Happy 4 Months!

Little Ryan turned 4 months! We are so blessed to have this little boy in our life. For starters, Ryan is the most good natured, sweet little boy. He sleeps through the night most nights. Every now and then he'll wake up around 4:30 or 5:00 because he is hungry, but I don't mind because I'm still getting a good 4-6 hour stretch of sleep. Laurel was waking up every 2-3 hours for the first 18 months of her life. It's a good thing she was my first because I don't think I would have made it if I had had other children at the time. Andrew was a little better in the sleep department, but not much.

Compared to our other two, Ryan is off the charts as far size goes. He weighs 16 lbs 13 oz (90%tile) and measures 26.75 inches (97%tile). Just for perspective, Andrew weighed 14 lbs 1 oz and measured 24 3/4 inches at 4 months. Laurel was 13 lbs 1 ounce and measured 24 3/4 ounces. No wonder I don't feel like I have a newborn anymore!

When he's not asleep, he's often smiling or laughing, babbling, and taking in everything that his brother and sister are doing. He loves to stare at ceiling fans and especially loves listening to mommy play the piano, which she doesn't get to do enough of now that she has three kids keeping her busy. Most of all, Ryan loves to be held and loved every chance he gets. We love having a cuddly, happy baby. Thanks for bringing so much love and joy into our family!

Happy 100th birthday, Great Grandma Christensen!

Today we decided to celebrate Great Grandma Christensen's birthday by going to the park and blowing bubbles. Laurel and her dad will be traveling to Salt Lake City for the big birthday party (to be held at a later date), but Andrew and I will stay in Texas. I'm afraid to fly with pre-term labor concerns, so the two of us will be celebrating by ourselves.
Andrew has really blossomed into a fun, energetic 2 1/2 year old. He loves his sister so much and enjoys playing with her every chance he gets. I cannot believe how much he has grown the past 6 months!
Here is my little girl. This has also been a tremendous year of growth for her as she's started school and gained some independence. I'm so grateful for all she does to help me out at home. She is a good friend to both her brother and myself.

As for this blog, I'm not sure how much longer I'll be doing it. I'm sure nobody is even reading it anyway, especially with how sporadic posts are. I'm also trying to adjust to my new iMac computer, which I love, but still have so much to learn. For some reason I can't delete the first picture, so I apologize for the double. I'm really looking forward to learning everything I can do with my photos - so exciting!

Wedding bells for David and Logann . . .

Dale's little brother, David, married Logann Roner on August 10, 2009. I thought it would be fun to share a few fun pictures. First of all, Laurel was a flower girl for her Uncle David's wedding and truly enjoyed the experience as evidenced above. Laurel was the most deliberate and careful flower girl that any of us had ever seen. Rather than grab handfuls of petals to throw, she picked one up at a time and dropped each petal with preciseness and delicate care. It was so cute!

Andrew's job at the wedding was just to be as cute as he could be, and I think he achieved that quite well. What do you think? I'm sorry, but there is nothing much cuter than a little man in a little man suit! If he stays as cute as he is now, watch out ladies . . .

Here is the beautiful couple. We wish them all of the happiness in the world. Thanks for letting this Christensen family be a part of such a beautiful evening.

Relationships

Relationships have always been an integral part of my life. When I get down, feel frustrated, or just need a little lift, I think about the people who have meant the most to me in my life.

Several weeks ago I had the wonderful opportunity to browse through my old missionary scrapbooks in search of the perfect pictures to share at my mission reunion which was held on October 1st. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend President and Sister Stewart's reunion, but I felt like I was there in spirit. As I looked for the perfect pictures, I was overwhelmed with the number of pictures I wanted to share. Unfortunately, I was limited to 3. I thought it would be fun to share just a few that I was able to scan.

First off, this wonderful person to the left is my Sister Casperson. I can't write or speak about Sister Casperson without shedding tears. She passed away 3 years ago this month from Ewings sarcoma cancer. Sister Casperson and I served in Saarbruecken, Germany back in the fall of 1997. Sister Casperson was such a joy to serve with. Nothing could get her down and her optimism rubbed off on me during those difficult months. After a day of slammed doors, "nein, keine Interesse," insults, etc, we would come home and decompress. This picture above is only one example of many when she tried to make us all laugh after a hard day. In this particular picture, Sister Casperson is dressed up as a potential investigator we might find as we street contacted. I remember role playing with her that night and trying to practice not only our German, but the various ways we could approach people. She sure knew how to make lemonade out of lemons. How could anyone tell her no? I know that Heavenly Father placed her in my life for many, many reasons, one of which was to witness firsthand what it is like to have no guile and to be full of charity and love for others. Have you ever just come across people in your life who are just so, so good? I have, and Sister Casperson is one of those special people in my life.


