Teresa Dee Meyerhoeffer Christensen's Life History : Even More Bend 1998-2003

EVEN MORE BEND 1998-2003

We almost didn’t stay in Bend at this point. Roger was offered a job in Baker, Oregon with another bank and we went back and forth (sometimes several times a day) for a few months on the decision to take the new job or stay in Bend. Tears, prayers, fasting, blessings and much analyzation went into this decision process repeatedly. I did not want to move, but had the strong impression several times we were supposed to go. The scariest one was when Proverbs 14:12 came to me one morning, “There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end there-of are ways of death.” Roger said he could never get a clear answer, so decided to stay. I supported him 100%, but felt sick at heart. Who knows what would have been different in our lives or those of our children had we taken another path. We will never know for sure I suppose.

Roger and I went on a four day cruise out of Miami for our 20th Anniversary. Couple-time away is good in the lives of two busy people. We went to the Florida Keys, Cozumel and Playa de Carmen. It was so magical to see the ruins of Tulum and other sites. Roger has a hard time with vacations and always wants to go home early, so being trapped on a boat in the middle of the sea is good :-). We bought a timeshare in Florida and committed to travel more.

Roger and I at Tulum.

Roger and I in Hawaii at a bank conference.

Every year for part of our children’s Christmas we went to a movie at the theater on Christmas Day (in the afternoon if it was not on Sunday). In 1998 our Christmas movie was an animated film called “Prince of Egypt”. During the film was the song “All I Ever Wanted” about how Moses was happy with his life in Egypt and that was all he ever wanted. But Heaven had a different plan for Moses, not what he would have chosen, but greater. As I sat there I had a personal revelation that my life may not be what I thought it would be, but it was God’s plan and could be even better. Roger told me the next day that he also had an impression during the movie (and it was the 2nd time). He felt like he did not have much longer to live and was asked how he felt about where he was. He said he felt at peace (I did not). A moving movie experiences for both of us. I decided for one funeral song I would want “Window to His Love”, because I do hope others will see and feel His love through me. Roger wanted Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again".

Emily graduated with honors in 1998. She was excepted at BYU, but decided to attend the College of Southern Idaho where her Gpa Jerry was the president. A ward-friend Treena Card decided to attend there too. When I helped Emily move into her new apartment in August she was so excited and ready to be on her own. In September she brought home a young man to Oregon named Darren Miller Huber, then brought him home at Thanksgiving too. He came again after Christmas and asked Roger for her hand in marriage. Darren had grown up in Twin Falls and served a mission in France. He proposed in February and they were married May 18th, 1999 in the Portland Oregon Temple. We had a family luncheon following at the Olive Garden there and then the reception that Tuesday night at our home in Bend. An Open House followed in Twin Falls and they took off for a month long honeymoon back-packing around Europe. Darren spoke four languages and Emily played the piano in Spain at church. It was an intense, exciting time and they both decided if they could survive that vacation marriage would be easy.

Emily's graduation June 1998

Bringing Darren to Bend fall 1998

Family at Emily and Darren's wedding May 18, 1999

Bride and groom at the Portland Temple

Family members there...grandparents, Cheri, Heather, Becky and Breanne

The four lovely sisters

Quote from me: “Life is a great ride, but not a race.” Always trying to appreciate and enjoy the present more.

Some other events: 1) A neighbor named Jim who lived with his mother was exposing himself to our girls on their way to seminary and the police and I eventually caught him so the girls wouldn’t have to testify. He was prosecuted and had a restraining order to stay out of our cul-de-sac. 2) I took the three youngest kids camping to Fort Stevens by myself and we had a blast in Astoria, on the beach, etc. and were even invited to a neighboring camper’s birthday party. 3) I cooked pasta feeds at our house for over 50 runners on Chelsea’s cross country team each year. They got invited to run in North Carolina and at Stanford. Chelsea was so fun to watch run. Inspiring.

