WE DID IT! FIFTY YEARS AND COUNTING!

 The day I've been waiting for for so long has finally arrived. Alan and I have reached a big milestone in our relationship. Today, we have been married for FIFTY years. 

The time has really flown by. It doesn't seem like it could possibly have been fifty years, but yet it has. Some say that marriage is difficult. I wouldn't say that, at least not for me. Marriage has its ups and downs, but being married to Alan has not been difficult. We have always loved and respected each other for who we are and have allowed each other to grow in their own way. Thankfully, we are on the same page with important things like religion, politics, and goals for our family. That really makes it easy to get along with each other. Another important factor in our marriage is that we have invited Christ to be a part of it. Through prayer, making covenants, and keeping our commitments to each other, our marriage has thrived.

Fifty years ago, I knelt across an altar in the Provo LDS temple and said "yes" to being sealed to Alan Leo Stott for time and all eternity. I didn't take that promise lightly. I knew what I was doing and I was happy to become his wife. Our whole marriage has been based on that commitment to each other. Because we were sealed together as a couple, all of our children are sealed to us as well. Being an eternal family brings me much joy.

As a gift to Alan, I asked AI to create a song about us celebrating 50 years together. It is our love story. Here are the lyrics of that song.

Fifty Years of Forever

Verse 1

It started with a heartbeat on a bright Salt Lake Night,

At a Cottonwood Mall dance where the stars felt just right.

Alan saw Joan and the whole world slowed,

Two strangers stepping gently where a love story grows.

Pre-Chorus

Hand in hand through every twist, every turn,

Two young hearts with so much to learn –

But heaven was smiling, setting the scene,

For a life bult together on hopes and dreams. 

Chorus

Fifty years of forever, fifty years side-by-side,

Through the storms and the sunshine, every low every high.

From Provo’s holy temple to the roads they now roam,

Love carried them farther than they ever could’ve known.

Alan and Joan—Oh, their hearts have always known,

They were meant for forever – fifty years and still strong.

Verse 2

On a rooftop in San Francisco with the city shining bright,

Alan asked the question that changed both of their lives.

December twenty-seventh, nineteen seventy-five,

In the Provo Temple they promised eternal life. 

Pre-Chorus

From the Navy in the desert to the Lancaster plains,

Through late nights, small moments, joy, and growing pains,

They built a family, their greatest success –

Ryan, Eric, Jared, Cheryl, Kyle – forever blessed.

Chorus

Fifty years of forever, fifty years side-by-side,

Through the storms and the sunshine, every low every high.

From Provo’s holy temple to the roads they now roam,

Love carried them farther than they ever could’ve known.

Alan and Joan—Oh, their hearts have always known,

They were meant for forever – fifty years and still strong.

Bridge

Nine grandkids laughing, with one more on the way,

A legacy of love growing day by day.

Retirement’s been sweet – no more teeth to repair,

Just road trips together, breathing freedom’s clean air.

Every mile, every moment, they treasure it all,

Grateful for forever, grateful God heard their call. 

Final Chorus

Fifty years of forever, fifty years side-by-side,

Their love never faltered – it just grew over time.

Hand in hand through eternity, sealed in heaven’s light,

A family forever, bound in love’s sacred right.

Alan and Joan – still a love going strong.

Fifty years down the road…and forever beyond.

 Outro

Here’s to the memories, the journey they’ve known –

Here’s to forever, to Alan and Joan.

I am forever grateful that I met and married Alan fifty years ago. Best decision I ever made! Together, we make one complete whole. God has truly blessed us with a good life together. He knew we were a good match, and I trust His judgment, and always will. Life is good!

Roses that Alan gave me. So pretty!

Christmas 2025

 While kids were going wild with excitement in homes all over the world on Christmas morning, Alan and I relaxed and had a pretty laid back morning without a worry in the world. It didn't take long for us to open the two gifts we received from each other.

We always put up our small, already decorated tree in our sitting room. This is where we opened up our gifts to each other.

The excitement for us began later in the day when our local family members gathered for a Christmas meal. We always love getting together with family for holiday celebrations.

Before we ate, we opened a gift from our children. They gave us a gift card to Hale Theater. We LOVE seeing the productions at Hale Theater. They do an excellent job. We already have tickets to see "Frozen" next month to help Wesley celebrate her 4th birthday.

Here are two pictures of our dinner together.

Cheryl drew the short straw and got to sit at the island with Wesley and Kessler.

 

Unfortunately, we were missing both Parker and Lainey because they were ill and couldn't come.

Our meal consisted of roast beef, mashed potatoes, rolls, corn, and fruit salad. We also had our traditional Sparkling Cider provided by Ryan. Eric & Nicole brought the rolls and potatoes. Cheryl made a couple of delicious desserts - some truffles (pictured below) and a cookie dough pie. Both were delicious.

We were able to FaceTime with Kyle. He didn't have Milo and Clara with him because they were on their way to Coeur d'Alene with Emily to spend the holiday with the Crandall's. This is a picture Kyle sent from their Christmas Eve meal at his place.

