Anniversary

We've spent the year leading up to the big day. We've reminisced about when Chris and I met, our first date, our engagement. And now we get the wedding.


We got married in the Mt. Timpanogos temple. It was a beautiful August day. It was partially overcast, both rainy and sunny. It rained while we were in the temple, but not when we were taking photos. It poured during our indoor luncheon, but was bright and beautiful during our outdoor reception.


The officiator at our sealing was Elder Jack H. Goaslind. I wanted to write down some of the counsel he gave us, but unfortunately all of my journals are in storage at the moment. So, I will just have to write what I can remember in my head. He counseled us to always pay our tithing. Chris and I have done so, no matter what our financial state. This has been a unifying force in our marriage. Without question, we pay our tithing and other offerings to the Church. I have often been grateful that this is something we have never argued about or doubted. We have received so many blessings from obeying this simple commandment. Some are obvious and some are more subtle. But all are sacred.


Elder Goaslind counseled us to pray together morning and evening. He said that when we pray, we should vocally express gratitude for each other. Wow, what a difference that little thing can make. We have consistently prayed together for the last ten years. And when we vocally and specifically thank Heavenly Father for the gift of our spouse, the Lord makes the positive qualities of our spouse more noticeable.


He gave us more advice, and it is written in my journal. And then he bore his testimony. Elder Goaslind received the power to perform sealings on earth from President Spencer W. Kimball. He bore his testimony of the priesthood power and that sealings are real and eternal. For me, hearing his testimony was the most touching part of the experience. I also believe and am sure that the power to seal families together on earth is real. It was on the earth anciently and has been restored in our day. I am confident that, as we remain worthy, our marriage will last through eternity.


The wedding day for me had very little stress. Everything went smoothly. For some reason, that you can only really understand if you know me very well, it was important to me to have every aspect of the wedding as simple and inexpensive as possible. My friend and roommate, Jaye, painted an orange lily that Jacob scanned into his computer. Then Jacob designed my invitations (with the lily) and printed them. My sister Rachel took the engagement photos. And my cousin Lee did my hair. My mom made the food for the wedding luncheon. She may have had some help...I can't remember. The decorations were done by my sister Lisa. And for entertainment (this was my idea), we had the guests compose clean limericks* about Chris and me. I thought it was all kinds of fun. And people participated.


The reception was beautiful. We were in my sister's in-laws backyard. The McClearys--perhaps you know them. We had bird-of-paradise flowers and ferns as centerpieces. We also used orange lilies and a few white and purple flowers for variety in the bouquets. My mother-in-law, Suzie, sent us leis from Hawai'i. We had a green cake, frosted white, with crystal frogs on top. My mom and sister Kathryn and another friend made the refreshments. We served cookies (because I love cookies!) and some orange slushy thing with little paper umbrellas in top. At the end of the night, the popular BYU a capella group Vocal Point performed. Chris was one of them.


I thought the whole day was wildly successful. As I look back, I wouldn't change a thing. Two days later, we had an open house in California. My sister-in-law, Tammy, and my mother-in-law, Barbara, were completely in charge of that. I didn't even offer any input. It was also wonderful and a lot of fun.


I wish I had some sort of funny story about the day, but it was just a good, good day. And ten years later, I'm still glad I married him.