Chelsea in yellow running for the Lava Bears

Chelsea running in Bend x-country meet

Roger’s grandmother Clayta Nellie Dayley Christensen passed away October 13, 1999. She was born January 9,1908 and had run her husband Marvin’s businesses for many years with their son Larry after Marvin passed away. Roger was only five years old when his Gpa died. Roger and I few to Twin Falls for the day in a private plane for her funeral. I was trying to decide which shoe to wear and forgot to change so had two very different shoes on the whole trip. I wonder how many people even noticed.

Cannot see the mis-matched shoes

Christensen family at Gma Clayta or "Mommy Chris's" funeral

I was having a pity-party prayer lamenting to heaven my frustration at not getting clearer communication through the veil. I pointed out even missionaries who cannot communicate with home got letters. I finished my prayer and opened the scriptures to a short book in the New Testament called Philemon and ironically noticed it was an epistle…a letter from heaven!!!

Early 2001 when Roger was in Vietnam adopting a baby girl with his friend Gary Laursen, I was approached by KC’s basketball coach about running for the school board. Since I couldn't call Roger, I spoke with our Stake President and he told me if I could, I should, that they needed more LDS presence in the community. So I threw in my hat. I was running against an incumbent with a PhD so really thought I had no chance, but I was personally invested with five children in the Bend-LaPine School District. It was the 7th largest school district in the state of Oregon with four high schools (my name ended up on a plaque in one of them) and over twenty schools total.

It was wild campaigning. KC’s coach and Cindy Langhaim were my campaign managers. I printed off a few thousand fliers to be delivered in the newspaper and by neighborhood canvasing. There were debates. One question asked how would I handle criticism. I just reminded them I had four teenage daughters and everyone laughed. The Superintendent took me to “coffee”. He knew everything about me and my family and explained many were worried since I was a “right wing conservative” I was going to try to get religion back in the schools. I told him I was not ashamed of my religion. I almost felt like quoting the scripture from Romans 1:16. I said that was who I was and my religion made me a better person and would make me a better board member. No one really endorsed me, but there was an interview in the newspaper and I ran a hard, fun campaign.

The election was in March. I was home alone, the kids were heading to bed and Roger was working in The Dallas. I got a phone call from Ted Taylor the reporter covering the election (who told a group of high school students during a presentation that I was a blast to interview, that I talked so fast he had a hard time keeping up), wanting an interview because he thought I was going to win with 98% of the votes in. I say “NO WAY!”. I felt so shocked and humbled. I always had something to say, but was speechless. When he asked what I thought the community was trying to say, I wanted to say there was only one reason I won and it had nothing to do with the wisdom of man. The only reason I had a chance was because Heavenly Father wanted me there.

The Stake Patriarch Brother Wilson contacted me and said I needed a blessing. He said I was a “beacon on the hill, that other church members would follow my example and he had had a vision of things in Bend.” He said I needed to know five things: 1) It was a divine call 2) I was to be an ambassador of the Church of Jesus Christ 3) I would know what to say 4) I would overcome criticism 5) I would have the support of my family. It was a powerfully inspiring experience.

The night I was officially made a member of the Bend-Lapine School Board.

I was only able to serve two years of my four year term because we moved again, but many amazing things happened during that time and other LDS people were encouraged to run after I left even though the LDS population made up less than 10% of our community. I was asked to give an LDS candidate for City Manager, who the city wanted to coax to Bend, a tour of the schools and we had his family over for dinner. He accepted the job. During my two years I received an award each year. The first year I was given the “Mary Poppins- killing them with kindness- Award” and the second year the “E.F. Hutton Award…when I speak people listen”. I was blessed to serve beyond my abilities and hopefully made a difference during my time there.

Roger, always restless on the job front, was offered and accepted another job as CEO of Columbia River Bank located in The Dallas, Oregon. He decided since he was still Bishop to commute and work/live in The Dallas at least three days a week until he was released. So for nearly two more years, until spring 2003, Roger lived at a Super 8 in The Dallas and came home Wednesday nights for youth activities and over the weekends. Chelsea was actually willing to move, but was able to graduate from Bend High in 2002.

