Diane Christiansen, Clay and family
honored in - For Women First Magazine - May 18 1992

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Diane Christiansen (far right) and husband Clay gather their children around them for a sing-along.  The children are, from eldest to youngest Clay Jr., his wife Kotharina, EIizabeth, Laura, Michelle, Carolee, William, John, Rowland, Elise, Maren, David and Krishna.
[In the top row, second from left, with her head tilted back, always caring and loving Carolee, now a decade later, is the wrongly accused mother of currently DCFS taken baby Matthew and her previously lost - to undetected, but now understood subtle Carbon Monoxide asphyxiation - toddler Dan Jr. -- See all the rest of this Family Vs State website!]
Mothers today must fill many roles. And times can be tough. The traditional mom with a houseful of happy kids, devoted solely to her family, is fast becoming a memory. Most ‘90s moms work outside the home to help make ends meet. And often they’re the head of the household. Whatever the situation, moms have to contend with unique problems—drugs, sexual disease, crime, a breakdown of authority—that threaten their children. But they cope—and conquer. The vast majority of American moms still give their children love, comfort and security, as only mothers can.
When there's no place like home
 “When visitors come over, they
can be pretty overwhelmed by
the noise,” says Diane Chris-
tiansen, a fortysomething moth-
er of 12. “But I don’t even notice
it. To me, it’s the sound of hap-
piness.”
  Eleven of her children, ranging
front three to 21, live at home in
Bountiful, Utah. Her 22-year-old
son is married and lives nearby.
 “I love children of every age,”
she says. "All I ever wanted was
a big family.” Soon, she’ll have
one more sourse of joy: She and		 her husband, Clay, an organist
for the Mormon Tabernacle
Choir, are expecting another
child in June.
  The family loves to play music
and sing together. They often
gather ‘round the piano for a
sing-along.
 “My family and my hobbies are
enough for me,” says Diane,
who never planned to go to col-
lege or pursue a career. “When
one of your children comes up to
you and says, ‘Mom, I love you,’
that’s total happiness.”
.(pages 18 & 19)
Clay Christiansen as Mormon Tabernacle Organist
(if link does not work try LDS.org > Temple Square Events > Conference Center Organ Recitals > scroll to Clay's bio.)
Family Vs State  > Christiansen Women First