worked in office management, in admissions, and as a teacher’s assistant in a Christian school, and owned an exercise salon in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Her first book was published in 1994, and she now writes full-time. She has published several historical fiction titles and writes contemporary fiction based on her experience in the Mennonite church. Her husband was raised on a farm in Plain City, Ohio, in a Conservative Mennonite church. Dianne was raised in an urban Mennonite setting. They both have Amish ancestors and friends and family in various sects of the Mennonite church. Now Dianne and Jim attend a nondenominational church.
You may find information about her other books at www.diannechristner.net, where she keeps a blog about the Mennonite lifestyle.