Christian

I learned this week of the passing of my dear friend Christian.  I just wanted to write down a few highlights of our friendship and how important he is to me.

We met during "Y" week before classes started at BYU freshman year.  They set up our apartment of girls with a group of guys to learn about the school.  We played field games together, went on tours and saw shows together.  Most groups disbanded soon after school started, but ours stayed close and we really enjoyed one another.  We often played cards until it was time to kick the boys out.  

We all compared schedules to see if we had any classes together.  Christian and I had our first two classes together - Philosophy and then Honors Book of Mormon right after.  They were clear across campus from each other and it was really hard to make it there with only ten minutes in between.  He had the benefit of being a full foot taller than I was.  :)  After a few weeks we both learned that we had received our AP credit from high school and we didn't need the philosophy class anymore, so we both dropped it. Our professor for the Book of Mormon class was Christian's uncle and he was one of my favorite professor's of all the classes I took at BYU.  He invited us to his home on several occasions.  He told us that we could do art projects in lieu of writing papers and he loved the ones that I did.  I always got a 100 on my projects and Christian was always mad because he would get a 97 on his paper.  

Christian and I developed a very close friendship and we did just about everything together during that year.  Some of our favorite things were the International Cinema, the Varsity theater (where they used to edit R rated movies), dances, sports events, art shows, etc.  We didn't have cars, so we mostly spent our time on campus doing whatever was happening there. We found that we had a lot in common and connected on a level that I haven't experienced with anyone else.  I remember that I could just wish for him to call and the phone would ring... every time.

While Christian was on his mission in Italy my family met up with him for a day.  He was serving in Modena at the time, which is the home town of Pavarotti.  He held an annual concert there called Pavarotti and Friends, which happened to fall on the same day we were there.  He had permission to attend so we all went together.  The "friends" included Eric Clapton, Jon Secada, Liza Minnelli, Elton John, Sheryl Crow and Joan Osborne.  Some of the other groups were really popular in Europe, but we hadn't heard of them.  My dad asked Christian to help us find a hotel that night, mentioning that we wouldn't mind paying a little extra to have air conditioning.  We're not exactly sure what happened, but the hotel ended up being super fancy and costing a LOT more than we had in mind!  

Here he is the next morning giving my dad directions as we headed to Switzerland (another story entirely!).

After his mission we were both at BYU for another year.  We decided we would always take a religion class together while we were both at BYU and did that consistently.  This picture was taken at a surprise party they threw for me as a mission send off as I headed out for Germany.

My mom flew out to be with me as I went through the temple and a few sweet friends joined us, including Christian. He and my roommate Amber were the witness couple that day.  We had several special temple visits after that.  One day we drove out to the Salt Lake temple together.  After our session someone came up to him in the Celestial room and asked him to be a witness for a sealing.  We happily obliged and when we got there we learned that it was a family being sealed.  They had lost a sister and they asked me to stand in her place.  What a wonderful spirit was there with us that day.

While I was in the MTC he was a teacher there.  It was so nice to have someone there that I knew.  I turned 22 the first week I was there and I was feeling a little lonely.  I remember thinking it would be really neat if he taught his class the birthday song in Italian and they came and sang it to me.  That is exactly what he did!  He only had one student at the time, so it was a lovely duet.

I had a huge sendoff at the airport between the MTC and Germany.  I was expecting just Dayna (who got married while I was in the MTC - so hard!) and Christian, but my dad surprised me by flying in and my aunt Pam and her family had moved to Provo while I was in the MTC as well.  Dayna's parents also happened to be in town, so I had quite the crowd!  What a wonderful day that was.

(that is his own arm by the way - he is also a goof ball and always making me laugh!)

The last time I remember seeing him was his wedding day.  Dayna and I attended his reception and I was glad to see him so happy. I know that he will be missed dearly by his wonderful family.  He adored his siblings and parents and I'm sure he felt the same about his wife and 3 children.  

I hope we will have a chance to meet up on the other side and catch up.

