Emma's Gossamer Dreams — Fay Risner

Welcome to the Lapp farm near Wickenburg in southern Iowa. Come to visit and bring your sense of humor. Dependable Emma Lapp dreams about the same fate that happens to all teenage Amish girls. Eventually, she will fall in love, marry and have a large family, but she's been offered the teacher's job for a term. That means working away from home and leaving Nurse Hal to take care of the household while she's still trying to perfect her cooking skills. That worries Emma. She doesn't think Nurse Hal is ready to take on the responsibilities of homemaker and continue her nursing duties at the same time. However, Emma wants to take her place in the grownup world and teaching school will be an exciting challenge. Emma turned seventeen and is considered a good catch by several eligible bachelors. As Emma puts it, every single man in the community is sizing her up for his wife. The men make it obvious they want to be her special friend. She spent her childhood growing up with Levi Yoder. Now he thinks he has first claim on her. Emma's not so sure about that when she finds herself tempted by Eli Yetzy, the deacon's son. He's wildly into rumspringa so he imitates English teens and does things that are against Emma's beliefs. She wants to turn away from him but finds him appealing. Emma is really confused when a school board member, widower Amos Coblentz, takes a liking to her. At the same time, Bobby Keim tries to get her attention. Emma becomes so troubled about which man she wants to spend her life with that her nights are riddled with unsettling dreams that tangle together in her mind. Filmy male faces move about like strong transparent gauze in a gentle breeze, competing for her attention while she tries to sleep. In the dark of night, these dreams seem very real while the break of day leaves even more room for doubt and confusion as Emma's Gossamer Dreams keep her in turmoil.