the little guy

Right before we left for Thanksgiving in Mississippi (pictures still to come), Ryan and I went to the doctor's for the ultrasound! It was so much fun, and our little baby was so incredibly active! The doctor had to keep moving the wand just to keep up with him! He kept rolling and changing directions - it was so funny to watch! We loved hearing how strong he was, and how he was growing just as he should be. And just so there are no doubts, he was sure to give us a clear view of his identity! We are so excited to meet him!! It is amazing to think that an entire little body could be inside of me!

The doctor snapped a picture right when he put his two hands together - cute huh?

Because he was so dang hyperactive (makes me pretty nervous for years to come!!), we couldn't get the traditional profile picture. Instead, here is one with him looking straight at the camera ... His face looks a little alien-like, but we're sure he'll be as handsome as ever when he's born! :)

And if in case you needed any more proof that yes I am pregnant - here's a picture of me. When I asked Ryan to take a simple picture of me, he was making me laugh so hard that this was the only semi-normal looking one. Hope you don't mind the mis-matching clothes, or the Christmas decorations in the back. And I'm not sure if it was all the food I ate this past weekend during Thanksgiving, or if this baby finally decided to start growing. But either way, I'm getting bigger and it is so much fun! (ps***this is me at 21 weeks)

our freezer

A few weeks ago, my brother, Dave, made a post to his blog regarding my family's known addiction to cold cereal. Since reading this (and serving as living proof to its validity), I have started pondering on numerous other unique traits I have as a direct result of the home I grew up in. One of these "Adamson" traits would include the love of watching movies, err ... rather falling asleep while watching movies. Other not-so-pleasant qualifying traits could be the famous "Adamson-twitch" or sleeping-with-the-mouth-open (ask my brother-in-law Eric for full descriptions). On the brighter side, I believe that many positive, enriching qualities have also been gained from being a member of my family such as patriotism, a love of music, a testimony of the gospel, a good sense of humor, and so forth. However!! There is one addiction / habit / trait / "undying affection" within our family that I think just might be my favorite. And here's a picture to prove it:
Why on earth Ryan and I need six - count them SIX - cartons of ice cream between the two of us is a mystery. Especially since two of which are duplicate flavors, indicating the need not to go a moment without even the option of choosing vanilla (to accompany cake, apple crisp, or a good ol' root beer float) or a mixed sherbet (for homemade smoothies). Even the very thought of being 'without ice cream' can be devastating, so we take all precautions we can to avoid such a traumatic experience! Believe me - it's not worth the risk. Such an occurrence will almost immediately result on an impulse buy of a more expensive brand simply to satisfy the void felt (which actually, isn't such a bad thing every once in a while). Nevertheless, when we scream for ice cream, it's serious business!! :)

the awkward beginnings

I have to be honest, I think going through the beginning stages of pregnancy during the fall months is the best time. Just as the seasons change, and you start layering more clothing to bundle up! It's perfect timing to hide the awkward gaining-weight stage before it's obvious to others that you are pregnant. I get to wear sweaters or keep a light jacket on the entire day while at the office, so no one can see the slow and uncomfortable progression of my clothes getting tighter! I am almost half-way there in the pregnancy, and have tried so hard to feel the baby kick. No such luck yet, but I have a feeling it's going to come soon. In the meantime, enjoy this cartoon I found. :)

modern-day heroism

For any of you out there who have seen the all-time classic “While You Were Sleeping,” there’s a scene in it where Lucy is talking to Peter about a heroic thing he did when he was little. The scene goes as follows:

Lucy: I saw a picture of you, when you saved the three squirrels.
Peter: Ah ... they never call, they never write.
Lucy: (laughs)
Peter: That was a long time ago.
Lucy: I guess we don't get to do many heroic things as an adult, huh?
Peter: Oh that's for sure. [pause] You do though!
Lucy: Oh, no. Jumping in front of that train was unusual.
Peter: I don't think I've done anything truly heroic my whole life. .....
Lucy: You give up your seat everyday on the train.
Peter: Yeah, well, but that’s not heroic.
Lucy: It is to the person who sits in it.

