HISTORY

A Little History:
Our story begins in Pocatello, Idaho, circa 1972, when the lovely Debby Christensen agreed to a first, though fateful date with admirer, David Croshaw. Long story-short, he bade her follow him, and they went arm-in-arm to the Logan, Utah temple for establishment of an eternal family unit, Generation 1, on May 23 1973.

From their first blissful summer in Salt Lake City, educational pursuits took them to Provo/Orem, Utah, birthplace of Leslie and Rebecca, and to San Francisco/Oakland California, birthplace of Colin and Matt. Then, for establishment of livelihood, expansion of the tribe with Abby and Dana, and for raising/unifying of Generation 2, it was back to the roots in Pocatello for a rewarding sojourn.

In time, driven by a raging, but commonly shared sense of adventure and independence, one-by-one, Generation 2 escaped the homeland to distant regions of the country and the world, each ultimately developing their own tribal expansions by pairing with worthy mates and initiating Generation 3.

Now sensing fulfillment of their purpose in Pocatello, Generation 1 has also left those roots and transplanted to Cascade Idaho, from which base, they anticipate more abundant contact with The Posterity, Generations 2 and 3, in the future. That contact however, awaits fulfillment of a call to LDS missionary service in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, wherein they hope to help the state of the world by sharing the love of Jesus Christ.

So now, including Generation 0 (Grandma and Grandpa Christensen) home base includes Yuma, Arizona, Pocatello, Idaho, Cascade, Idaho, Vancouver, BC, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Spokane, Washington, Boise, Idaho, Los Angeles, California, back to Boise, Idaho, and on and on (Generation 3+) to infinity.

Our Mission Statement:
This is the blog of our eternal family unit. Initiated years ago, it served well as a journal, but even more so, as an archive of our personal interaction. It was a gathering place, a confabulation instrument, a unifying force for four generations of widely dispersed and progressively prolific posterity, and their valued associates. Though it served these purposes well for many years, it eventually took a back seat to new-kids-on-the-block, Facebook, and Instagram, and was sadly forgotten.

We now move to resurrect this blog with an added functional purpose of archiving the missionary experiences of Generation 1, of their movements and activities as they participate with The Gathering of Israel in the land northward. In so doing, we hope that via their own comments and posts, this blog will again serve to gather and unify the posterity and their friends.

As in the past, that the young and vibrant may know the old and tired, that enduring bonds may be fostered and maintained, that experience and encouragement may be openly shared, that posterity may embrace truth, and that hearts may be knit together, we must resist detachment despite our geographic divergence. We shall do so here.
_____________________________________________________________

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Summer 2009... Got Plans?






My visiting teacher came by today and was telling me how she and her husband and their 9 children have a "family reunion" every year and it sounded like so much fun. I asked her how they decided where to hold it and she said they just take turns and every one hosts for 3 days in a rotation...

It got me to thinking... I am not sure how feasible it is, but no one is expecting this summer (that I am aware of) and Virginia is packed full of things to do, and although VERY HOT and Humid, it is the BEST kind of place for visits... We would be happy (that means me) to plan a long weekend of things to do for everyone if you are interested in coming. As added bonus, our house is tiny and not much room for staying here, but we could take all the kids overnights who are willing to stay giving the parentals some time together.

By then, surely Matt will have a better job and we could do it. What do you all think?

We have really close by, caverns, a olde style european museum, a huge water park, golf (bah), monticello, civil war sites (maybe not everyone's favorite), Charlottesville (which is featured as a town in my Women's Day magazine this month) and further away 2 theme parks with King's Dominion having the added bonus of a huge kids (nickelodean theme) park and water park (this could be one all-day thing) and the beach a little further still.

What does everyone think?

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Happy Birthday Jason--29th, right?







Jason,

It was hard to find a photo of you that didn't have you holding one of your children. Not a surprise, you are such a great, devoted dad. We are so grateful to have you in our family--not even including any of those many holes you have dug. We hope you have a wonderful birthday, and that you guys will really enjoy your weekend in Monterrey. Happy, Happy Birthday!!! We love you. David and Debby

Look What I found!









I borrowed Valerie's camera (hers is better at 180$ from her dad for graduation mine cost $600 4 years ago...) to take pictures of Asher (posted on my blog) and look at what I found!

Sunday, October 19, 2008

The Hearts of the Fathers






From the day Crystal told me I was going to be a father to now has been a roller coaster of emotions. I have gone from feeling overwhelming joy and love to feeling fear and to a host of feelings in between. During this process however, the only emotion I have not felt is regret.

