Me & Dean & James Stewart

I love old movies.  Even when Dean and I were married, almost 30-years-ago, Jimmy Stewart was considered an “older” actor.  He was still very famous and I had seen several of his old movies.  On February 1st, 1985, we sat with Jimmy Stewart and his wife to watch one of those movies.  OK… he was seated up front and we were near the back of the de Jong Concert Hall on BYU Campus.  But we were breathing the same air as he was!

This was on the same day that Dean gave me my engagement ring.  We had gotten engaged about one month before.  Dean surprised me by purchasing a pearl ring and hiding it in my apartment.  When I arrived home from class, my roommates were grinning with anticipation as I started looking for my ring with the “treasure hunt” notes that Dean had created.  What a romantic dude, but I was so self-conscious about it!  Now, with a ring on my finger, I guess we were officially going to get married :-)

Jimmy Stewart was being honored in Utah for his wonderful life.  The Brigham Young University, the City of Provo and the State of Utah had proclaimed “Jimmy Stewart” week from Jan. 28th to Feb. 1st, 1985.  Jimmy Stewart was a beloved actor who also had a distinguished military career.  Miraculously, he had chosen to give his memoirs to BYU and Dean and I had tickets to the event!  After a brief introduction and then comments from Mr. Stewart, we found that we were going to watch his favorite of his movies… “It’s a Wonderful Life.”  The lights dimmed and we watched it on 35mm film… what a fabulous experience!  Now, even after almost 30-years, we still keep our tradition of watching It’s a Wonderful Life every Christmas Eve… preferably the black & white version.

 

Finding Deano

Can you spot Dean in the group pictures below?

First Grade: 1967-68… Dean is at left in the third row from top!

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Fourth Grade: 1970-71… Dean is second from right on top row!

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Sixth Grade: 1972-73… Dean is at center in top row!

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Little League/ Minors… Dean is in back with bullet-proof glasses ;-)

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Little League/ Majors… Dean is in back with hipster glasses!

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Thailand Bangkok Mission: 1980-82… Can you find Dean?!

Yes… Thirty Times!

Thirty years ago today… at noon… a man named Dean asked me to change my name.  Because I was scared, and even though I knew what he was really asking, I said “Change my name to what?”  This forced him to spell it out.  He said “Lorrie, I’m asking you to marry me!”  How did we suddenly get to this point?!

Dean and I had been dating and hanging out and basically spending almost every day together for 3 months, but I hadn’t seriously thought of marriage and had only recently (the week before) realized that I “loved” this dude.  Yes, I enjoyed kissing him… a lot.  And, it was flattering to have someone want to hold my hand and put his arm around me, but marriage means making babies together and, basically, spending the rest of eternity together!  In that one moment, I realized the direction we had been heading and it scared me.  Was I really someone he could love forever?

Besides, I was making other plans.  I was planning to change my major to Chinese.  I was making plans to go to China to teach English.  I guess I thought we would write and continue our friendship, etc.  I just didn’t have marriage on my immediate horizon.  Before he popped the question, I had been talking and laughing and telling lots of stories; he was uncharacteristically quiet or serious and I had a strange premonition about what was about to happen.  After he popped the question, our roles reversed.  I suddenly clammed up and he did all the talking.  I don’t really know what he said with the exception of one thing, he said I didn’t have to answer right away.  We returned to my house, said good-bye to my parents and left to drive back to Provo.  He listened to the radio as he drove.  I just sat and thought about the possibility of marriage and what it would mean for my life.

Dean dropped me off at my apartment in Provo and reminded me that he would see me later that night for another event.  I already had the car door open, but I said “OK” and then headed straight to my apartment.  I walked in the front door and noticed no one else was home.  I walked straight to my bed and knelt down and said, “Heavenly Father: Dean has asked me to marry him and I’m going to say yes… is that OK?”  I had a sudden warm feeling in my heart that that was exactly what I should do.  It is strange to think about it now, because all of my eternity hinged on that warm feeling.

Later, when Dean picked me up, I said “Do you remember that question you asked me today?”  Of course he did!  I said, “The answer is yes, but we can’t tell anybody yet… we need to wait a couple of weeks.”  I still needed time to think and get used to the idea, and I wanted to have the opportunity to back out if needed.  I can’t imagine how hurtful that was for him, except that he was probably scared as well.  Every New Year’s Day for thirty years, Dean has made it a point to ask me if I would say yes again.  I confess that some years I’ve made him wait while I ponder the eternities and what I’ve gotten myself into.  However other years, such as today, the answer is an immediate and resounding YES!

Hosanna to God and the Lamb!

At this Thanksgiving time, I am grateful for temples.  Today I decided to forego the typical “black” Friday experience for a more peaceful “white” Friday in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple!