I have come to value this exchange day after day as I stand while riding the bus to and from campus. I wish that everyone who ever rides the public transit has the privilege of seeing this heroism in action. Idealist? Yes. I know that somewhere, out there, there are still people in this world who believe in being polite and giving up their seats to others. To the few of you who live in Columbus, Ohio, I thank you! To the rest, you definitely need to rent this movie. It will change your life. :)

i've been hit

... I have been tagged (actually twice now) and must share 6 facts/habits about myself. Then I must tag someone (or as many people as I wish) and leave a comment on their blog to notify them, and they get to leave info about themselves and proceed to tag someone else.

Six. My ultimate favorite ice cream, dessert, candy, anything includes chocolate and peanut butter. I am willing to admit that I am addicted to Reese’s! I like the Big Cups the best – the ratio is perfect!

Five. I will officially graduate from BYU in December after I finish my Administrative Internship with The Ohio State University Department of Recreational Sports. Administrative Intern: another name for “Secretary on steroids” as Ryan likes to call it.

Four. If I could, I would scrapbook literally all day long without looking at the clock once. Half of the time would be spent coming up with the idea, and the other half making sure that it looks as good as it can. I’m a perfectionist when it comes to being creative. The two don’t usually work well together – but with time and patience, I have found a method to my madness.

Three. I really like to pretend that I love to cook and be in the kitchen – especially when it comes to buying new kitchen gadgets (I’m really good at this one!). But sad to say, it is true: cooking is probably one of my least favorites among ‘domestic’ responsibilities. Any quick recipes, shortcuts, or secrets to success are appreciated and welcome. Please help me!

Two. One of my main goals in life is to play the piano like I know I should. Only one problem: I need to find access to a piano or keyboard. If only I had used my time for this while at BYU where every building has at least 10 pianos in it!

One. Even though I’m practically four months along now, only I can notice any difference in my outward appearance. As we’ve started to announce it, I’ve gotten a little used to the fact that when people find out they immediately look at my stomach in hopes of seeing something – but there’s nothing there to show! Sorry to disappoint you, but I think this baby’s a little shy to come out in public just yet.

the heart beat

So I guess this is our formal announcement - I'm pregnant! Yesterday Ryan and I went to the doctor's and heard the heartbeat for the first time. It was super loud, really strong, easy-to-find, and seems to be healthy! We've already had one ultrasound to determine the size of the baby, and it's fun to see pictures. The big ultrasound where they can determine more things (eg: boy or girl) will happen on November 20th. Right before Thanksgiving! So come April 4th, 2008, the Christensens will become a party of three! Let the celebrations begin! :)

PBR

So it's true - deep down, Ryan and I really wish we could live out west. But since we're closer to the east side, what better way to let out our 'cowboy inside' than to go to the Professional Bull Rider event?! It was surprising really fun, and if you look closely you can see Ryan's massive belt-buckle that actually has a bull rider on it. I guess he was made for this kind of thing.

This particular even was the last chance for all these bull riders to compete before the final championship in Las Vegas in two weeks. We saw some really good cowboys out there - and enjoyed it with some great new friends that we've met here in Columbus. Yee-haw!

the initiation

It finally happened. We are now officially Buckeyes. This past Saturday we went our first Ohio State University football game!! It was quite the experience, in the huge stadium known as the "shoe". As we first walked into the stadium and tried to find our seats, I leaned over to Ryan and said, "I feel like we're in enemy territory with all this red around us!" It was quite the adjustment to make from our traditional blue and white crowd we felt so accustomed to. Our seats were really high up, but it gave us a great view!! The first two pictures are of the marching band doing their "script Ohio" that has become a home-game tradition. Very cool to watch!! And even though we creamed the opponents, and the game lost its novelty by halftime, it was still loads of fun!!