I've known for many years I wanted to be a father and had a pretty good idea of what kind of a father I wanted to be. However, when I found out I was going to be a dad, I was on the verge of loosing my job. It was at this point I was feeling both joy and fear. I was afraid because I didn't know if I could be the kind of father I envisioned I'd be. I was joyful because I felt like our hopes of having a baby would finally be realized. Following that, there was a period of time where I felt despair because of an old problem which had recirculated and I was on the verge of loosing everything. I've never been more scared of anything than I was during that period. It was only by the grace of God that I am I still sitting here in my home with my wife and family today.

After emerging from the despair I felt I had hopes that I'd be able to be the father I'd wanted to be. Since then I've found and kept a job that at times I've felt was penance for my bad actions. I keep hoping that I'll be able to find a new job soon so I'll be able to be home more including night time. As difficult as my job has been, I have to admit my employer was very accommodating during the day Asher was born and the week that followed.

The night before Asher was born I left work frantically because Crystal called to tell me she was on her way to the hospital. As I drove to the hospital part of me was hoping Asher would be born that night. Of course I should have remembered to be careful what I wished for because this time I got it. After he was born I had to experience responsibility right away since Asher needed to be rushed off to the NICU at UVA. For the first time in my life I learned what it was like to love someone the way a person loves a child. I'd always heard people talk about the unconditional love a person feels for a child of their own. As I raced down to UVA to be with Asher and held my baby for the first time I finally understood that kind of love. It was interesting because I also understood a feeling I didn't expect. I finally understood how much it must have bothered my mom and dad when I'd say so many loathing things about myself.

In the weeks since Asher has been born I've never felt so consistently tired in all my life. But I also feel that I've grown significantly as a person. It was today that I've finally dealt with one of the things that concerned me most. Today I gave Asher his blessing. As I've considered the things mentioned I feel that I need to record what I can remember or I'll forget the vital things told to Asher. Asher was told that he would be blessed with intelligence and the ability to use the gifts he had been given to achieve what he desired. He was also told that he would be able to use his intelligence to develop his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was also told that he would be blessed with a knowledge of the love his family has for him and the ability to return that love to his family members. Finally he was told that he would know what a joy he has been and will be to his family.

As the roller coaster continues I feel grateful for both my son and my daughter. I hope I'll be a better provider for my wife and children. I hope that Asher will be grateful I am his father and that Valerie will be grateful I am her step-father.

my last primary talk

Mom had to help me finish it after i told her what i wanted because i was tired and i hurt my neck.

Valerie’s Very Last Primary Talk

D and C 4:2 says “Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.”

I am a child of God and because I am, I want to serve my Heavenly Father and love people around me. I want to be the best that I can be so that I am happy with who I am. The only way to be really happy with ourself and to like ourself is to be as good as we know we should be.

When my baby brother was born a month ago, I realized how perfect we are when we are born. I talked nicely, I acted nicely, and I only wanted my brother to be around good things, good sounds, and good feelings. It was very hard to see my brother given shots, on breathing machines, and we were only able to touch him or hold him with permission. It was very sad, but I wanted to do something, so I read to him with Matt and I sang to him with my mom. I felt the love of Heavenly Father for me and for my brother when we were doing our best to serve him.

around asher were tiny babies who were very sick and I smiled at their moms hoping to give them something to smile at. I also asked questions about the babies because my mom said that they probably don’t get to talk about them to many people. It made me feel good to learn babies names and to talk with their moms. My favorite place when we were not with Asher was the mom’s nursing room. All the moms went back to that room to get milk for babies. It was nice to ask questions and learn about them. It was good to know that even talking to someone is serving them.

I know that every person is a child of God and I am glad to know that. It makes me feel better about myself and when I remember that even if I am mad at someone it makes me feel better about that person too. It is good to know that we are all loved because it feels good and it is good to know that when we try we can love others by serving them.

I am in middle school now and sometimes it is hard to do the right thing, but I want to be like Ammon in the scriptures and be valiant and do what it right. My name means valiant and my favorite character from Narnia is Lucy- who is called Lucy, the Valiant, and I feel like my most important goal is to always be valiant and do what is right. To do that will let me return to Heavenly Father one day. It is like my very favorite song called “When I am Baptized” from Primary says:

I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain
I want to.
 be the best I can and live with God again

I have a testimony that we should all serve God with everything we are… (what does that meen mom?)