Jared and Catherine celebrated Christmas in Colombia with Catherine's family. This was Benjamin's very first Christmas. Thankfully, Jared was feeling well by Christmas day. He contracted Dengue fever once he arrived in Colombia and was extremely sick for about two weeks. He was in the ER a time or two and was admitted into the hospital once. We are all thrilled that he is well now and able to enjoy his vacation time down there.

Eric's family always takes a Christmas picture every year wearing their yearly pajama gift. This year's picture turned out great...like always.

Eric's family brought over some "Christmas Crackers" that turned out to be a fun side activity. Christmas crackers are festive table decorations that make a snapping sound when pulled open, and typically contain a small gift, paper hat and a joke. They are part of Christmas celebrations in the United Kingdom, Canada, and some other countries.

Kessler and Wesley really enjoyed pulling them apart to see who would win the prize inside. The person who ends up with the larger portion wins.

It was fun getting together with everyone. Christmas about celebrating family as well as celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. I love our family and love every moment we can spend together.

Prince of Peace

 Tomorrow is Christmas - a magical time of year. I love this time of year and what it represents. However, Christmas has become too commercialized and there seems to be more thoughts in the hearts of mankind about Santa and the gifts he will "bring" on Christmas than a focus on the real reason for Christmas - the birth of the Christ child. Instead of what Santa will bring, I'd like to reflect on what Christ "brought" into the world when he entered as a newborn babe and then grew into the Savior of the world. 

The number one thing that I think of that Christ "brought" into the world is light. It all began with a new star in the heavens announcing to the shepherds the birth of Christ. 

Christ is literally the light of the world. Without Him, the world would be shrouded in darkness just as it was when He was crucified and there was darkness for three days here on the American Continent. The light of the world (Christ) had gone out and the light didn't return until Christ was resurrected on the third day. When we have "dark" days in our lives, through seeking Christ and inviting Him into our lives, His light will help our dark days turn bright. Just knowing that God can lighten our burdens is a huge incentive to having a relationship with Him. I pray that people all over the world can have the opportunity to find Him, know Him, and accept Him so their lives can be illuminated with the light of Christ.

Another thing that Christ "brought" into the world is peace. He is called "The Prince of Peace" in the Book of Isaiah in the Bible. 

Peace can be described in many different ways - i.e. peace in the world where there is no turmoil or strife; peace in the human heart where walls of hostility are broken down and healed; peace of mind where you know that everything will turn out ok and that God is watching over you and knows your every need. I love all of these different types of peace, but peace of mind holds the most meaning to me because my Patriarchal Blessing tells me that I will have "peace of mind and the blessings that accompany it". I have truly seen that part of my Patriarchal Blessing be fulfilled. I have always had peace of mind about things. I don't worry too much about things because I know that God will keep his promises and that everything will turn out well in the end.

We were recently asked in Relief Society what our favorite name for Christ is, for He has many. Besides "Prince of Peace", one of my favorite names for Him is "Advocate". I love that name because one day He will be my advocate with the Father. He is the person who will plead with the Father for leniency for all the mistakes I have made in my life. Through Christ's atonement, we can receive forgiveness. Only Christ has lived a perfect life, so we all need Him to be an advocate for us - to vouch for us as being worthy of living in our Father's presence. Christ is my biggest cheerleader. I want Him on my side. Don't you?

One last thing I will mention that Christ "brought" into the world is hope. 

Each of us living in this world has many, many trials that either make us or break us. This life is a test to see how well we can handle adversity and to see if we can maintain hope of better things to come. From what I understand about the afterlife, there is perfect peace and joy. That's what I hope for and long for. It is much more difficult to find peace and joy here on the Earth than it will be in heaven. My hope centers in Christ and His promise of a better life if we follow Him. I testify that He is my Savior and Redeemer. 

In reference to Christ, the last paragraph of "The Living Christ" says "He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the the matchless gift of His divine son." I wholeheartedly pledge my love and allegiance to Jesus Christ who paved the way for me to return to my Father. My hope is, and always will be, in Christ! No worldly gift that Santa Clause can deliver on Christmas can even remotely compare with the gifts Christ gave to the world at His birth and still continues to bestow upon the children of God on a daily basis.

Eve of Golden Anniversary

 Our Golden Wedding anniversary is just ten days away. For some reason, I have waited for, and even longed to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. I remember celebrating Alan's parents 50th wedding anniversary with a meal at the Beehive House restaurant in Salt Lake City. My mom longed to celebrate her 50th anniversary, but she passed away about 13 months before that day, so she never got to celebrate it. Not every reaches that amazing milestone, but for some reason, God has blessed our marriage to be able to withstand the test of time. 

As our big anniversary approaches, I remembered that I wrote about my wedding day a few years after our marriage for some special event at church. I had previously written about my wedding day in my personal journal, but this was different. This is what I wrote:

For Time and All Eternity

It was two days after Christmas, but for me the excitement was just beginning. The day began after a semi-sleepless night in anticipation of the wonderful things that were to happen. After all, this was no ordinary day - it was my wedding day. 