michigan vs. washington

A couple weekends ago, Dave and Tiff flew to Michigan to visit his family. Since Michigan is a lot closer to us than Utah, we decided that it was definitely worth the trip to go up and see our favorite friends!! Dave's family was great and totally let us crash at their house, and even extend our stay one extra day because we didn't want to say goodbye! It was fun to actually see the places that Dave has talked about; but the best part was by far just being able to hang out and catch up! We took this picture at Robinette's Apple Haus - an apple orchard that has become a tourist spot. Since Tiff and I are both from Washington - home of the greatest apples on earth! - there really was no debate about whether Michigan or Washington apples were better ... even though Dave was trying as hard as he could to convince us otherwise. I admit - they were delicious, as was the cider! But, alas, nothing can top good ol' Washington home-grown goodness. How many people agree with me? ;)

good times

Okay, so I realize that this is a very odd collection of photos. Different people, places, seasons - I know. But I've been thinking so much about family these days, and realizing just how dependent I am upon these certain individuals. I think pictures and family videos are the greatest things ever invented because they make it seem like everyone is so close again! So even though we are miles away from each other, I like to look at these pictures to remind myself of the good times I have had with those I love the most. They also remind me of the good times ahead - when we get to see each other again! Until then, I love you all!!

Ryan and me on top of Sqaw Peak, January 2007

Ryan's entire family on Branch Office at Lake Powell, July 2007

Dave and Angela skiing at the Canyons with the family, January 2006

The rest of my family on the beach in Washington on our hike, August 2006

Thank you for all the memories!!

ryan's new love

Okay so we realize we've been a little lame lately with the lack of new posts. There just hasn't really been anything exciting to take note of! Once medical school started it really was just a routine of Ryan going to school, me staying home to search for internships, Ryan coming home from school, studying some more. Not that entertaining if you asked me. But! Say no more of boredom and routine! We just installed (screwed into the wall) a 4X8 sheet of dry erase board material in our 'office' room for Ryan to study with! Wow - the things that get us excited! It's been up for maybe two hours, and Ryan has used it so much already! What you see before you (if you can't tell) is a list of nerves, arteries, and muscles of the arm. Before that was a drawing of shoulder and clavicle joints. Believe me, now life can get exciting!

And not to boast of newly acquired materials ... but we have been quite successful bargain shoppers as well. A new desk (as pictured above), couch (with the use of a slip cover to hide the 90's floral print), kitchen table, and entertainment center have all been added to our new home. It's a slow start, but we are definitely excited to have placed to sit and put all of our stuff! :)

In addition to the material goods, I found an internship! I'll be an administrative intern for Ohio State University's department of Recreational Sports. For the next four months I will be considered full-time staff at the university, just without the benefit of a paycheck. That is a little disappointing, considering all the dues that must be paid for med school. We just need to keep telling ourselves that this is an investment! A very large, deep, gaping, huge, never-ending investment that will someday pay off. Once that day arrives, we will let you know. Until then, onward with the volunteer work and loans (yikes...)!!

things we hear these days

Ever since Ryan decided that he was going to apply for and attend medical school, the response from others around us has given us a lot to think about. Every person alive seems to feel the need to give us their opinion, experience, advice, whatever! And obviously we couldn't make such a serious decision without hearing their comment first. It really has been humorous to listen to what people have to say regarding our decision, and we got to the point where Ryan and I would just look at each other and smile as someone is ranting or raving about what they think we need to do. It really did provide some good entertainment! Especially once we were accepted and had an idea of where we would be attending, contradictions like "med school is just like undergrad" and "med school is nothing like undergrad" started popping up all around us. Whether to go the military route, take out loans for only the essential things, or to get ever-increasingly in debt in order to live the doctor's lifestyle that you are working towards right now has always been a good topic of conversation as well! We've been told that medical school is like studying for finals week every single day of the year. Or that medical school is like a professor opening the flood gates of information all at once and it's your choice to either sink or swim.

