Miss Becky's Blog

A Special Anniversary Celebration

The following letter was written by Smiley and Becky on September 11, 2001

Dear Students and Friends,

Today, September 11 is a special day for Smiley and Becky... it is our 37th (sun-shrr-chee!!) wedding anniversary!!!!!!!!!! We were married on September 11, 1964 -- 37 years ago.

This picture was taken that day at the wedding celebration. The wedding ceremony had taken place in the Salt Lake Temple earlier that day.


Here is a picture of Becky on her wedding -- she had made or sewed her wedding dress and she looked beautiful.

In our culture weddings are very important -- it's the start of a new family and we celebrate that day each year -- it's called a wedding anniversary. It's a good way to express and celebrate our love and remember that special wedding day. We don't know if you do that in China, but we want to tell you how we celebrated this wonderful event in our lives.

(By now you know about the terrible terrorist attack on the World Trade Buildings in New York City which occurred this morning at 6:40 am our time, 8:40 pm your time... it made us very sad for all the people who died and their families... so, our anniversary celebration wasn't as happy as we'd like. Many of you know that our son, Brady, is a missionary in New York City... he is ok... his apartment is about 8 kms north of the attack. He called this morning to tell us he was ok... he said he and his companions went to the roof of their building and they could see the smoke from the attack.)

Our anniversary... Over the years we've done some unusual things to celebrate the anniversary... gone to musicals, gone to a mountain town for the weekend, gone to Hawaii on our 20th anniversary... and sometimes just do more simple things... This one was a very simple celebration but a very unique and wonderful experience. Yes, this was Becky's idea and it was really special!! She prepared different types of food that we have enjoyed over the years... the best being a Mexican dip which we used to eat a lot... now we don't because it's fattening... then she cooked a Chinese dish (we don't know the Chinese name!!!) which has chopped up chicken meat, peppers and nuts to be eaten with rice. It was really gooooooooood!! THEN, she had prepared MY FAVORITE dessert... it's called Cherry Delight but is a lot like a cheese cake... I can eat the whole thing without stopping... but I didn't... but, I know I'll add some kgs to my weight from all this... we just "pigged out" and enjoyed it!! Now we must trim back to control our weight!!

Becky started the evening by putting on her original wedding dress... again she was beautiful in it... it was very special to her to be able to wear it after all these years... because she had controlled her weight she was able to wear it, and it fit just like 37 years ago!!



(Ken took this picture of my that night wearing my wedding dress and holding the roses he had given me. This is in the front room of our home where that special celebration took place.)

When Becky served another food dish she would change into another dress from some special occasion in our life... it was great!! When she served the Chinese dish she put on one of her Chinese dresses!! We ate by candle light... I got her two big red roses... Some men think you have to buy a dozen (12) roses... I think the number isn't important... it's the meaning... to me, two roses means two lovers together (am I right?)!! (And, roses are very expensive in America... if we were in Jinan I would have bought 37 red roses!!)

Last year we were in Jinan on our 36th anniversary... We remember we went out to find a Pizza restaurant... finally ended up on the top floor of the Simpson Hotel where the chef (a guy from Long Island, NY) made us a pizza... we became friends with him and associated with him for several months. Becky can remember so many things (why is it women can remember so many details and men don't?!!) about our years together... I can only remember the scores of ballgames!!! I really enjoy hearing about the things we did and the places we went... one was a football trip to New York City where our Utah State University played the U.S. Military Academy (Army)... we stayed in NYC and went to a Broadway play and went out to eat at a famous restaurant called "Mama Leonne's." We both agree that it is still the best restaurant dinner we've ever had... we "pigged out" there also!!

For background music she had a CD with the songs, "You Light Up My Life," and "The Rose." It was really beautiful. Some of you have the words to the song, "The Rose." We sang it with you in some classes. It is so beautiful. The words to both songs are as follows:

YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE

So many nights I'd sit by my window
Waiting for someone to sing me his song
So many dreams, I kept deep inside me
Alone in the dark, but now you've come along.

And you light up my life
You give me hope, to carry on
You light up my days
And fill my nights with song

Rollin' at sea, adrift on the waters
Could it be finally, I'm turning for home.
Finally a chance to say, "Hey, I love you"
Never again to be all alone.

And you light up my life
You give me hope, to carry on
It's can't be wrong, when it feels so right
'Cause you, you light up my life.

THE ROSE

Some say love it is a river, that drowns the tender reed.
Some say love it is a razor that leaves your soul to bleed.
Some say love it is a hunger, an endless aching need.
I say love it is a flower, and you it's only seed.

It's the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance,
It's the dream afraid of waking that never takes the chance,
It's the one who won't be taken, who cannot seem to give,
And the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live.

When the night has been too lonely and the road has been too long,
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong,
Just remember in the winter, far beneath the bitter snows,
Lies the seed that with the sun's love in the spring becomes the rose.


Now from Becky . . .

It was a very special, romantic evening and I'm so glad we did it last night. I surprised Ken and prepared things while he was at a meeting on Monday and told him when he returned that since it was September 11th in China by that time, we could start our celebration!

Along with the roses, Ken gave me a beautiful card that has some very special words that I want to share with you. It reads:

FOR MY WIFE,
Thanks for the Wonderful Memories . . .

"A marriage isn't magic that 'just happens'
It's something built with time and love and care.
It's made of laughter, tears, and understanding.
Of loyalty and simply 'being there.'
A marriage is a bond between two people
That's stronger than the sum of all its parts,
A beautiful, rich tapestry of living
That's woven of the love between two hearts."

Thanks for the wonderful memories that add so much joy to this day...
Memories of all the kindness you've shown in your warm, loving way.
Memories of help that you've offered and dreams you've been happy to share,
Memories of how you've stood by me and shown me how deeply you care,
Thanks for the beautiful moments that passing time only endears...
Thanks for the wonderful memories, thanks for the wonderful years.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

I loved it -- the words were very meaningful to me and the card had roses on it -- roses are the flower of LOVE and I've always LOVED roses!!! There is nothing that brings more JOY and HAPPINESS than TO LOVE AND BE LOVED. It is our hope and desire that each of you will find a special person that you can love and build a successful, happy marriage with -- a relationship that can be deep, meaningful and fulfilling for both partners. For those of you who are already married, keep the magic of love alive by understanding "the Seasons of LOVE" and how to nurture love's special needs. I'm soooooooooo thankful for our marriage and the special things that we have shared over these 37 years. It has not always been easy, relationships have to be cared for just as a garden: watered regularly, new seeds planted and weeds remove and even after all these years, we have to continue working in the garden! But it's all worth it -- because Ken really does "Light Up My Life."

Love and Hugs to all,

Smiley & Becky