Stephanie also graduated from Bend High School in the year 2000. She also decided to attend CSI where her Gpa Jerry was president. Emily and Darren were living there too so she had a support system, but she seemed so sad to be left as I drove away. She focused on school and was an ambassador for the college. When Greg Platt, the 6’8” missionary from Redmond, Oregon (who had been in my institute class) returned from Brazil, he found her and they started dating. Emily had mentioned casually that he would marry her sister before he left and Steph had written him over his mission. Stephanie transferred to BYU to be close to him and he proposed in October 2001. Stephanie Marie and Gregory Evan Platt were married on December 28, 2001 in the Portland Oregon Temple. We had a dinner at Chili’s Restaurant near the temple and a beautiful reception at a snowy, holiday decorated Aspen Hall in Bend. Their honeymoon to Hood River and on a Columbia River Cruise had some trials…three flat tires, a cracked radiator and Steph got sick…then they headed back to Utah.

Stephanie's graduation with sisters June 2000

Stephanie with Greg Platt before his mission.

Stephanie with Greg after his mission.

At the Portland Temple December 28, 2001

Our family in the Portland Temple atrium

The extended family with grandparents, Becky, Jared and Wendy

Steph and Greg's reception at Aspen, Hall in Bend

That December was an eternal-event filled month as Halle Brianne Huber, our first grandchild, was born to Emily and Darren December 4, 2001. Roger, Keegan and I took off on bad roads for Boise very early that morning and arrived in time to welcome her. Keegan said she was the “soggiest thing he had ever seen” and asked if she was born in the towel. Roger headed home, but Uncle Keegan and I stayed for a week in their tiny college apartment sleeping on the couch and floor like Cambodian refugees (I joked). Then in February I picked up Hailey in Hemiston from a basketball game and Roger brought the others from Bend for Halle’s blessing in Boise. Greg and Steph met us there. Our family had grown by two.

Halle Brianne Huber at her Blessing in February 2002

5 Generation photo with Halle, Emily, me, Pauline and Gma June

Bonnie, Larry and Cheri welcome Halle. (with Keegan and Emily)

Me holding Halle in front of their apartment...the same college housing we lived with her mom in 1980!

Chelsea had pretty much finished all of her high school courses by January, but graduated with her class June 2002. She considered running in college, but decided go to the College of Southern Idaho like her sisters had for few years. She ended up finishing her degree in Kinesiology Exercise Science at Boise State University.

I gave Chelsea her diploma June 2002.

Chelsea's graduation June 2002

Family support at Chelsea's graduation

Soon after her marriage Stephanie began to struggle again with her high school illness, anorexia, and it became much worse. She was hospitalized to receive IV treatment and monitoring at one point. I wrote in my journal over Thanksgiving 2002 after I saw her, “Steph is wasting away-each time I see her she shrivels more. There is nothing left. She is bones, sinew and skin. When I look at her I cry and so do many family members. I fear for her life.” I worry about each of my children for different reasons, but this has been a tough one. It is so visual and makes no sense.

Roger was released as Bishop in early 2003 and ready to move closer to his work in The Dallas. We found a wonderful home in Hood River, Oregon on the foothills of Mount Hood over looking the Columbia River Valley with an apple orchard and guest house. Change is hard and my family was not really ready to move. Some of their reactions: Hailey said she was staying in Bend (I am sure she was scared and we had waited for Chelsea to graduate). Chelsea said she wouldn’t come home for the summer. Keegan cried. Steph and Greg did not like the house (they could not see the potential). Emily and Darren were supportive (they had not seen the house and did not have to change). KC was willing to go and said, “he was taking one for the team”. But all his coaches were so upset we were moving their star basketball center who was already 6’4” in the 8th grade.

Keegan was baptized at 9:00 A.M. on the morning of his 8th birthday, after the Stake baptism the night before, in a font with cold water shortly before church. Darren conducted, Greg and Emily gave talks, the girls sang “In the Hallow of His Hand”, KC and I gave prayers and Roger baptized Keegan. It was very special and we moved two weeks later. Keegan said it perfectly in a family prayer he gave near that time. He was thanking Heavenly Father for everything and added at the end, “We don’t need anything else, just keep it!” We were off to continue our adventure in Hood River.