Family Growing

     

Our family steadily grew from our 6 children to 28 grandchildren! What a joy.

     These five grandchildren were born within just a few months of each other and have always remained close. Back left - Spencer Evans, Jameson Poulton. Bottom left - Sarah Christensen, Maren Christensen and Emily Christensen.  

Memories from Linda of this time:

     For many of the years that our children were growing, Mom and Dad were away on assignments.  Their years at the MTC, Ricks College, Brazil and San Diego were great blessings to us and to our children.  Our children learned much about service in the kingdom and devotion to God by watching their grandparents while they were away.  We also learned to pray for them and exercise faith while they were gone for so many years. When Mom and Dad were home—either during or between assignments, they always made meaningful connections with the grandchildren. Being a grandfather was a real joy to Dad. He and Mom established long traditions of getting together with the kids that lasted for many years. During the summer, he like to rally the grandchildren to go on a hike. They took cheese or peanut butter and honey sandwiches to enjoy at the peak of whichever “mountain” they ascended.  Ensign Peak or the trails in Millcreek Canyon were likely locations.  Often the dads came along to drive and enjoy the adventure.

     Dad wasn’t much of a cook, but he loved making honey popcorn. He invented this recipe; and I wish I had a dime for each batch he made. He often brought a giant bowl of it to family dinners when he and mom would join anyone for a meal. The kids would take handfuls of it at a time. The last bite I had of it years ago, cost me about a quarter of one of my back molars which led to a root canal and a crown! Oh, well, the memory is worth it. We all loved it. Traces of popcorn could be found around the house for days.

     Grandchildren firesides were another popular event. For many years, the grandchildren were invited up to Mom and Dad’s home on a Sunday evening to ask gospel-related questions and to hear the testimonies of their grandparents. The regular rule was a child had to be eight years old, but some younger ones slipped in because they didn’t want to miss what the older kids were experiencing.

     Mom and Dad drove to San Diego for Bob Howell’s wedding to Linda after Anna Lynn had passed away. Dad was going to perform the ceremony in the San Diego Temple. They decided to take the granddaughters who were over eight-years old with them for the trip.  They had reserved a big van from the Church and were at our home picking up Heather to join the others.  As she was climbing in, I was holding Meredith who was no more than four-years old.  She wanted to go so badly and was leaning in—as if to join the crew. Meredith was never one to miss a party, and Mom and Dad said, “Just let her come.”  Meredith didn’t miss a beat and was in the van in moments while I gathered her clothes for the trip. I think she had more fun than anyone being the little girl cousin to all the big cousins.

      Dad and Mom also gathered the family for several Church-history trips: Nauvoo, Palmyra and Kirtland were on the agenda. We all went out to the Sweetwater River and Martins Cove. We had family reunions in St. George where we visited significant pioneering sites. They wanted us to see and feel what we could seen and felt at these important places. There were always family testimony meetings at these events and many sacred experiences shared.

     Mom was so proud of their grandchildren. “Proud, in the good way,” as Mom would say.  She always made that remark after President Benson gave his landmark talk, “Beware of Pride.”  They were great parents and grandparents and we were so blessed by their examples and their love and companionship over the years.  

     Mom was so proud of their grandchildren. “Proud, in the good way,” as Mom would say.  She always made that remark after President Benson gave his landmark talk, “Beware of Pride.”  They were great parents and grandparents and we were so blessed by their examples and their love and companionship over the years.  

     This most recent picture was taken on our family trip to Minnesota in the summer of 2003 to visit Linda and Peter when they were presiding over that mission.