Thus far, Ryan and I have not quite adopted any of these opinions for ourselves just yet. We cannot tell you if medical school would be a right decision for you, how to finance it, or what to do with yourself once you get accepted. What we can tell you is only from experience - which we have very little of still. In the full week of medical school that Ryan has had so far, his anatomy group has received their own cadaver and has begun dissection. They don't just look and pin-point what muscles they are learning about; they actually cut, lift, pull, saw in some cases, and dig for the particular back muscles they need to identify and know. With a few other classes on the side, he is already busy studying for his first round of exams in two weeks - where ANY of the material they have covered is up for grabs. No study guides, no hints from the professors, no specific chapters from any specific textbook. They literally are given topics to learn about, and it is up to them how they go about it (lists of recommended books help out a lot with this one!). Needless to say, we have not reached the all-knowing state of mind to tell you exactly what medical school is like.

However! We did hear someone try to describe what medical school is like in his Sacrament meeting talk nonetheless. His description still makes me laugh, and I think it's the most accurate we have come across. This is what he said, "Medical school, I have found, is very similar to the pre-mortal life. The purposes are almost one in the same. We came to get a body, and to be tested."

I truly hope that it is not sacrilegious to find such amusement out of a similarity. Please forgive me if you do. I for one, could not stop laughing!

it's official

Last week Ryan had his "White Coat Ceremony." I never really knew what this was until that night, but it's a really big deal! All the incoming med students (about 210 for Ohio State University) walk across the stage and have their white coats put on them. This signifies a lot of things, but most importantly their first step into the profession of becoming a doctor. As you can see in the pictures, the students' coats are shorter than the real doctors' coats. Four more years and Ryan will earn one of those! Yipee!

It really was a neat experience for Ryan, and I know that he has enjoyed his first few days of school. What an adventure! We've met a lot of new people already, and there's a really good group of LDS students/wives here as well. It's nice to know other people who are going through the same things that you are!

new home

This is our new home! It is a two bedroom apartment, with a rather square kitchen and a nice sized living room. We have one and a half bathrooms (the half bathroom is in our bedroom ... odd ... we know), and a linen closet! Yahoo! :) We have lived here officially one week and two days, and sadly - the front room is still lined with boxes. We are currently on the hunt for any and all furniture we can get our hands on, and have sadly come to realization that new furniture is just not in the cards for us yet. So garage sale shopping here we come! We finally got a kitchen table after a few days, and now have a place to sit down instead of the carpet or tile. Man, the luxuries that we take for granted in this life! We are excited for Ryan to have his own "office" where he can study, and where I can also set up my own little table/desk for crafts! We'll definitely post pictures once we get furniture! Thanks for everyone's support in moving out here!

victoria

Right after our trip to Powell, Ryan and I got on a plane and headed for the Great Northwest - my home. Not all, but a lot of my family was able to be there, and it was so fun to see everyone! I was originally waiting to get all the complete pictures from my sister, Tara, but it seems that other members in my family are getting a little low on patience. So an incomplete post will have to suffice! We stayed in a condo right next to the water in Victoria, BC and it was beautiful! There were some benefits as to the unit we stayed in - for one, there was a hot tub which we used almost every day! And two, it was right next to a runway - sea planes landing and taking off almost every hour. I think the novelty of it all didn't wear off until after we had finally gotten the good pictures Tara needed in order to send them to Dave. After that (which wasn't until the second to last day!) they were old news and we didn't need to rush outside to see every plane. Oh the joys of digital cameras! We did a lot of sightseeing, but also did many walks in downtown area. It was so fun to see all the street performers, go to different shops, see all the boats, and simply enjoy being in a beautiful city! Here's a favorite picture of some girls in my family: (from left to right) Tara (older sister), Kendra (younger sister), Mom (aka: Grandma), and Kaitlynn (niece). Isn't that just precious?!

