Parent Visit to the South!

Last week we had a wonderful time with my parents who flew out to Birmingham to be with us.  They have always made it their goal to visit us in each of our locations, and we are so grateful that we do! My mom flew out a few days before my dad.  It was great to go on walks and of course go shopping with her.

My dad took a red-eye to Birmingham, and from the moment we picked him up from the airport, we were busy showing my parents the south! We headed down to the little town of Sylacauga where Luke works.  It is about an hour south of Birmingham, and far enough away from a city that you really can get the true southern experience.  The town is full of manufacturing plants, and that is what brings Luke out there each day. 

Luke was able to give us a tour of the plant, and he and my dad talked business the whole time.  I’ve gotten to tour a couple of the plants Luke has worked at (some do not allow visitors), and each time I am more and more impressed.  A million different parts and hundreds of hands working in unison (well, that is the goal) to make a product.

While still in Sylacauga, Luke showed us a well know BBQ place for lunch named Faye's Bar-B-Que.  It was about as southern as it gets.  This little old lady owns and runs the place.  She was the sweetest and cutest thing I have ever seen.

We've been lucky that my aunt and uncle also with in Birmingham.  It's been great to live near them and my cousins.  We're especially lucky to have my uncle serving as our bishop. We went to my aunt and uncle’s home where we celebrated my cousin Anna’s 15^th birthday! The entire time we sang the happy birthday song, I was just in disbelief that she is 15!!

On the Saturday of their visit, we took a little day trip to Atlanta! Luke and I hadn’t been since we were engaged (Luke grew up in a suburb of Atlanta and his family has since moved away). My dad had only been to Atlanta a handful of times for business and my mom had never been.  It was a beautiful day to see all of the highlights of such a great city!

We wrapped up with a fun hike through the hills to see the mines of Birmingham, including a tree house!

Kentucky!

For Labor Day Weekend, Luke and I headed north to Kentucky to spend time with Luke's sister, Holly, and her husband and three boys.  Luke's mom, Laura, also joined us for a great weekend! This is my third time to Kentucky, and it was hot, but beautiful as always.   Holly and Eric took us to a neat concert in a cave (who ever thought that was a thing?). It was so fun of course there was amazing BBQ to be eaten there.  Thomas, our oldest nephew, also received the priesthood as he just turned 12.  It was very special to be apart of the special weekend.  Thank you to Holly and Eric for hosting a wonderful weekend!

Elder Zwingli's Homecoming

I recently got back from a great trip to Washington State to see my family. My brother was returning from his LDS mission in Budapest, Hungary.  Due to corporate meetings in Cleveland and just work in general, Luke was not about to come out, but he was so good to let me go and spend time with my family for two whole weeks! For one of the weeks he was on a business trip anyways, so at least he had a change of pace too while I was gone.

Seeing my brother was great! Funny how after being around him for only 2 hours, it was as if he had never left.  There was still some adjusting for him, like any returned missionary.  But the adjustment I never thought he'd have was the economical adjustment.  Hungary is a part of Europe. My family and I use to live in Switzerland, which is a part of Europe.  When we lived in Switzerland, our standard of living was higher than here in the US (when we lived there, it was the highest standard in the world), and must of the rest of Europe is like that.  What I did not know however, was that's only Western Europe.  Eastern Europe is another story.  Alex told stories of families with very humble lives, families packed into tiny apartments and having no luxury items.  They are a people that had hardened when they were under communist rule, and are still shaking it off. Alex loved them and taught them of Christ, but really struggled to leave them.  As such, my family and I were very understanding when he would drop everything to Skype with someone in Hungary.

We did a lot those two weeks! We had my grandparents and my grandma come into town for Alex's homecoming.  Time spent with them included relaxing, Downtown Portland, walks and spending time with my cousins that already live in the area.

After the extended family left, it was so special to have time just the four of us.  Although I missed Luke greatly, it was great to just be us four like how it use to always be. Who knows when that will happen again.  We had a great week of hiking, the Oregon Coast, The Portland Temple and Columbia River Picnics.

I had a great trip to see my family, but needless to say, Luke and I were very happy to be together again.

Our Nation's Capital!

Between our move from California to Birmingham, Luke and I decided to take the week and fly to Virginia to visit Luke's mom and her husband Bob.  Laura and Bob got married a year ago, and we have not seen her life there in Virginia since she moved there from Georgia. They were great hosts in their beautiful home and tour guides of DC, and we especially enjoyed spending so much time with them with nights filled with playing Hand and Foot.

Arlington National Cemetery
The day after we flew into DC, Bob and Laura took us to the capital to spend the afternoon reverently visiting the presidential and war memorials. We first spend a few hours at the Arlington National Cemetery.  The only National Cemetery I've been to was the Normandy American Cemetery in France at the D-Day beaches, which was one of the most somber experiences I've ever had, but I had never been to the Arlington National Cemetery in DC, and neither had Luke.  The place is absolutely beautiful and calm, as it should be for the final resting place of over 400,000 soldiers who gave their life for our country.  For about two hours we just strolled the paths while looking at the tombstones of individuals who depict history (famous generals and the Kennedy's) and sacrifice.

Presidential Memorials
It had been 9 years since I had last been to DC and Luke's first time ever. We enjoyed walking around the Lincoln Memorial with the great views it has of the National Mall.  The Jefferson Memorial and FDR Memorial had gorgeous locations along the river and of course the Washington Monument is as grand as ever.  My favorite memorial however was the newest one, and wasn't a president, The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial.  It was dedicated in 2011, meaning I had never seen it yet. Luke and I enjoyed walking along the wall and reading his featured quotes, some that sent chills down our back. He was an inspired man indeed.

