Teresa Dee Meyerhoeffer Christensen's Life History : Hood River 2003-2009

View from our deck on Sherrard Road in Hood River.

The Hood River Valley with view of Mount Hood.

HOOD RIVER, OREGON 2003-2009

We moved to Hood River, Oregon March 2003 over spring break. It is probably one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited, let alone lived. We lived on the foothills of Mount Hood on nearly three acres over looking the Hood River Valley and Mount Adams . The over 70 apple trees (that one time KC had to pick all 70+ for a punishment and another year he organized the harvest of them for his Eagle project and donated them to a local food bank) and a few cherry and plum trees were all beginning to blossom shortly after we arrived. The gold fish or koi ponds, birds and wild life were plentiful. It was such a peaceful, heavenly place. There was also a guest house, separate garage and shop on the property. We did have a few adjustments and things that went wrong, but I loved the rural cabin-like atmosphere.

Chelsea and Hailey helping make pies with the apples picked.

Picking apples with Sandy Ostler

KC and Marley enjoying the massive apple harvest?

Hailey’s High School counselors were less than impressive in getting her courses transferred and helping her adjust, but KC’s principal said it took him all of two minutes to fit in at the WyEast Jr. High. Keegan had only one other caucasian boy in his little country school. Pine Grove Elementary was 89% Hispanic. It was a new world. All the school programs were presented in both English and Spanish at all their schools. I decided I needed to learn Spanish. I took three courses while living there, but never was proficient. I could understand the English Spanish-speakers, but not the Hispanic speaking Spanish.

I met a few new friends, Robin Young and Sandy Ostler, and we walked, biked, hiked and snow-shoed the whole area. I also had three people in a very short time tell me they were impressed I was supposed to write a book. I definitely had the desire and started a few, but never knew how to proceed. Maybe one day I will finish that prompting, but I did not there unfortunately.

I was called to work with the Young Women again where I adamantly let them know I was not comfortable sending home a gothic girl who did not fit the perfect mold and said I felt we needed to love all the girls unconditionally. Our eclectic class did a bedroom make-over activity. I let the girls have a drawing. We had such a large class and so many wanted it, I ended up doing two YW’s bedrooms. The one I worked on was tough. This girl lived in a former coal bin under her house. The walls were cement and one was open into dirt under the house. We painted, hung material, cleaned, scrapped paint off the one tiny window and added some furniture. I hope we made a difference in her dismal quarters.

After that I was called to teach seminary for a total of four years. The first year we held it up in our guest house with over 20 students including KC and Hailey. It was pretty cool. For the 10 virgins lesson if they kept the candle I had given them the first of the year they were allowed to go to the “wedding feast” in our main house. We had a sunrise testimony meeting and awards ceremony on our deck overlooking the valley on the last day. The bishop wanted seminary at the church and Roger told him it was hard on our family since he traveled, so I was unexpected released after that year. I was sad about it. It did not make sense to me. But when a new Bishop was called Roger said I could teach if I team-taught, so I team-taught at the church for three more years with two teachers, Devin Wells the fire chief and then Robin my friend. I loved it and Keegan liked to attend with me when Roger traveled. I had success with some difficult students and picked up one ADHD young man named Dakota on my way down the highway. After I moved, I received letters and invitations from former students. Some remembered me years later in Utah.

Our first summer there we finally got the dog that Keegan had been begging for for three years. A dog breeder was giving away free pups from a litter with a yellow Labrador mother and brown German Short-hair father, the perfect hunting mix. We picked out a cute little black girl and Chelsea suggested we name her Marley after Bob Marley who was black :-). She was such a sweet, gentle, good dog who lived with us for over 12 years. She was active and injured frequently, ate apples off the orchard trees and literally ran with the wolves at times. But she became a best friend and walking companion to me and Keegan loved her too.

All the kids came home to Hood River our first Thanksgiving to celebrate our 25th anniversary. Emily put together a book with letters from 31 friends. They also announced on our Thanksgiving tablecloth that they were expecting a sibling for Halle!

KC's 14th birthday at the new house.

Thanksgiving 2003

It was a great Christmas house too. We often had company in the main house and people living in the guest house. At least four different groups of people lived in the guest house while we lived there, including a family remodeling their home in our ward and two young couples doing summer internships. The most meaningful was Jesus. He ironically arrived just before 2005 Christmas which was his birthday. He was a young Hispanic orchard worker from Mexico who had been in an awful car wreck and was in the hospital, then rehab with two broken legs, a lung full of blood, other broken bones and was in a coma for awhile. The bishop needed a place for him to come home from the hospital to recover. We moved him into our guest house and found out his highest degree of pain was from a tooth that had broken off exposing a nerve that was never found or fixed while in the hospital. Again I wished I knew Spanish better, but we did the best we could to help him. He loved my boys and showed them the scripture where Christ said he had engraved them on the palms of his hands. Jesus said he had engraved my sons on his palms. At first we took all his meals to the guest house, but later he ate at least one meal a day with us as he recovered. He was with us over three months, but the bishop feared he would never be able to adjust back to his former life if we kept him much longer and had us take him back to his picker cabin which was very humble to say the least. At some point while in our home we found out he was in the U.S. illegally, Roger did have some concerns about that, but hopefully we did what heaven would have us do for “one of the least of these my brethren”.