I remember as I arose that morning feeling exceptionally happy as I rushed around getting things in order before making the trip from Salt Lake City to Provo. This day was the day I had waited for since childhood. Since my parents had what I thought was an ideal temple marriage, I could think of nothing I wanted more than to follow the good example they had set for their children. Today was a dream come true.

I know it is not proper for the groom to see the bride prior to the wedding, but we broke that tradition by making the drive to the Provo Temple together. I don't remember what we talked about during that hour drive, but my thoughts centered on the eternal nature of the upcoming ceremony. I didn't particularly feel nervous because I knew that I was doing the right thing. Besides, I would be among friends and relatives who had previously been through the same experience that I would be having.

Finally, in the distance I viewed the majestic white temple of God. What a beautiful place to be married. While walking hand in hand towards the temple, I felt the sacredness of the ground beneath us. The peaceful, calm day aided to the serenity and holiness of the experience.

Knowing the holiness of the temple, I internally questioned my worthiness to enter as most of those entering probably do. Once inside, I was directed towards the bride's dressing room. There I dressed appropriately for the ceremony.

Everything and everyone in the temple was lovely. The ordinance workers, all dressed in white, truly looked and acted like angels sent from Heaven. Having my Mom by my side and those angels guiding me every step of the way, there were no worries about getting lost or feeling unsure or insecure.

Now I found myself in a special room where I was reunited with Alan. In here, we waited to enter the sealing room. I remember holding Alan's hand in anxious anticipation, wanting the time to pass more quickly. My thoughts rushed back to all the fun times, the serious discussions, and the spiritual experiences we had shared together over the past ten months as we dated and got to know each other better. There were no doubts in my mind that this was where I should be and this man sitting next to me was the man I should marry.

No organ music accompanied me, nor did I walk down any aisle. Instead, I walked with God through His corridors and a song of gladness filled my whole being. I carried no bouquet of flowers, but I didn't have to. I carried something more precious - the promise of God. I didn't even have any bridesmaids by my side and my father didn't give me away. No, I had the angels at my side and I wasn't given away, but I was received by my Heavenly Father - a prospect for His kingdom.

Having a close family friend perform the ceremony was an added blessing. His words were music to my ears. The advice he gave was simple, yet very meaningful and essential for eternal salvation. As I knelt across the altar holding Alan's hand and peered into the mirror repeatedly reflecting our images, I felt so happy and blessed to have a marriage that wasn't just for time, but was for eternity. This was how God intended marriage to be. This was God's law being fulfilled.

That day was truly one of the best days of my life. As I look back over the past 50 years, I'm so grateful that God sent Alan into my life. He has been such a huge blessing to me. I don't know how I could have gone through life without him. We have been blessed with five wonderful, strong children who make me be proud to be their mother. We also have nine (almost ten) terrific grandchildren. They are so talented and precious. I feel truly blessed to have the family I have.

God is good and Life is good.

Provo Utah Temple

Thanksgiving Weekend

 I feel like we had a great Thanksgiving this year. At least nobody was sick. We were missing Kyle's family and Jared's family, but all of our local family members were able to attend. We had 14 people here, which includes Alan's brother Galen. We set two tables in order to accommodate everyone.

If I could do the day over, I would have taken pictures of everyone in attendance. I guess with things being so hectic, I forgot to do so. Eric sent me this picture that he took, but it only captures a few of our attendees. Eric, Parker, and Lainey are missing from this picture.

Kessler, Wesley, Alan, Galen, and I were at the smaller table in the family room.

Everyone pitched in to help with the meal. I made the turkey, ham, stuffing, and desserts. Eric & Nicole made the mashed potatoes and rolls, Cheryl provided the fruit salad and vegetable, and Ryan brought the Sparkling Cider. It's really nice when everyone helps out like that. Everyone seemed happy with the food and there were plenty of left overs for people to take home for later.

Cheryl shared this picture of Kessler with a turkey puppet that I assume he made at school. So cute. Thanksgiving is such a fun time to be with family.

The day after Thanksgiving, my sisters and their spouses plus Cheryl & Parker attended a Gentri Christmas Concert with us at the Eccles Theater in downtown Salt Lake City.

The show was fantastic. It lasted two hours. Cheryl and I saw it last year and wanted to attend again. It was so much fun to attend with the Airds, Bleaks, Fosters, and Stronks. (Fosters aren't pictured here)

We all went out to dinner afterwards for some Mexican food at the "Red Iguana" not too far from the Eccles Theater.

It kind of looked like a "dive" to me when we got there on the inside and the outside, but evidentially it's a very popular place. The food was good - much better than the Mexican food we got while in Arizona.

All of our Thanksgiving/Fall decorations have been taken down and the Christmas decorations have all been put up in preparation for our next big holiday. Yay, more family time on the horizon!