For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, temples are sacred places where important ordinances and eternal covenants are made.  My own ancestors sacrificed to build temples in Kirtland, Ohio… then Nauvoo, Illinois… and finally Salt Lake City, Utah.  Today there are more than 100 temples covering the earth.

One of the most glorious experiences I’ve had is to participate in the dedication of a temple.  In 2002, the LDS Church did something new.  They broadcast the re-dedication of the Nauvoo temple to church buildings across the United States.  I obtained one of these tickets and watched the dedication in my local church building.  That was my first time to give the Hosanna Shout.  Dean happened to be traveling in Texas and watched the dedication from a church building there.

Since that time I’ve seen other temples dedicated as well including temples in: Draper, Oquirrh Mountain, Brigham City and Ogden.  Usually held on a Sunday and instead of our typical meetings.  Each time going to our local church building with my husband and daughters.

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Below are some even older cards from many years ago when I was a young woman performing “Baptisms for the Dead” in the Manti Temple :)

“Pride of the Wasatch”

During the early 80’s we were known as the ‘Incomparable Cougar Marching Band’ and I think I like that better!  Here’s a fabulous picture taken of the Cougar Band and Cougarettes in 1981.  I recognize the formation as one of the shows we learned that year.  It is memorialized in my mind because the trumpeters had to kneel across the front.  It was that very show that forced me to  push my knee to its limits.  I mentioned this in an earlier post.  I think that is me kneeling right on the 35-yard line on the left side.

Every time the band traveled to a bowl game, they would take pictures of each band member and send an article to their home town newspapers.  Fortunately, we went to a bowl game every year I was in the band!  Here are my news articles:

FRESHMAN – Holiday Bowl, 1980                    SOPHOMORE – Holiday Bowl, 1981

Right after fall semester 1982, I left for my mission to Hong Kong.  I returned 18-months later, right before fall semester 1984.  Thus, I was considered a “junior” for both of those semesters.

JUNIOR – Holiday Bowl, 1982                           JUNIOR – Holiday Bowl, 1984

Here’s a great picture of us when we got to tour the USS Kitty Hawk in 1984.  Not only did we get to go to the Holiday Bowl (California), but other trips as well to nearby states for regular season games.  We typically traveled once per year and then again if the football team was invited to a bowl game.  These were long/ fun bus rides that included pit stops to see local attractions.  We visited Disneyland several times!  I can also remember visiting Hoover Dam and Mesa Verde.  My favorite trip involved a visit to a reservation in Nevada where we put on our own parade.  We marched four across through a narrow rock ravine… the band extended back for about 50 rows!  The people on the reservation stood at the top of the ravines to watch.  It was so much fun to see their faces and hear the sounds of our playing echoing so loudly on the rock walls!  My senior year, the entire band was flown across the country to Florida; the year our football team won the national championship :-)

SENIOR – Citrus Bowl, 1985

*This is my sister, Karen, who joined the band for a couple of years.  My other sister, Shellie, was also in the band.  I am wearing an “alumni” shirt in this picture and had the opportunity to play with the band at a homecoming event.

Baby Amelia

This is Amelia!  She is my fourth daughter and last child.  My husband jinxed himself when our first girl was born and he said, “I wouldn’t care if we had ALL daughters!”  Well, that is what happened and now he claims he is estrogen challenged :-)  Amelia was a great addition to a family of sisters and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

What a blessed family we are!  Raising four girls has been a glorious experience for me.  If I could wish for one thing for my daughters, it would be that they could experience all the joys of motherhood that I have had.  There is nothing more satisfying and fulfilling than being a mommy.  Unless… it is being a grand-mommy!

Here are Amelia’s first few years, as documented by Sears…

THREE MONTHS

SIX MONTHS (with Sarah)

NINE MONTHS

TWELVE MONTHS (with sisters)

THREE YEARS

FOUR YEARS

Baby Sarah

This is my third daughter, Sarah, on her ‘birth’ day!  She was born 3-weeks early.  Dean was gone out-of-town on the night that I went into labor.  Not wanting to have this baby alone, I called him and told him to get back quick!  My brother was staying with me for this very reason, but I still didn’t want to go to the hospital without Dean.  So, I delayed going… and my labor had actually slowed by the time Dean arrived the next morning.  We decided to walk around the block to jump start the labor… bad idea!  Halfway around the block I could barely walk.  We quickly drove to the hospital and Sarah was born within 45-minutes.  The doctor didn’t make it to the delivery and the nurses were not happy with me!

It had been 4-years since the birth of Sarah’s older sister.  Time to visit Sears for pictures again :-)

THREE MONTHS (with family)

SIX MONTHS

NINE MONTHS

TWELVE MONTHS

TWO YEARS (with Amelia)

TWO & HALF YEARS (with sisters)