Spring 2004 I was supposed to go to Nauvoo with Stephanie. A plane ticket had been her Christmas gift since her health was still not good and I wanted to spend time with her. She had been disconnecting from the family. She decided not to go, so my mom went with me and we spent two days seeing the sites. Some of her relatives had been a part of building the city and the Sister Missionaries lived in the 3-story brick house that was formerly the Yearsley’s. It was such a special trip, we just needed more time to see everything.

June 18th, 2004 Ashley June Huber (grandchild #2) was born in Lewiston, Idaho. Keegan and I immediately drove up and barely missed her birth. We stayed for a week and then brought Halle home with us for another week. The three of us rode Thomas the Train and had grand adventures. The rest of the Huber’s came to Hood River later to bless precious little Ashley June there. And 49 members of the Christensen family came that summer too to have a family reunion at Cooper Spur in cabins and one night at our house. We went to the Columbia River beach, to the fish ladders, hiked, to Ski Bowl, and had a sweet outdoor Sacrament meeting that KC and Ryan spoke at.

Ashley June on June 18, 2004 in Lewiston, Idaho

Christensen Family Reunion at Cooper Spur summer 2004

Winters 2004 and 2005 (and others) brought a ton of snow on the mountain and we were often snowed in since our steep 1/4 mile driveway was difficult to plow. I shoveled it all by hand a few times and the kids would sled down it and even the missionaries did one time after a dinner at our home. One year we sledded the orchard in our canoe down to the main road. Ryan Buttars who came to visit Chelsea was trapped at our house for a few extra days due to the weather. It felt a little like “The Shinning”. He proposed to Chelsea on that New Years Eve at the ball dropping in Portland.

Ryan and Chelsea

Snowy deck on Sherrard Road winter 2004

Keegan and Marley playing in the snow almost roof high

Chelsea Jill and Ryan Cleve Buttars were married in the Portland Oregon Temple on May 26th, 2005 and decided after much searching to have a small private dinner at the cozy White House Bed and Breakfast in Portland following their ceremony. Since we moved to Hood River after Chelsea graduated from high school, she did not know many people there. 60 family members and close friends had a lovely dinner and shared stories in the garden at the White House from 5:00-8:00 that same night. There was an Open House later at Ryan’s parent’s home in Twin Falls, Idaho. The couple went on a cruise of the Mexican Riviera before going back to school at Boise State University.

The Christensen Family at the Portland Oregon Temple May 26, 2005

Chelsea and Ryan's wedding day in Portland

Hailey graduated from Hood River High School just a few weeks later on June 10th, 2005 (could not find a photo in her graduation gown). Although it was a difficult move for her, she ended up having many friends and opportunities. She was elected to student government, played varsity basketball (received the coach's award) and had many suiters, but was selective. One young man she dated named Jake, said his minister would no longer allow him to date her since she was Mormon. She said it was the first time she understood being persecuted for your religion. Hailey decided to attend college at CSI, but later went to Utah State and BYU-Idaho before graduating from college with a major in English and two minors.

Hailey and KC running x-coutry together as Hood River Eagles

Hailey a varsity basketball player

Dressed for one of the dances Hailey attended in High School

Hailey and KC at EFY at BYU Provo.

Another High School dance (they each went with different dates :-)

My Gma June Yearsley Harding passed away on June 23, 2005. She was born in June too, June 11, 1909 and was 96 years old. I always felt very close to her my whole life. She had an injury or polio-like virus before I was born that caused her to not be able to use her arms, but I always enjoyed spending time with her and she held me in different ways. She was so inspiring in all the things she could do without arms…garden, build fires, cook, bottle food and even paint. The morning she died our house was quiet and empty. I was playing an EFY CD as I cleaned. The CD ended and I was doing paperwork in the other room when after quite some time, the CD began again playing a song in the middle of the CD… “I have just one voice, but my voice can still be heard.” I have a strong impression my Grandma June finally got to visit our home in Hood River. At the time she died she had 142 posterity and she had chosen five songs to be sung at her funeral to bear testimony to them: 1) Joseph Smith’s First Prayer 2) I Know that my Redeemer Lives 3) Hold to the Rod 4) How Great Thou Art 5) Oh My Father. I still miss her, but feel her close often.

