The Howling of a Wolf, Early Life

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 It was in the year of 1982, that I met Mr. Mark Joseph Werner. Mark had responded to my letter, and he had taken an interest in me. Mark had sent me several bouquets of roses at my place of work. It had all the women talking, "Who's Theresa seeing?" I dared not show too much joy for so many times in the past I had been disappointed and my dreams shattered. I had to call my mother to express my deepest joy about hearing from the man I wanted to hear from but my mother was not pleased at all. She was in hopes that one of the men she had chosen would have worked out.

Many letters soon followed along with long distance phone calls. I learned much about my new found friend and I was delighted to learn that Mark was raised in the Catholic faith. I had prayed and hoped for a Christian man for my husband. I was all the more delighted to find out this news too.

In the month of October, 1982, Mark flew down from Fairbanks, Alaska. It was a nervous meeting for the first time and we both had to sit down at the airport. We decided from there to go get a bite to eat where we visited with each other. We decided to go to a park where I explained to Mark the situation that I had been threatened with. This is where I learned from Mark that he too had an abusive situation with his father. Mark was sitting on the picnic table when I asked him to marry me. Mark was very nervous about the whole situation but I told Mark we could be as brother and sister and help each other through this difficult time. After talking with our hearts, we agreed to marry. Mark had tears in his eyes but I assured him everything would be alright.

Within the next few days Mark and I informed all the family that we were going to get married. My mother had her large diamond removed from here dinner ring and had an engagement ring made for my finger and my father bought my wedding gown, which was on sale at the time. He had made the statement that it was well worth the price to get rid of me.

Before the wedding, I gave to the Virgin Mary a dozen pink roses in thanksgiving.

Reverend William Hanly and Father James TudacBach did the nuptial wedding. There was candle light and the sound of classical music; Beethoven, "Jesus, Friend of Man."

The Prie-Dieu shook violently from Mark’s nerves, while snickers in the background pews could be heard. I heard my mother say, “I wish he would stop!”

It was at this time that Reverend William Hanly made a joke and stated that Mark must be nervous. At that moment I wanted to gather my silk skirt up and turn around and run down the isle but I heard a voice tell me “What about Alaska?”

I wanted to see Alaska but most of all I wanted to get away from my mother.

I stuck it out with Jesus’ help and the consolation of living in Alaska.

On June 15th, 1983, at the Saint Elizabeth's Church in Lubbock, Texas, Mark and I became man and wife.

Our honeymoon began with my parents driving us to a nearby motel. One of my cousins made the remark, “That’s not romantic!”

Mark and I left for Alaska in the next two days. We had our whole lives ahead of us. Alaska was so grandiose with all her lofty mountains covered with white snow, trees and wild flowers everywhere! It seemed like paradise.

Mark was employed by ARCO pipeline and I found work with the YMCA down the street from where we lived. We spent some happy hours together and did hiking and touring Alaska, exploring God's wilderness together. It was in Alaska that I had first heard of the “Full Wolf Moon” and was told that in the month of January all the wolves are said to call out in harmony together. Was it just an old tale? It was out of curiosity that Mark and I went out in the Alaskan wilderness to listen for this serenade of wolves but we heard nothing and we did not see the moon.

I experienced my first earthquake April 18th, 1984. The Richter Scale read 6.8. In a few short months, Mark lost his job on the pipeline. With things slowly becoming more difficult for us financially, Mark felt that the jobs would become more scarce as time went by. Mark made the difficult decision that we had to return to Lubbock, Texas. To hear this from Mark sent shock waves through me because we would be returning back to a world that I so desperately wanted to escape from. It caused me to be bitter toward Mark.

It was a trial time for us both. With the conflicts of looking for work, marital difficulties, and much stress, we were told wondrous news that I was expecting a baby!

When this news was shared with my mother she cursed and said, “That’s another mouth for me and Pete to feed!”

We began looking for a permanent church to be a member of. I had remembered Saint John Neumann Catholic Church and its people; how kind and friendly they seemed to be. We started baptismal classes together in the school gym at St. John Neumann Church. Our instructor was Deacon Leroy Behnke.

On September 6th, 1985, Joseph Earl Peter Werner was born to us in Lubbock, Texas. We were so happy with our bundle of joy!

Even the hostilities of my mother mellowed as she held Joseph in her arms. On October 18th, at ten in the morning, Joseph was baptized at Saint John Neumann's Catholic Church. My parents came late to the ceremony due to illness and sent my brother Jim in their stead.

So, friends in Jesus Christ, I will let you know from here through this Diary, the day to day experiences and occurrences leading up to and including the day of August 15th, 1988 in Lubbock, Texas, celebrating the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Saint John Neumann's Catholic Church.

By this time, Mark was employed at a cafeteria baking, and also searching for a better paying job. It was at this time we were having problems with our marriage and were constantly fighting and having thoughts of divorce.

Our young son, Joseph, had become ill from our fights. Our world seemed to be caving in, yet we seemed to keep hanging on despite the hardships and fights. I stayed home caring for Joseph and doing chores of the daily housewife and mother hoping for better times. Little did we know of the miracles that were about to come into our lives.  

Please continue reading on the next page "Howling Wolf, March 1988"