War Memorials
The last part of day one in DC was the War Memorials.  Each were so unique, but equally compelling in their story of the war. The WWII Memorial was the grandest, and as Bob put it, The Korean War Memorial was most haunting as you could see the fear in the soldier's depicted faces.  I've had family serve in each American war from The Revolutionary War to the Iraq War, but for me, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was the most somber. My grandfather, who I am extremely close to, served a year in the Vietnam War, while my grandma and mom stayed behind in California (my mom was born while he was over seas). As I looked at the thousands of names on the wall, I couldn't imagine if my grandpa's name were on that wall, and if I never got to know him. Yet for thousands and thousands, that is their story.

DC Tourists
The next morning, at 5:30 am, (2:30 am for Luke and me since we were still on west coast time), we got in the car with Laura and headed to DC to beat the rush hour traffic.  We were at the White House Visitor Center by 7:30 am.  Now that is dedication.  Laura was a great tour guide with everything mapped and planned out.  What else can you expect from a Christensen? We did it all! Started with the White House, then walked down to the Ford's Theater where Lincoln was shot (I never knew he was shot by a famous actor of the time), then the National Archives, The Library of Congress, The Capital Building, The Supreme Court, and the Air and Space Museum.  We really, really walked, but we were so blessed with the weather! Wasn't too hot at all, and this was DC!

While we weren't playing tourist, we had fun at Bob and Laura's beautiful home and enjoyed a beautiful afternoon at the DC Temple.

LA to AL

Welp, another 6 months, another move. But this move marks the half way point of Luke's rotations with Parker Hannifin! We've been so blessed with this opportunity for Luke to get so much corporate exposure.  Yes, moving around so often is as emotionally hard as you probably think it is (I'll admit to that as I've now cried at least 3 times at the thought of leaving California, or more the west coast in general), but the good balances the sorry when we know that we are doing it together, it's a phenomenal career builder for Luke, we meet great people along the way, and have an opportunity to experience new cultures and landscapes.

It's time to say goodbye to California, and head on out to Birmingham, AL!

We've been in California for a year now. Both Luke and I didn't grow up in California, but to us, this has become home.  We've fallen in love with the sunshine, beaches and lifestyles.  People are just so friendly and happy, or at least they hold their anger in until they hit the road, but you get use to that. It's hard to be mad when the sun is shining, it never gets too hot, and the ocean is so near.

I, like many others, only had the perspective of Southern California through the media.  SoCal is portrayed as the land of the very rich and famous, and if you don't have plastic surgery, live in a mansion or drive a Bentley, you may as well pack your bags and leave.  That's true for a small portion of the metro area. I was surprised how much people aren't in competition with each other here, and we live in a wealthy beach town (a dinky apartment, but still among $6 million dollar mansions). Yes, it's no secret that it's expensive here, but that brings some good things: People live simpler.  Where I grew up people had big houses because land was cheap.  Here it's not, so people have a more modest home meaning there's less room to collect junk and such. Plus, when the beach and mountains are so close and there is so much to do outside,  how much time will you really spend cooped in your house anyways? Seeing how people are made me not want to spend my money on stuff, but on memories.  That's what people really master here in their smaller houses, something I'm so glad I've learned!







I've always loved the beach.  In high school, my family went to our friend's beach house on the Oregon Coast at least 2 weekends a month (not exaggerating).  To have so many memories with Luke at the beach as been a blessing.  From city beaches like Santa Monica, sandy beaches like Huntington Beach, to our favorite cliffside beach in Ranchos Palos Verdes, all of the beaches are incredible. We will really miss walking just half a mile to our own Seal Beach for evening walks along the waves.

It's no secret that Luke and I got addicted.  25 minute drive + free short term parking = at least one night a week (once it was even three) at Disneyland.  For so many of Luke's stressful days, the only thing that would get him through was knowing that he'd end the day at Disneyland.  It was so cute to
see how much he loved it there, I never thought he'd love it more than me.  We just loved being among so many happy people (and screaming children with their tired parents).  There really is something magical there.  I am 23 years old and still tear up when tinkerbell flies above the castle at night, because (I know I'm about to sound so cliche, but it's true) it brings up memories and emotions you forget from your childhood, and when those come, they hit you.  I know I am a cry baby, but Disney really knows where to get you.  Luke and I are so excited to bring our own children to Disneyland one day.  It was always be a very, very special place to us.

Goodbye California.  

Thank you for the best year!

Disney 5k

Of all the Disney memories that Luke and I have had together, this 5k race topped it all off!

The race was first posted in July (10 months earlier) and sold out in 48 hours.  Crazy, right?  The night before the race, we picked up our bibs at The Disneyland Hotel, and we were ready to go!

That night we stay at Jorg's house (a long time family friend) since he only lives 3 minutes away from Disneyland.  When you have to show up to a race at 3:30 AM, living 25 minutes away still isn't close enough.  So at 3 AM we woke (to pouring rain, may I add) and by 3:30 we were driving down the road to Disneyland.  I was so happy to see that the Starbucks was specially open at 4 am, so we warmed up with a warm steamer and breakfast sandwiches. 

While we waited at the entrance of the castle, we got to watch a 4:30 am firework show, how rare is that?? It was silent of course, but super cool.  Right at 5 am, the race began! The funnest race ever.  There were about 8,000 people in the race and everyone was just having FUN! Running through the empty park was special enough, but getting to run through a bunch of areas that are otherwise closed to the public was the best. Ending at Paradise Pier was surreal, and hundreds cheered the finishers in!