Gma June at the Harding Family Reunion with Harmon cousins

During these years I visit taught some interesting people and probably the most unusual was Diane Cluff. She was a divorcee who lived up in a tiny town on the mountain called Parkdale with three of her daughters. She home-schooled the youngest two and taught them about giants that inhabited the earth and often had visions she shared with me, most of which I found highly unlikely. Her middle daughter was in my seminary class and the oldest I visit taught too. They were very nice girls. One night they were driving home up the mountain near our home and hit black ice and those two daughters were killed along with a friend of their younger sister. It was so sad. I had major issues driving on icy roads afterward and the fears still haunt me at times.

I spoke on “Charity” in sacrament meetings at Christmastime four years in a row in different wards. It was one of my favorite gospel topics and a quality I prayed to have, so hopefully I learned what I needed to learn. I also read the Book of Mormon through like a novel in a couple weeks and found it so engrossing to follow the storyline and characters in it that way. Near the end when Mormon and Moroni were all alone and finishing the record, I felt so close to them I wept. It was one of my favorite ways to read the book which I have read many times.

September 2006 on one of our many hiking trips our family was coming down Mount Hood with the Ostler’s when my leg slipped off the trail, torqued into a "U" shape and bent with a loud popping sound. I could not stand or walk on it and we were nearly two miles up the trail. KC and Roger took turns piggybacking me down the mountain. It was hard to hop back and forth so KC tore his t-shirt and made a splint for it. At the hospital they said it was a “grotesque anomaly” and found my ankle was broken in two places. I spent the next four months in a cast and boot trying to maneuver crutches, having to have adjustments on my back until it finally healed. While one-legged all the Meyerhoeffer family came for a reunion at Thanksgiving. Unfortunately it poured rain the whole time.

KC was big man on campus at Hood River High and even nicknamed “Big Minutes” since he started all four years on the basketball team (ended up 6th leading scorer in the state his senior year). He was elected Homecoming King, participated in Mr. HRV (Keegan sang with him for the talent portion) and received many academic and sports related awards. After graduation in June 2007 he decided to go to BYU Provo and not continue playing basketball since it would probably not be his life’s career. He was so practical and hardworking. On Keegan’s birthday 2008 he surprised us and drove home from Utah to open his mission call. He was called to the Mexico, Mexico City East Mission to enter the MTC on June 25th. During his setting apart blessing, the Stake President said he was "called to this specific mission in the pre-existence for his leadership opportunities there. He said he would be guarded by angels and though he would not like all of his companions the same, he would treat them and be able to work with them all the same". It was a comfort to a mother sending her child so far away from home.

KC at 6'6" going to a High School dance

KC in action on the court

KC voted Homecoming King (the only non-Hispanic)

KC with Grandparents at High School graduation June 2007

KC's missionary zeal

KC's "white" Christmas in Mexico

With only Keegan left at home, I watched a show on Africa and all the poverty there. I thought no one person could ever make a dent in the need, when another thought came into my mind… “yes you could, you could adopt a child from there and make a difference to him”. I felt extremely motivated to move forward and my very social Keegan was excited to have a sibling to grow up with and not be home alone. I worked with "Americans for African Adoptions" that adopted out of Liberia and Ethiopia. Roger said he did not want a baby but was willing to adopt a boy near Keegan’s age. I started the very long process and was all completed except for the home visit, we had even had possible choices emailed to us and the agency was so happy because no one usually wanted older boys. Then on a Sunday during church Roger took me for a drive and said he had no desire to adopt, he thought I was just going through a fad and wanted me done raising kids. It nearly broke my heart and I feared our family might miss out on eternal opportunities, but I could not proceed without the support of the prospective father. The adoption agency agreed. We did not get our money back, but I hoped that at least helped one of the children in need. Maybe it was just a test to support my husband, but it was one of the hardest I have ever gone through since I felt so prompted.

But another boy did join our family, on January 25th, 2008 Jacob Christensen Huber was born to Emily and Darren in Twin Falls, Idaho. He contracted strep B while being born and spent the first week in the NICU. I stayed in Twin Falls with his two sisters as his parents spent most of the time at the hospital. Keegan and Roger had a treacherous snowy journey with roads closed that took 13 hours each way to come and see baby Jake. Then Jake had eight grandparents at his blessing in March and 32 family members at his brunch. We were excited to have grandbaby # 3 here on earth.

