We Finally Meet!
What a wonderfully blessed time!
For those of you that are just joining us this is our story. For those of you that have already heard about us, this will be followed by an update of BLESSED proportions! (About US, 1st revision)
As many of you know we (Sister Christina and Sister Lori) met through eBay! Yep...eBay! To make a long story short, we seemed to be bidding on the same items constantly. Sister Christina's curiosity got the better of her and she emailed me personally to ask me about myself. After nearly 9 months of sharing and talking, we became such fast friends that we were in contact on Instant Messenger (IM) daily.
Over those months we have done everything from my teaching her things about sewing and she walking me through soap making. Yes, I mean she taught me how to make "true" soap while on IM! And it turned out beautifully!
We learned that each of us had received our calling to cover and dress old order plain within a year of each other. Each of us had the desire to not only dress plain, but BE plain. Living as simply as possible under each of our circumstances. And I mean SIMPLE! Baking our own breads and making nearly everything we did from scratch. We sewed our family's clothing, canned food we grew and learned homesteading skills. We were so thrilled to have finally met someone that shared the same likes and dislikes, the same goals, and the same ideas.
Well, we shared so much in common, we teased about going into business together. As many of you know, I'm the procrastinator. (Shhh don't tell Sister Christina) And while I was busy teasing about it Sister Christina, who never lets a little thing like distance or the fact that we had never met in person, get in the way! And so Mennonite Maidens was born!
It's been over a year that we have been in business together and it's been quite an experience. We have learned so much and overcome weaknesses together. The business is thriving. We are expanding our site to include topics of discussion, helpful hints and ideas, a home schooling page, and more. The site continues to grow as we also continue to grow.
The Lord never ceases to amaze us! If it wasn't for Him we surely would never have come together at all. If Sister Christina hadn't answered His prompting by contacting me first, this business and our friendship would never have developed.
It's a lonely thing sometimes when you are prompted by the Holy Spirit to live for Jesus. Becoming a plain Sister is not always well received by family and friends. When we think that our families will accept us as we are because they are supposed to love us unconditionally, and they are the first to turn criticize us for changing, it's very lonely and heartrending. When you are called to the covering and modest dressing and no one else you know or fellowship with does, it can begin to feel quite uncomfortable and lonely. You begin to feel like an outsider. It might even cause you to go back to your old ways again because you are embarrassed or pressured. However, it leaves you with the feeling that you are disobeying your calling and it causes you even more grief.
Well, we were both in the same boat. Neither of us had family that was supportive. Well, our husbands and children did, but not our parents or siblings. Not even most of our friends. Truth be told, Sister Christina and I didn't really have any true friends, to speak of. We attended fellowship with nice enough people but not any of them dress plain or cover at all. It didn't deter us but it did make us feel lonely and a bit on the outside. So when we started talking and sharing it blossomed into a fast friendship that has blessed us both!
Now for the update!
After a little over two years, we, Sister Christina and Sister Lori have finally MET!! Face to face for the first time. On September 17th, 2004, at 12:30pm Sister Christina arrived at the Eugene, Oregon Airport. She was met by Sister Lori and three of her children! It was cute really.
Sister Christina, expecting me to be standing outside her gate when she arrived was quite surprised and a little panicked that there was no one there to greet her. Fortunately for us both we have cell phones. She called mine, and after a few seconds of "Thank goodness you didn't forget me", Sister Christina descended the stairs and was met with hugs and laughter!
I must admit I was a bit nervous about how she might receive us. I worried about the silly things. Like, would she be disappointed? Would she get tired of me? Would she be uncomfortable? Would she want to leave early!?!
How about NONE OF THE ABOVE! She fit right in here. We drove to our home where she immediately felt completely at home and part of the family. We talked as if we had known each other forever. We spent our first day together talking about everything. Laughing, giggling, cooking, crocheting. We were like two girls at a slumber party. We stayed up till nearly 1:00 am in the morning, that first night. Actually it didn't get much better. I don't think we went to bed before midnight a single day that week!
On Saturday night my husband and two teenage sons were called out to a fire down the road from us. Sadly, our local little market burned to the ground. We could see most of what was happening from our front porch. Sister Christina and I stayed up till nearly 2am that night listening to my husbands radio listening to all the directions and commands that were happening. Needless to say we worried about their safety. When we heard that the building was under control and they were going to help it finish burning itself out, we finally went to bed.
Up again Sunday morning at 6:30 a.m. we made coffee, talked, sewed, quilted, cooked, baked and sewed some more! Monday we went to town to do a little shopping. We picked up batting for a quilting project we were going to do. We got a little fabric for a new dress and picked up some groceries. Then we went home to just enjoy the time. We had wanted to go a few more places over the week, but the weather didn't always cooperate. We were having such a wonderful time simply being at home together that we didn't worry about planning anything. We just took things a day at a time.
Sister Christina and my husband, Brother Craig, made a wonderful pasta meal. Brother Craig made his tasty sauce and included the delicious meatballs that Sister Christina and my Miss Sarah made that morning. Then when the sauce was done, Sister Christina taught us how to make homemade pasta! They also made bread to go with it all.
Sister Christina and my Miss Mary-Ann cooked the pasta together while I and Miss Sarah helped with rolling and cutting the pasta. It was so nice to see the girls enjoying their time with Sister Christina.
Sister Christina kept saying how comfortable she felt here. How, at home, she felt. She said that she usually is not very comfortable at other peoples houses. Even if she has known them for a long time. She said that the difference was she felt like family here! I couldn't have been more pleased!
We made matching dresses too! (the country charm dress modeled by Miss Mary-Ann on the site) Different colors but same pattern. Which we are offering on the site now as well. She sewed Miss Sarah a new apron. Miss Sarah had been wanting the wonderful garden apron that Sister Christina makes. So that's what she got! Sister Christina had made me one and now it's the only one I wear! It is so very comfortable and fits over any of my dresses. Also available on the site.
We only had 8 days together! It seemed to fly so fast! By the time the week was up we both agreed we needed more time! But her responsibilities called so we are planning on another trip for next spring or summer. And the next time she is planning on bringing her Miss Amia! We plan on making a trip out to Virginia, hopefully early next summer as well. But we will see how it all goes.
We did well getting to the airport. We laughed and teased. We got her bags checked in. We bought some coffee to sip while we waited for her boarding call. Then the waterworks started! We didn't just have teary eyes. She and I both bawled and sobbed! Even my boys and girls were weeping a little. Miss Sarah cried and said she wanted Auntie Christina to stay. My Matthew gave his Aunty Fluffy (that's his nickname for her) a hug which made her cry again! She calls him her Sasquach (because of his huge feet (size14s) There was simply no shortage of tears that afternoon.
We attempted to take as many pictures of our event as possible. Unfortunately we lost quite a few while trying to download them from the camera. So the few that we did save were from the last few days she was here.
What a week! Thank you Lord for my very best friend. Thank you Lord for bringing us together at just the right time. Thank you Lord for keeping her safe on her travels.
Yes we are back on IM! Yes we talk every spare moment.
I miss her so much!
And she says that she misses me too!
Thank you all for being a part of our blessed moments over the last year. We hope that you will continue to visit us and see our site grow and take part in our lives as we continue to have our adventures together.
God be with you!
Sister Lori
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