Delores Spagnuolo:  

Blest Be the Ties That Bind Dateline: September, 1977, a fishing bank somewhere near Minot, North Dakota: Two Baptist pastors sat together discussing life in their congregations. Eventually talk turned to the young man staying at Pastor Graves home for the weekend. "Nice young man. Just got back from six months in Alaska. But we have half a dozen single airmen in the church, and not one young lady for any of them to date!" The other, Pastor Jayne, answered, "Well, you know, I have a young lady in my church back in Topeka, Kansas, that has been after me for.well, years, maybe, to 'find her a fella'. Maybe we should get these two writing to each other." And thus, the Providence of God set the wheels of destiny in motion. Following that weekend, Pastor Jayne encountered Delores in the school office. "Hey, Miss Tuttle, have I got a surprise for YOU! I found you a fella!" At first, Miss Tuttle did not know if he was teasing her or deadly serious, so she began a series of questions. "So where is this guy?" "North Dakota!" "How's that supposed to work?, she asked, adding "That's over a thousand miles away!" "Oh, but he is a nice young man, Delores. You'll like him. He's a Staff Sergeant in the Air Force." "No way, preacher! After watching all my mom went through being an Air Force wife...packing up three kids, a house, selling a car, etc. etc. to go hither and yon. Un, uh! No way am I going to be an Air Force wife!!" "Don't worry, Delores! He will be getting out in a couple of years and going to Bible college. He's going to be a preacher!" "Me, a preacher's wife? You've got to be kidding!" Still not convinced that Pastor Jayne was serious, and her curiosity getting the better of her, Delores asked, "What's his name?" (thinking to trip him up if this were a joke). "Bob, ...something or other. Rhymes with magnolia...Spag-no-lee-ya or something like that." "But, preacher, I'll never be able to pronounce it let alone spell it! What kind of name is that?" "He's Italian. And he speaks with an accent." "Good grief! It certainly won't work. No way! My mom has always told me I could never marry an Italian, because I hate spaghettii!" And as she turned to leave the office, Pastor Jayne called after her, "Oh, by the way, Miss Tuttle, be watching your mailbox. I've sent him your address." Meanwhile, back in North Dakota, Pastor Graves was driving down the highway on a stormy afternoon with Bob. He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a small slip of paper. "Brother Bob, I'm not meddling in your life. But, well, this is the address of a young lady in Topeka, Kansas. WRITE HER!"... For two weeks, Delores watched her mailbox, and the day finally arrived when a letter from North Dakota awaited her at home. After four months of letter writing, Bob took leave and visited Delores in Topeka for six days. They became engaged ...Expand for more