Jake born January 25, 2008

Sisters happy to welcome him home

All of earth-life is a cycle of coming and going. Larry’s health had been failing. For some unknown reason he lost many of his motor skills starting with his small motor skills and eventually he could not walk well and was in a wheel chair much of the time. On August 10th 2008, he was eating crackers and cheese while watching the Olympics and had what they think was a heart attack. The EMTs were told not to resuscitate and Larry Marvin Christensen passed away that day. The German Band playing, retired Air Force serving, fun-loving man had crossed the veil. He had a celebratory funeral, I wrote a poem for the program, there was a 21-gun salute at the burial and an American flag was given to his widow. KC got to call home from the MTC and said he felt like he would not see Gpa Larry again when he left. Larry’s memory lives on in many ways and his presence was felt shortly afterward.

Larry and Bonnie on a visit to Hood River at Lost Lake

The boys going golfing with Larry. KC was on the golf team and worked at the course.

Hailey had been dating a man over nine years older than she was for three years. She was preparing her mission papers to send in since she had turned 21 and he had not committed to marriage yet. Over the 4th of July weekend 2008, Greg (who covered the vent on our roof that birds kept coming into our house through) asked Roger for Hailey’s hand in marriage. On September 27th 2008, Hailey and Greg Lawrence Taylor were married for time and all eternity in the Portland Oregon Temple. We had a family dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory on the river and then a romantic reception in our backyard around the pond with lights on the trees in the orchard. Even a vintage plane flew low overhead and dropped rose petals on the celebration. My favorite part of the whole day was their sealing. The sealer commented that due to the righteousness of those in the room there were many spirits attending from across the veil. "Some were there by assignment and some were there by request!" I had never heard that before but it powerfully rang true. He then whispered in Bonnie’s ear the answer to her unasked question… “he is”. Larry was there and Hailey believes also her unborn son Cash. Their sealing was an eternal moment forever remembered. They headed off on a honeymoon to the Oregon Coast before moving into Greg's home in Rexburg, Idaho.

Christensen Family at the Portland Oregon Temple September 27, 2008

Hailey and Greg Taylor married at the Portland Temple

Tables on the pavers near the pond for the reception, the orchard trees were lit at night.

Hailey's reception at our house in Hood River

The bride amidst her reception set up.

The Monday after this special event, Roger found out he was no longer employed. Columbia River Bank had been struggling due to the high amount of mortgage lending they carried and the falling housing market. Roger had offered his job to the Board to try to appease the stock holders and they took it. He was devastated. Not only was his job gone, but our retirement and all of our stock investments in the bank. It was a black time for him. He sent out hundreds of resumes, flew to Hawaii for a job interview and did a six state tour looking for jobs and businesses. There was a diner in a small town, Big Timber, Montana that he was especially interested in. I was praying massively the whole time. I asked Heavenly Father for a grand favor. Our 30th anniversary was on November 24th and I requested most humbly that all we needed for our gift was a job somewhere. A week before our anniversary things were not looking good, so I reverently reminded Heaven of our great need. Who knows why some prayers are answered in a timely manor and some we must wait long periods of time for, but I received a phone call from a banking friend in Utah who was CEO of the Bank of Utah. He said he had had us on his mind so strongly he wanted to know if everything was okay. I said no it was not. Roger was off on a long journey looking for a job. Jim Anderson told me to tell him to stop by Salt lake City and he had two jobs open that might work for Roger if he was interested. I so appreciate inspired men. On our 30th Anniversary Roger accepted a job in Salt Lake City over the Commercial Lending for the south region of the Bank of Utah with the salary exactly what he had said he felt we needed. It was definitely a miracle.

Roger started his new job the end of November 2008. He lived with his sister Lori Featherstone during the week and went to Twin Falls to be with his widowed mother on the weekends. Keegan and I were going to stay in Hood River until spring and let him finish 8th grade there. He was the student body president, had a band trip to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho planned and 8th grade graduation which was a big deal in that area. It was an extreme winter on Mount Hood. The roads were awful and our power went out at times. Keegan was a rock, talking to me calmly so my shaking legs were able to brave it down our icy driveway, gathering the candles and supplies when we needed them and sleeping in front of the fire when we had no power. I was so impressed with his maturity at 13.

By the first of the year Roger did not feel he could make it until spring and wanted us to move sooner. We had taken a few trips to look for houses. I only wanted to rent if we rented in the area where we were going to purchase a home so Keegan did not have to change schools twice. There were so many areas to choose from. We made offers on three different homes (one offer was not even on the home we thought we were offering on) and finally found one we felt good about on a golf course in North Salt Lake. I packed nearly 300 boxes, had great-garage-give-aways and got the house ready to move. Our movers only took 2/3s of our belongs and left us wondering what to do. Keegan and I finally drove away shortly after his 14th birthday. He said good-bye kissing a line up of girls, (because if he was going to loose his $100 he wanted to make it worth his money :-). We arrived in Utah the end of February. Roger flew back to Oregon, rented a truck and drove the rest of our belongings to Utah where we began our new ward and new life the first weekend in March 2009.