Florida: Part Four

We had one more weekend, so we headed back to the beach.  This time it was just the five of us and Jamie. My mom stayed behind to spend some time with her sister Nancy and help her on a big sewing project she was doing for their church Christmas program.  Jeff stopped off to rent some boogie boards this time. They were fun, but we ultimately liked it better without them.  There were surfers this time, which was fun to watch.  I don't think Lincoln or Harrison ever got in the water, but they had a great time in the sand.  They made friends with some kids right away and worked away at their creations.

Harrison and I had fun collecting seashells.

We had one more day of church and family time and then we were off again.  Jeff had to leave on Sunday for a meeting in Texas, so mom and I took the kiddos back home on our own.  The kids were very good and we traveled without any trouble.  We made a lot of great memories on this trip!

Florida Part Three: More Parks!

We wore everyone out with all of the adventure thus far, so we took a day off!  We stayed close to "home" and went to a little museum that our family had taken us to during our trip in March.  They had a scavenger hunt for the kids and it kept them entertained for a really long time.  They had to search the museum to answer the clues and they worked hard at it.  My mom was patient and worked along with them.  Jeff and I took turns keeping Harrison entertained.  Near there is a lovely walking trail that we had also taken in March.  I thought the kids would enjoy it, but the just complained the whole time!  They did like seeing the old houses along the way and collecting leaves.While we were trying to take this family picture (possibly our only family picture taken this whole year!) they were fighting over a leaf and who had found it first. 

Oh brother!

The next two days we were back in the parks!  We did Universal and then Islands of Adventure again.  Some of the pictures are from the first day - too many cameras mixed into my folder!

 The Jurassic Park area was mom's favorite. There was a really fun play area for the kids where they could explore and run around.  It was properly placed by Harrison's beloved Terranadon ride, made especially for kids about his size.  It can hold adults too, but they aren't allowed on it unless they are accompanying a kiddo. We all went on it with him at least once.  Jackson was too tall to go, but he could go to accompany Lincoln on it, that was a funny one!

Late picture alert!  This is the Manta ride from Sea World.

Lincoln caught a lizard, they are everywhere!

Jeff took Harrison to see a pirate stunt show.  He loved it and wanted to meet the cast afterward.  They brought us back to watch it later too.  Jackson was glad because it was back by the favorite fountain and he got to talk to new fountain keeper... and get soaked again!

Florida Part Two - Sea World

Our day at Sea World was a memorable one!  We loved the amazing coasters and getting an up close view of lots of sea creatures.  They have a coaster called the Manta that holds you with your face to the ground through the whole thing so that you feel what it's like to glide like a Manta Ray.  It was different than anything we've ever been on and we rode it again and again.  So much fun! 

Harrison opted for the simpler rides, but did squeak by in getting a 40" wrist band so that he could ride what became his very favorite of the week "Atlantis."  It is a log ride with several big drops.  He was excited and terrified every single time and required us to hold onto him as tight as we could through the whole thing.

Lincoln fed the Mantas some shrimp.  You have to hold them on the bottom of the pool and then they come along and suck it up like a vacuum. Weird feeling!  Jackson wouldn't do it.  

I made everyone go all the way across the park to see Shamu.  You can't go to Sea World and not see Shamu, right?  My kids just don't love to sit through shows.  Jackson did enjoy getting sprayed with water in the little fountains and was determined to sit in the splash zone.  I thought we might get a little wet, but it was more like a huge soaking.

Harrison was NOT amused.  I had to take him out of the splash zone.

After the show we headed over to the kiddie rides and it started to rain.  We were already soaked from the whale splashes, so we decided to just keep going on the rides (except for mom - she was freezing).  Jeff and I took Harrison on a ride that barely got started and then it got stuck.  While we were there is started absolutely pouring.  We were a mess!  We trekked our way through the park sopping wet to try to find some shelter and a place for lunch.  

Harrison on his favorite ride.Can't you tell by his face?