The Osmond Wives

My Aunt Jennilyn set up an announcement luncheon at the Wight House in Ogden right after Wayne and I got engaged. I've mentioned my mother's sister that was only 3 years older than I was before in the blog. Whenever Lynnie leaves a comment on the blog I have warm thoughts of my aunt, because her nickname was Lynnie.

Everyone from both families were at the announcement luncheon except Mother Osmond who was in California with Jimmy. I think this is the first time that I met Chris and Lyn. It was fun to get to know my future sister-in-laws, Mary and Suzanne more too. All the women in the Osmond family were really friendly and nice and it was a beautiful, fun luncheon.

My future sister-in-laws, Debbie, Michelle, Kandilyn and Carolyn are also really wonderful. I took an elementary education music class from Dr. Avery Glenn at BYU. It was my favorite class because Dr. Glenn made the class so fun and he could really play the piano! We'd pound on a drum or hit sticks together while he would play ragtime. His daughter, Pam, was in the same class with me. We became good friends and after Wayne and I got married I saw Pam at the mall in Orem. She suggested that I line up her little sister, Debbie, with Donny. She told me that Debbie had posters of Donny plastered all over her bedroom walls when she was younger. Pam is a beautiful person inside and out but I hadn't ever met or seen Debbie so I was hesitant in introducing them until I had at least met her.

That didn't matter because Donny found Debbie without my help. I'm sure you have all heard their story so I won't go into it in detail. I remember sitting in their recording studio in the basement at Riviera apartments one day and Donny asking me if it would be really bad it he asked Debbie out since he met her when she was Jay's date when they went on a double date together. I remember suggesting that he ask Jay to see if he minded. I'm sure you have all heard the rest.

Debbie is just as beautiful and sweet as her sister Pam. I was really excited when she joined the family. I felt a special bond with her because I loved the other members of her family so much. I don't remember the exact time or place we finally got acquainted but I remember her going to Hawaii with us to announce their engagement.

I also don't remember the exact time and place that I met Kandilyn. Jay wasn't in show business at the time so it probably wasn't until after they were engaged. Kandilyn thought she was marrying someone that would continue to work in the administration office at Brigham Young University and I'm sure this whole show business thing wasn't what she had agreed to in the beginning. I hope Jay tells us more in his new book coming out soon.

Michelle Larson and her family lived in our home ward in Provo. Her mother, Renae, became my visiting teacher right after they moved into our ward. Renae is such a sweet, thoughtful person. I remember being asked to give the closing prayer in Relief Society one week and was struggling with at least one baby. Renae immediately saw my need and jumped up immediately to hold the fussy baby so I could say the closing prayer. That was my first experience with Michelle's mother. Her father was called to be in the bishopric so I remember darling Michelle and her brothers growing up in our neighborhood.

Wayne and I asked Michelle if she would babysit our children on occasion. We thought that she was the perfect match for Jimmy immediately but didn't suggest that they become acquainted at that time because Michelle was still pretty young. Later Wayne and I tried to line them up but Michelle couldn't seem to ever go and remember being a little disappointed that they hadn't gone out on a date before she left for her mission to South America. I didn't know at the time, but Alan & Suzanne and others had also tried to line Michelle up with Jimmy for a date but to no avail. Interestingly enough, I remember Jimmy sitting in the congregation when she gave a talk in church before she left, so he must have been interested.

You probably all know the details of their dating, engagement and marriage already too.  Carolyn is the perfect match for Tom. I remember going to Ephraim where I met her whole family before they were married. They were all so down to earth. Tom is a blessed man to have Carolyn in his life. She is so calm and understanding, such a sweetheart.

Have I forgotten any one? The first time I met Merrill was probably at Merrill and Mary's reception. Merrill and Mary always seemed to have so much fun together all the time. Merrill also has a special charismatic quality like Donny and people gravitate to him. My boys would go down to Fairview and hang out with Mary and Merrill's family and without doubt come home asking why I couldn't be as fun as Aunt Mary?

Once in awhile I'll tease Mary about being the mean drill sergeant when I was going through initiation for this social/service club at BYU. She must think that I'm serious when I tease her because she tells me that she wasn't any meaner than the girl that was the drill sergeant the year she was initiated.  For a week we had to do whatever the former members of the club wanted us to do. Mary was in charge of the very early morning exercises. I remember sitting on one of the tall polls in the parking lot in front of the BYU stadium when it was still dark outside. There was something we had to do with eggs but I can't remember much now. I was probably half asleep going through the drills. That part of the initiation wasn't that bad. The hardest part was that we had to do something for every member of the club during that week. I remember baking cakes, washing windows, etc. It was hard focusing on school that week and I remember thinking it wasn't worth it and almost quitting toward the end of the week.

I know I have used the gushing words friendly, sweet, kind, warm, etc. over and over when describing my first encounters with the members of the Osmond family but that was my first impression. I know that most of you feel the same way about them or they wouldn't have so many friends that adore and love them all over the world.