I think one of our favorite places we went to see was the Butchart Gardens. They were so incredibly gorgeous and nothing on camera can capture all of the beauty that surrounded us! It was neat to learn about the history and to even go back later in the day with all the lights turned on and less people to bump into! :)

Here's my sister Tara in her typical pose - taking pictures of her two kids: Kaitlynn and Jonathan. You can tell I need a little more practice capturing those 'precious moments' because Jon's eyes aren't even all the way open! But I thought it was so fun to catch Tara in her act - she is such a good mom and I hope to be like her someday!

And for those of you who know my family - we really know how to have a good time! I think that if sleeping pictures were worth anything in this world, we would all be millionaires. I heard a quote once that seems to sum up my family's philosophy in life: Nothing in life can be so bad that it can't be fixed with a nap. :)

identity

I have been thinking a lot about who I am lately. Moving to a completely new place without knowing anyone or anything has been more of a challenge than I expected, and I have often wondered what I am to do with this new life of mine. My thoughts have gone back to when I was growing up and my mom would sing "You are my sunshine" to me. Moms have a way of instilling an identity in a child through the smallest actions, and can help you feel that you have a gift so unique to yourself that it needs to become your middle name (hence the kindergarten signatures of Heather Sunshine Adamson). At the time it may seem like a cute nickname, or a song to sing in order to calm the little girl down, or even just a theme to use while decorating a kitchen. But years down the road, that identity planted within a child’s heart can offer the sweetest memories available to her in a time of need. Memories of being loved and appreciated by family members around her; memories of offering optimism and smiles because that was her ‘job’ in life; memories of bright sunny days that were so pure they could last all winter long in your heart. So as I am in a new home far away from any other home I have come to know, I think back to this childhood nickname of mine and I am grateful for a mother who seemed to have a song to sing for each of her children. It is a song I sing now, and hope to live up to. And I remember who I am, and what my life is to be. And I am grateful for my identity.

powell

This was my third year at Lake Powell with the Christensen family. What a BLAST! It's so much fun! We eat, sleep, play in the water, and do it all over again for a full week! I've learned how to wakeboard because of this tradition in the family - and I jumped for the first time this year (as in, my board came off the water maybe an inch, if that)!! Of course, Ryan does more dangerous jumps - such as the Superman which he nailed three times this year! Wow! Here are some of our favorite shots - although we don't have a picture of the entire family (that's on someone else's camera ... we're working on finding our own copy).

Here's Ryan landing, or beginning a jump - I'm honestly not quite sure what he's doing. But I think it's a great shot! :)

The first one is our morning wake-up call. Now how can anyone wake up on the wrong side of the bed when this is your first glimpse of daylight? The second one is in the evening after the sun had gone behind the rocks in front of us. (taken from top of house boat)

So here's the contrast between what dare-devil Heather can do, and what timid Ryan attempts to do! The one thing that I love about the picture with me in it, is the water! Ahhh ... it really is a beautiful thing to find water that smooth. Only at Powell!!

Okay, so here's Ryan getting serious about his jumps. The first one is the superman, and the second is a backroll. I can't remember if he landed these jumps specifically, but either way I think he's pretty much amazing!

Here's Jordan and Cassie's attempt at a fun family picture, but somehow Colby did not get the memo. Oh well - it's still a great looking family! The second picture is the newlywed couple on their first tubing run together. Brit was a good husband and didn't give Jen too hard of a time. I think he saved the 'tube-war' moves for next year ... be careful Jen!

Colby had a lot of fun playing the water, and especially loved the chance to get dirty! So adorable!

Here's the support staff through this whole week of beating your body on the water: Cynthia on the left with Ryan, and Gary in the rear view mirror of Branch Office (the Christensen's boat). Cynthia is also known as the paparazzi - following anyone tubing/skiing/wakeboarding behind any boat to catch it on camera! And Gary is known as the driver who loves to provide those countless opportunities for the paparazzi. They really make a great team! :)