27 YEARS!

The 21st of January 1983 was a cold, blustery day and a large snow storm was expected by night fall. This was the day Brian and I chose to become one. We were married in front of the fireplace at aunt Jayne and uncle Doc's home. My dad even walked me into the small living room and 'gave me away." My sisters and my mother, including my mother-in-law wore deep blue dresses. I had a hand made gown sewn by sister carol wilford, who accomplished a perfect fit although I was a state away! I added a few trimmings onto it while I waited for Brian to come to his sister's home each day after he finished work. Between Christmas and our wedding, I stayed in aunt jaynes home.

I was very anxious on the day we married. Panic lingered beneath the surface of the wedding day jitters. But Brian seemed genuinely excited to reach this day. I did not know about wedding protocol and was unaware that a wedding lunch/breakfast was routine. So on that very day, we went to Chuck-A-Rama! I thought it was the most OSM place! you could eat all you wanted to and they had all kinds of goodies! 'Course I didn't eat much, but picked at a salad and sipped some water. I felt like I would throw-up if I put anything in my stomach. Those attending only included Brian's immediate family and my family--maybe 20 people--but it seemed like a huge crowd to me!

The closer to 6:00 pm we moved, the less nervous I felt, but I noticed an opposite effect on Brian! It seemed the closer we came to actually following through with a marriage, the more nervous he became! I got dressed in aunt Jayne's room, which I do not remember much about except that I could sit on the edge of the bed and look into a mirror set onto the dresser. I dressed very quickly. Didn't do much with my hair and stuck a crown of blue and white flowers on my head. I became so excited that I began to bounce on the edge of the bed, just waiting for someone to come tell me it was time. But the time had gone past 6:00. Then it was 6:10! I remembered how nervous Brian appeared just before we separated to prepare. 6:15 came and I became very worried that he had walked away from me, but finally there was a knock at the door and Aunt Jayne said everyone was here and it was time to begin. I met my father in the hall outside of Jaynes room.

Brian smiled as I walked into the room and everyone was standing--I wondered why they were doing that because there seriously was not enough room for everyone to stand in that small room! The Bishop of the ward Brian and I would be moving to married us--Glen Gottfredson. He also happened to be our neighbor and we really loved him. Throughout the ceremony, Brian kept his eyes glued to the Bishop. He occasionally looked over at me and squeezed my hand, but I remember thinking that he was more interested in the Bishop than he was in me! Never-the-less he said yes at the appropriate time and I said yes as well resulting in a legally binding marriage.

Just in time as the open house was to begin at 7:00 pm. Brian has a huge extended family and even now I cannot recall faces or names that match them. One of Brians old buddies arrived and dominated Brian's attention but he didn't' wander far from me, thank heavens. I stood there like a goose bump on a stripped chicken. I had no idea what to say to all of these people!

Brians dad would later offer to pay for a room at a nice hotel in Salt Lake City so we didn't have to return to our apartment right away. So we plowed through a raging snow storm to stay overnight in Salt Lake. The next day we enjoyed temple square and downtown Salt Lake City before returning to our humble apartment located in the basement of a home owned by Uncle Doc's father. It was located at approximately 814 west 100 north in Provo.

We were poor but humble and grateful for all everyone had done for use, particularly Jayne and Doc. They provided a dining table for us and some chairs as living room furniture. (they may have been outdoor furniture) We owned a waterbed--THE THING to have for newlyweds! We each had a car that we had inherited--Betsy a chevy malibu and Fred a ford 'submarine.' Fred was probably the longest vehicle I have ever driven! We set boxes on their sides to use as dressers, we inherited a mis-match kitchen from Brian's dear grandmother who passed away only months before, and we had each other! We had everything and we were in LOVE!!

I became pregnant with Savanna very quickly after our wedding and suffered horrible morning sickness. We decided trying to have me work without vomiting was a lost cause so Brian took on the role of sole provider for our family. We didn't own a phone yet, so Brian reported to his boss every morning from a pay phone located at the gas station around the corner to determine if he had any work that day.

It seems so long ago, and yet it seems like yesterday. Our relationship has grown over the past 27 years. We have come to know each other intimately, and spiritually. Brian has been a wonderful caretaker of our family always working his hardest to take care of our needs. He has always taken great pride in his daughters and continues to love me despite the flaws I so desperately try to keep hidden from him.

I was weeks shy of my 19th birthday when we wed. Brian had just turned 22.  We were young and in love and had faith that we would be led accordingly. It was a stormy night when we got married, but we have been blessed with sunshine and roses along the way. I would do it again in a heartbeat!

(10 yr photo)

To my dear husband, my strength, my protector, my love--I have no greater joy than to know my children walk in truth--thankyou for your guidance in our home and your loving presence in my life. I could not imagine living life without you!  Happy 27th Anniversary---with all my love, your dollface.