Here is another trip down memory lane. This particular picture is from a rehearsal we held prior to a musical fireside we held in Offenbach, Germany. I was fortunate to participate in the traveling group of missionaries that toured the mission, teaching the gospel to members and non-members at these special musical firesides. It was an awesome experience and it reconfirmed to me the power of music. It was a wonderful tool for sharing the gospel with many people in the Frankfurt region.

Here is another special group of people that I loved. Here is my Saarbruecken district back in October of 1997. I'm in the front row along with Sister Casperson. Sister Baxter is the third member of our "Dritt" or threesome. We served with some great Elders as well. I'd like to point out that the blonde Elder next to Sister Baxter was our district leader. Elder Bellmann was a wonderful missionary and friend. About three years ago, this great Elder passed away in a motorcycle accident back in Germany. I'm still shocked that two of my friends from this time of my life are no longer alive, but I'm so thankful for the positive memories I have to remember them.

Finally, here are just a handful of the awesome sister missionaries from the Frankfurt Germany mission. So grateful for this time in my life. I loved these women and felt it a great privilege to serve and work with them. Good times!

One of my greatest hopes is that my children will fill their lives with positive role models that will surround them and buoy them up when needed. Good friends are a blessing and can help keep us on the correct path through life. As I contemplate my life, I recognize that there are so many people, like those above, who have been so good to me. I'm thankful and grateful for those who have helped me along through my life. Furthermore, I sincerely hope that my children will also lift up others along the way, just as Sister Casperson lifted me up when I needed it most.

Fun picture from the past . . .

I have been absent from this blog for a long, long time. I'm sure nobody is even reading this thing anymore, but just in case, here is a fun picture I'd like to share. This is a picture of my parents back in the 1960's boarding a plane. My mom was pregnant with one of my brothers. I love the glasses and the outfits. Another thing I noticed was the rust on the bottom of the plane. I am not sure I would have boarded that plane!

As for an update on the Christensens, we are busy with life and everything that goes with it. If I get around to posting pictures, I'll do so. In the meantime, here is a quick update on the past few months:

* enjoyed our fun trip to California where I celebrated my 33rd at Lake Tahoe - not a bad place to be on your birthday!
* Dale's little brother got married and we enjoyed getting to see family, even if it was just for a short time.
* Laurel started kindergarten.
*Andrew turned 2 and now we get the privilege of purchasing him an airline ticket next time we fly :-) He also got ear tubes and has started to speak a lot more.
* Dale turned 33 in September. He continues to be busy at work and enjoys working with the people he works with.
* fun trip to San Antonio with the Nuttalls - just like old times!
* we are currently getting over what our doctor thinks is the swine flu. Who knows for sure. Whatever it is, it has been rough. Can't wait until my kids are back to normal.

That's all for now.

Chicago Trip

We moved to Chicago in 2001 after we both graduated from BYU. For two years, we experienced the ups and the downs of living in one of the greatest cities in the US. I appreciate our time in Chicago now much more than I did back then. We have many fond memories of our time there, particularly the time spent with my oldest brother, David, and his family. This home below is David and Brigitte's home in Oak Park (1117 Euclid Avenue). We have many memories of fun and family time in this home. I remember on many occasions enjoying Thai takeout at David and Brigitte's when Mark (my other brother) would be in town on business. I remember with fondness carving pumpkins each Halloween with our two adorable nieces. I also remember watching with fear and horror the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. One of the eeriest sounds I've ever heard was that of silence over the Chicago skies. Oak Park is very close to Ohare Airport, so it was very normal to hear the sounds of airplanes overhead. Holidays, such Thanksgiving and Easter were celebrated in this home. We also enjoyed watching our young nieces whenever we had the chance. Homemade ice cream, BBQ's, and of course, beautiful music played from the piano. Returning to Oak Park and this house reminded me that a home is made by the people and activities that go on within in the home. The house is simply the shell that makes these wonderful moments and memories possible. We are truly grateful for the memories made in David and Brigitte's home.

We enjoyed revisiting the city of Chicago. Here I am with my mom right next to the Wrigley Building (off of Michigan Avenue). I remember standing not too far from here on St. Patrick's Day 2003 when they dyed the river green. That was a fun memory for us. I also remember getting pick-pocketed across the bridge from this location back in 2001, a couple of days after arriving in Chicago. That was not such a happy memory.

