Today marks 30 years since my young-and-in-love parents were married in the Salt Lake LDS temple.
December 19, 1985.
Just a regular day for millions of people - but a day that changed my parents lives and a day that set into motion my life as I know it. Marriage is a wonderful thing. To make commitments to another person in such a fickle world. To set up the foundation for a family, for gospel learning, for success in this life and in the next.
I've been thinking a lot about my parents and the blessing that their marriage has been in my life. My parents were going to go on a cruise this year to celebrate, (30 years is kind of a big deal!) but they ended up canceling it for several reasons; one reason being that my Dad's siblings decided to throw my Grandpa Walker a big 80th birthday party on the 19th. Then my little brother Matthew proposed to his fiance Brooklyn and my siblings and I started worrying that their anniversary was going to get entirely forgotten. So we decided to throw them an anniversary party and it turned out better than I could have even hoped. We told them that we wanted to have a birthday party/our monthly family dinner on December 13th. (Matthew, Melissa, and Brooklyn all have December birthdays.) So we invited them down to our home. Jenna came early in the morning to help get dinner started and finish making the (amazing) cake. Mom and Dad showed up a while before we were going to start, and we just chatted and made sure that all of our surprise things were hidden away. Then right before dinner started, we started pulling out the china and fancy things - saying that we thought it would be fun to have a fancy Christmas dinner instead of our regular casual style.
It wasn't until right before we sat down to eat that we pulled out the cake, centerpieces, 30 year timeline, and picture frames. They were so surprised! I gave a little speech and we enjoyed a delicious dinner celebrating their marriage and life together. After dinner, each child gave a toast and we clinked glasses filled with sparkling cider and it was festive and fancy and perfect. Oh, and we ended with a "pearl" decorated cake (the 30th anniversary is the pearl anniversary) that we made them cut together. More than anything I just hope that these two wonderful people know how much they mean to our family. Their life and example is an incredible blessing to all of us.
Also, I found a few pictures of their lives over the last 30 years. I kind of love every single one of them! It's amazing to see how they've changed and grown together. It makes me feel supported in my own life - to know that once they were raising a small family like I am. They are wonderful parents and examples and I hope that someday my family will be as wonderful as theirs.
Love you Mom and Dad!
It wasn't until right before we sat down to eat that we pulled out the cake, centerpieces, 30 year timeline, and picture frames. They were so surprised! I gave a little speech and we enjoyed a delicious dinner celebrating their marriage and life together. After dinner, each child gave a toast and we clinked glasses filled with sparkling cider and it was festive and fancy and perfect. Oh, and we ended with a "pearl" decorated cake (the 30th anniversary is the pearl anniversary) that we made them cut together. More than anything I just hope that these two wonderful people know how much they mean to our family. Their life and example is an incredible blessing to all of us.
I love them.
--
This is the "speech" I read before dinner. I'm just keeping it here for journaling purposes.
#familyhistoryiamdoingit
Mom and Dad,
Surprise! We know the next couple of weeks are going to be
incredibly busy but we didn’t want to let your 30th anniversary pass
by without recognizing it and the wonderful accomplishment that it is. The two
of you mean so much to our family. Today we celebrate who you are and what
you’ve become together.
We thought it would be fun to take a look back over the last
30 years:
Scott and Lori met while attending Rick’s College in
Rexburg, ID. They started dating and Lori even took a job at the Little America
in Wyoming between semesters so they could be together. When Scott proposed to
Lori on a bench in front of the Salt Lake Temple, she thought he was joking and
pushed him over telling him not to tease her like that. When she saw his
stunned face she realized he was serious and, of course, she said yes.
They started out their life together on December 19th,
1985 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. They moved to Provo, UT where they both
attended BYU. During these happy years they welcomed two loving daughters into
their family, Shantel Elise in 1987 and Jenna Anne in 1990. Lori graduated with
her Bachelors Degree in Special Education and worked at a small school near
their home.
Although he hadn’t graduated with his Masters Degree yet,
Scott arranged to complete his Thesis project while gaining real-work
experience. In 1992 they accepted a job at the DWR Research Station in Ephraim,
UT. They moved their little family and soon welcomed twins into the crew.
Matthew Scott and Melissa Shaye were born in December 1992.
In 1993 Melissa got very sick with RSV and was life-flighted
to Primary Childrens hospital. During her stay at the hospital, Scott had to be
at BYU to defend his Thesis. He slept in his lab on campus; while Lori stayed
by Melissa’s side. It was a difficult time, but together they made it through. Scott
graduated with his Masters Degree from BYU and the family was soon reunited at
home.
Scott and Lori spent the next 12 years growing their family
and growing together in their little town of Ephraim. Scott enjoyed his job as
a Wildlife Biologist and his kids loved visiting his seed warehouses and the
relocated deer the division took care of. Lori devoted all of her energy to
raising her, now five children, (as Jacob Colvin joined the family in 1995.)
She also found time to run a daycare from her home, perform respite care, work
at the local school, work as a librarian at the Ephraim Library, and then be a
receptionist at a local car dealership. (How she survived this busy time in her
life, we will never know.)
In early 2005, the family relocated to Morgan, UT so that
Scott could take a job as the Habitat Manager of the Northern Region of the
State of Utah. Lori started working as a resource teacher at Morgan Elementary.
Through the next ten years, all five of their children
graduated from Morgan High School. Both sons, Matthew and Jacob took the
opportunity to serve missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints. One by one their daughters attended college, found their own
sweethearts, and were sealed in the temple: Shantel & David in 2009, Jenna
& Kevin in 2011, and Melissa and Blake in 2014. Matthew & Brooklyn will
join the ranks of the married children in just 9 short days. Jacob will return
home from his mission in July of 2016.
--
There have been ups and downs trials and blessings. Family
vacations, Pumpkin Carving
Extravaganzas, Christmas celebrations, days spend out on the lake, and days
spent working together. Through it all, our parents have been wonderful
examples of Christlike love and service to their family. I speak for all of us
at this table when I say that we have been blessed by your marriage, your
examples, and your lives. Simone Signoret said “Chains do not hold a marriage
together. It is theads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together
through the years. “ The two of you have tied together many strands of family
and friendship through your love for us and for each other. We thank you for
your example and celebrate your anniversary for the gift that it is to us.
Life could have taken you anywhere, but it brought you to
each other. Right where you were meant to be.
We love you.