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Fatherhood

To Matt, and indirectly to all of you,
Just thinking... I know you're juggling your time with a lot of demands right now, but when you get a minute, I would like to see a post here and on your personal blog, about your feelings on becoming a new father. You write so well and are so introspective, that I'm sure such a piece would be very enlightening and meaningful to all who read it. It would also be a treasured part of your archives for little Asher as he gets older. Now that I'm older, I'm wishing I had been a better journalist, and recorded my feelings when each of you came into the world. I'm sure your mom recorded the moment - she's always been good that way - but I regret that I didn't do so.
Your Dad

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Time to get out of the city.

I love the fall here!  Not only is the humidity gone, but the leaves are just barely starting to change colors and it's just amazing and beautiful.  So I celebrated by not doing homework all weekend.  By day I escaped the DC metro area and picked apples with some friends.  (And made Brown Bag apple pie, which was immediately devoured by all my friends.)  By night, I went to Haunted Kings Dominion.  Kinda like regular Kings Dominion...except all the employees are dressed in scary costumes and they invade your personal space while laughing maniacally.  Anyway, here are some shots of the daytime fun.  


Tuesday, October 7, 2008

H.B. Mom addition

This is by NO MEANS trying to embarass you. I love this picture so much, and reminds me of the one of Grandma Christensen with a bunch of her grandkids in bed.

Happy Birthday Mom!!

Happy Birthday Mom!!  This picture was taken on my 1st birthday.  How our family has changed since then!  We have such an amazing family and it is all to you and dad's credit.  You are such an amazing example to all of your children, friends, grandchildren-pretty much anyone you meet.  I hope your birthday is wonderful, spent with your newest little grandson.  I love you.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Amazing Pics

Hi everyone. I just wanted to share some really incredible pics from one of my favorite blogs, The Big Picture. He picks something going on in the world at the time and finds some high-quality pictures of it, and then he posts them for everyone to see. Today's was especially good for me, and so I share.

Click here to enjoy.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Conference

Sorry, this turned out to be long, but it's good. So, read on.
I'm streaming conference while I write this. I love technology. But, although we have it so good in this day, and although I have faith in the Lord's promises to protect the faithful, I've caught myself worrying lately about the impending hard times which appear to be coming. I've wondered what forms "protection" might take, and I've contemplated that "protection" does not necessarily equate to ease.

I hope Congress' recent financial bail-out works, but I have my doubts. That action just goes so much against correct principles, and there is so much cover-up being perpetrated by the powers that be. Power and money has corrupted so many. Whether or not the bail-out works for the present, we know that ultimately the system will fail and hard times will come. It's prophesied and it's part of the plan. The Second Coming and the Millennium will certainly be glorious, but getting there may be difficult. It's like this kidney stone I'm carrying - I know I will feel better when it passes, but I'm not looking forward to the painful process of passing it.

So, I hope the day of hard times is yet far distant, allowing you all to continue your progress and to raise your families unimpeded. Yet I worry. It would be more comforting if we all lived closer together. But we our diverse aspirations have necessarily put distance between us. Mom and I are well enough off to get by, but you all have limited resources, developing careers and young families to manage. I find some comfort in knowing that you are all resourceful and ambitious, and I know you are all prayerful. Beyond that, I hope you will all take every opportunity to prepare (food storage etc,) and that you will keep yourselves worthy of the Lord's promised protection.

Anyway, this is what has been on my mind lately - a little subconscious concern. So, I've been hoping that conference would provide some answers. From what I was able to watch, a couple of talks stood out to me. I am sure more will surface as I review it. I got about 3 words into Elder Scott's priesthood session talk before the kidney stone called me away. Below, I'm going to list a few of the quotes that stood out to me.

Elder Perry - Saturday morning: "...We have been encouraged from almost every general conference that I can remember to not live beyond our means... One of the better ways to simplify our life is to follow the counsel we have so often received: 'Live within our income; stay out of debt; save for a rainy day.' We should practice and increase the habits of thrift, industry, economy, and frugality... May we be worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we navigate this mortal journey."

