2.12.2008

A (not so) brief history of me, John Leschorn... (Part 3)

Another entry in my history. Wow, where to go now?

My senior year in HS was a blast, most of the jocks respected us, (I'd helped them a few times with computer stuff...) I actually became fairly good friends with a few in the "popular" crowd, as good as that can get.... I was finally a member of the church I had so long desired to join. In my second semester I took 1/2 days to go work at my internet business, that was fun, I had lots of freedom.

Then came summer... I had quit Hardees, but went back, while the internet business was a blast, it was a "break even" proposition at best. Then came my final youth conference. I actually had made the decision not to go. Rodney requested that I go, I told him, "If I go to YC I will meet a girl and marry her." Well I went, and about 7 months later I got married. This was a tough time, on one hand I wanted to go on a mission and serve the Lord, on the other hand I was in love with a girl and wanted to marry her. For various reasons I chose to get married. I married Erica Dawn McCullough, she was a beautiful girl from Terre Haute 2nd Ward.

We started dating in August, our first date was at Turkey Run, (A familiar haunt...) We quickly decided that time was spent better together then apart. :) I purchased a ring for her in Honey Creek Mall, on my wonderful salary. (I think I was making about $6/hour at the time.) I proposed to her right their in the mall. During Thanksgiving dinner we announced our intent to marry, my family was pleased with the decision, my friends, not so much. This was understandable, we were both young and brash, but we moved to the Greater Cincinnati Area and got married January 16th, with no great affair in a courthouse in Boone County, KY. I won't pull punches here, this was against our Bishop's wishes. He was not supportive of us getting married, but my oh so wise stake president told me, "You had two good choices before you, you could have gone on a mission or chose to get married. Since you chose to get married now we need to get you to the temple." So that was that, in March of 1998 Erica and I were sealed in the Chicago, IL temple with most of our ward present. It was a wonderful experience, one that I had hoped for since I met Erica. We had a rough start but had made ourselves right with the Lord and were ready to begin a real family, and that we did in short order...

On June 18th of 1998 Erica gave birth to a pair of wonderful twin girls, they were very small and very beautiful. In a few weeks we were able to bring them home. Then the real work started, up all night, Erica trying to nurse two babies not having any past experience, me attempting to hold a job and be a good husband and dad. My parents had just moved to Hawaii, we were trying to go at this alone in KY. I think it's safe to say that the stress got the best of us. Erica ended up going back to IN and I followed shortly after, around Thanksgiving.

So in Indiana with no job or place to live I got very busy very quickly. I got a job at a small internet providor, called Terre Haute Internet Services, moved into a small rental in Rockville and worked to strengthen our family.

More to come later...

8 comments:

  1. I just want you to know that I'm glad things have worked out so well for you and Erica. We were never against you guys. We were just very worried because we love you so very much. And we only wanted what was best for you. Being limited by human vision sometimes causes us to act in a way that can be misinterpereted. But I hope that after all these years, you understand that our concern was caused only by love.

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  2. I know, the situation wasn't ideal. But we have worked through most of our baggage and have grown significantly in the process.

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  3. I won't lie, I was against it....back then. My feelings have changed :)

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  4. PS I kept reading hoping to hear mention of baptizing a particular young man....but to no avail ;)

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  5. Well BJ, at least your honest...Looking back..I'd probably KILL my son/daughter for making some of the same choices we did. (I mean that in the most loving, maternal way possible!)
    I wouldn't be so thrilled about a friend making those choices either. :)

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  6. I just thought you guys were young and stupid. of course I was an oh so mature senior in high school at the time. Little did I know less then 2 years later I'd be married myself at 19 years old. The Lord see's the big picture though and knows what's best for each of His children and what we need to learn at what times in our lives.

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  7. We were definitely young and stupid. But we really did love each other and were both stubborn mules. I'll be honest, our first 2 years were rough, I was very self centered, Erica didn't know how to deal with me. The next few years were tough due to the fact that we started having kids, but like the refiners fire, this experience made us much better people.

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  8. I remember getting the letter from you, letting me know what was happening. (Still have it) To be honest, I was relieved. There are certainly worse things then getting married young

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