Here we are down by the Water Tower off of Michigan Avenue. I used to walk by this every day on my way to work. I really enjoyed my lunch hours when I worked off of Michigan Avenue. I used to eat quickly and then walk up and down Michigan Avenue for exercise and enjoyment.

After my convocation on Saturday, we drove to Mundelein to visit my childhood friend, Missy, and her family. Missy and Paul moved to Chicago shortly after we did in 2001. It was a fun time reconnecting with them. I wish I had a digital copy of our first picture together - we were kindergartners waiting in line to start our first day of school. Missy and her twin, Heather, were in the background of the picture. Little did I know that we would be friends for a long time! Canyon View Elementary, Butler Middle School, Brighton High School, Seminary Council 1993-1994, BYU, and Chicago - who knew?

No trip to Chicago would be quite complete without at least 3 stops by Johnnie's for an Italian lemonade. They are the smoothest, most refreshing lemon ices you will ever taste. My favorite part of these treats would be the chunks of frozen lemon rinds mixed throughout. I know that probably sounds gross, but they taste candied. When it's 100+ degrees outside with horrific humidity, these treats are the only things that can quench my thirst. And, in case you're wondering, you don't swallow the lemon rinds. My mom and dad loved these lemon ices. When we lived in Chicago, we spent many hot summer days enjoying these treats with David and his family.

Last, but certainly not least, this is the wonderful Jackson Blvd apartment we lived in for 2 blessed years (do you sense some sarcasm?). We lived on the 2nd floor, right side. Our neighbors above were so loud for those 2 years. The only way I survived was ear plugs and brooms to bang on the ceiling. They celebrated their wedding for one full month every single night - music, dancing, etc. It was their national custom to do so, which is fine, just not for the people living below. One night (about one year after their wedding) I had to call the police because the ceiling was bouncing and glass was breaking. I found out later that the husband was beating up his wife - so very sad. We also slept with cardboard in our windows because the city lights were so bright. We'll never forget this place as long as we live!

Other highlights from our trip:

• Museum of Science and Industry (I still love going to this museum - it never gets old).
• Portillos, Edwardos Pizza, Long Grove Apple Haus, and Amarind Thai in Oak Park.
• Lake Michigan
• Beautiful Evanston
• Lots of time in the car driving (I was the official driver and was surprised at how much I remembered).
• Westchester First Ward - it was so fun visiting with our friends (Hatch's, Barnes', Holgreen's, Sister Fecske, Blakely's, and many others).

Next post: Lake Tahoe, my 33r'd birthday, Fresno, and Santa Barbara.

Graduation

I/We did it!
Here is a picture of the dean of my program hooding me at the convocation ceremony. I can't believe what you have to do to wear one of those!

My parents flew to Chicago to support me - they have been amazing the past few years as I've worked towards completing this degree. Dad even flew to Dallas for two weeks to help me with the kids while I finished up my thesis. Of course, Dale has also been a great support to me and my endeavors. I'm grateful for all of the love and support. These two pictures (above and below) were taken on the beautiful campus of Northwestern. I spent many hours sitting next to Lake Michigan, finishing a book or completing homework assignments.

After years of hard work and sacrifice, I finally finished something I never thought I could. Last week we traveled to Chicago where I graduated with my masters degree from Northwestern University. I'm so glad that I had that opportunity to attend graduation and bring to a closure a very exciting and stressful period of my life. During the course of my studies, I brought two children into the world, lost four babies, moved three times to three different states, and supported Dale through his MBA program at Wharton. Looking back, I recognize the love and support I received from family and friends that helped make this possible. I never could have flown to Chicago to attend classes without the help of my parents and Dale's parents who watched Laurel. I never could have survived my philosophy class or my American literature class without Dale, my sounding board and idea generator. I was very surprised when the dean of my program spoke about me at the ceremony and the difficult circumstances I've had to overcome to finish my degree. It reiterated to me something that I've always known - we must never, ever give up. One of the best things we can teach our children in this day and age is to finish what you start and to do the best you can. Reach for the stars. Don't be afraid to fail - there usually is someone there to grab your hand and pull you back up. For me, my family (parents, husband, children) performed that role beautifully and without complaint. Thanks to my mother-in-law, who made it possible for us to leave our children behind in Dallas. It made for a much easier trip. Now on to the next adventure and challenge! Stay tuned for more pictures from our trip to Chicago - we had such a wonderful time.