Elder Holland - Saturday afternoon: "...Usually, [ministering angels] are not seen. Sometimes they are. But seen or unseen, they are always near... Most often, it [the angelic purpose] is to comfort, to provide some form of merciful attention, guidance in difficult times... Our present day is filled with global distress, financial crises, energy problems, terrorist attacks, and natural calamities. These translate into individual and family concerns, not only about homes in which to live, and food available to eat, but also about the ultimate safety and well-being of our children, and the latter-day prophesies about our planet... But I testify that angels are still sent to help us... Even the Son of God, a God Himself, had need for heavenly comfort during His sojourn in mortality. And so will such ministrations will be to the righteous until the end of time... I ask everyone within the sound of my voice to take heart, be filled with faith, and remember that the Lord has said he would fight our battles, our children's battles, and the battles of our children's children. And what do we do to merit such a defense? Pray always and be believing. Then all things shall work together for our good, and walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith we have covenanted. The latter days are not a time to fear and tremble. They are a time to be believing, and remember our covenants... When we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of those we walk with and talk with, here, now, every day. Some of them reside within our own neighborhoods. Some of them gave birth to us. And in my case, one of them consented to marry me. Indeed, heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure, that angelic is the only word that comes to mind... I testify of angels, both the heavenly and the mortal kind. In doing so, I am testifying that God never leaves us alone - never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face. Nor will He so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man or woman or child upon the face thereof to be saved... Always there are those angels who come and go, all around us, seen and unseen, known and unknown, mortal and immortal. May we all believe more readily in, and have more gratitude for the Lord's promise, as contained in one of President Monson's favorite scriptures: "I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left. My spirit shall be in your heart, and mine angels round about you to bear you up."

Elder Eyring's message on Sunday morning will sound familiar to you, as it relates to a common wall-hanging you all have in your homes. Abby, I'm going to bring yours when I come in two weeks. Remember the inscription? Mosiah 18:21. We gave you that because we believe in the principle he talks about here. From his talk, I have also realized that it is a principle that will help all of us get through the coming hard times:

"...We see increased conflict in the peoples of the world around us. Those divisions and differences could infect us. That is why my message of hope today is that a great day of unity is coming. The Lord Jehovah will return to live with those who have become his people, and will find them united, of one heart, unified with him and with our Heavenly Father... The Lord's prophets have always called for unity. The need for that gift to be granted to us, and the challenge to maintain it will grow greater in the days ahead... You have seen evidence as I have that we are moving toward becoming one. The miracle of unity is being granted to us as we pray and work for it, in the Lord's way. Our hearts will be knit together in unity. God has promised that blessing to his faithful saints, whatever their differences in background, and whatever conflict rages around them... The reason that we pray and ask for that blessing is the same reason the the Father is granting it. We know from experience that joy comes when we are blessed with unity. We yearn as spirit children of our Father for that joy that we once had with Him, in the life before this one. His desire is to grant us that sacred wish for unity, out of His love for us. He cannot grant it to us as individuals. The joy He wants so much to give us is not solitary. We must seek it and qualify for it with others. It is not surprising then that God urges us to gather together, so that He can bless us. He wants us to gather into families. He has established classes, wards, and branches, and has commanded us to meet together often. In those gatherings which God has designed for us lies our great opportunity... In the Book of Mormon... everything that Alma and his people were inspired to do was pointed at helping people to have their hearts changed through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. That is the only way God can grant the blessing of being of one heart. In Mosiah we read that they were called the Church of God, or the church of Christ... 'And He commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and love, one towards another,'" this being based on repentance and faith on the Atonement of Christ.

Elder Packer - Sunday afternoon: This quote does not relate directly to the question. He was talking about the worldwide growth of the Church in this day. But, I thought it was good anyway - the best one-liner of the conference:
"Today, the sun (Son?) never sets on the congregations of the Latter-day Saints."

Friday, October 3, 2008

I finally found it


I have been looking for this file forever and I found it purely coincidentally today on my ancient (but still better than a new PC) iMac... Isn't it hilarious?! Valerie is not a fan, but I LOVEEEE that picture, she was 7 :-D


Work was interesting today. After we talked about non-prescription birth control. (By the way I LOVE the abortion article in the new Ensign designating life at conception! Woe to IUD that kills embryos! I am going to write a letter to the church about making sure women know that about them!)... we watched a FoxNews special on the topic of abortion and one of my students left crying. I stood in front of her and then it hit me. I just knew that it was because she had chosen to do that- I went after her and just held her forever, me crying too. What a tender, tender moment.

Then everyone who stayed cried over one other woman's experience, including me. It is an excellent program, by the way and really shows how people's decisions are SO IMPORTANT! It really is a good program, if you are interested, I think it is extremely well-done.


You will have to ask me about Valerie's experience with a baptist church this week. She apparently was "saved" there. Led to interesting conversation for certain.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Asian Adventure

Alex and I just got back from a 3 week trip to Asia. I had to be there for work and he decided to join me. We had a great time, and have TONS of picture. I think my husband might choose photography as a second career if he could.

We started our trip in Hong Kong, then went to Thailand and finished up in Vietnam. Alex had a day in Japan as well on his way home.

The photos probably tell the story better than I can, but let me know if you want details and I'll write more.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lcroshaw/AsiaSeptember0802##