More Bend 1996-1997

BEND, OREGON 1996-1997

We lived on Dooley Mtn. Court for 12 years total. That is the longest we ever lived at any location and probably will remain the longest (unless Mountain Green or a nursing home beat the record :-). We lived so much of our lives there I will try to share some more glimpses from that time period.

Three of my girls turned 16 when we lived in Bend. On their 16th birthday I would take each child to lunch and give them $100 if they had not kissed a boy (or girl) yet. (Emily earned the $100, Steph’s money was pro-rated since she was so close to making it and the rest did not get a cent, but they were honest about it.) I also gave them a CTR ring, “Return with Honor” ring or ring of their choice to wear until their future marriage partner replaced it with a wedding ring. It was a reminder to save themselves and keep pure for that person they would one day marry. 

I had my first patient die while working as an RN at St. Charles. It was hard, but more peaceful that I thought it would be. She must have been a good woman. The hardest part was telling the family as they arrived because it was unexpected. Some living patients had  darker feeling spirits in their rooms. In 1997 I asked for a leave of absence from the hospital since my family’s needs were more important to me. I hated to miss out. 

A classic family story from these years is when Roger said he was going to spank Emily for something she failed to do. KC stood up for her and said he felt she meant to do it and to spank him instead. He truly was a humble, good boy.

In YW’s when I was the president we did dinner theaters for fundraisers with mock-musicals based on LDS versions of fairytales. Emily, Stephanie and Chelsea participated in “Dreadlocks and the 3 Missionaries”, “Pure White and the 7 Values” and “Spirtualla" while they were in YW's with me…not sure what happened to those beauties, but maybe I could have made money on Broadway. Just kidding. Then summer 1997, I with two YM youth leaders and the Bishop, took 25 youth to Utah to go to Lagoon, do baptisms in the SLC Temple and to the Manti Pageant. Before our time in Bend was over I would drive for another Laurel/Priest trip to Utah that Chelsea organized for her Laurel Project.  

For Mother's Day 1996, I was given a set of the new scriptures and became obsessed with reading them. I had the desire to be a scriptorian. I read all four books of scripture along with five institute study manuals that went with them in just one year. When I finished I was pondering if I should start again, when I was called to teach the Young Adult Institute class for four years and was able to go through every book I had just studied!

The Catchpoles took Roger and I to Louisiana to see New Orleans and do a 3-day tour of his mission 20 years after he served there. It was special to see where he lived and meet a few of the people he knew and baptized. Brother Haley in Gonzales was now 82 years old, his wife had dementia but he remembered Roger and we had a sweet visit. We saw Roger’s apartment or “pad” in Gulfport, Miss. too. It was a great trip.

With Cathcpoles in New Orleans

Brother Haley (who Roger baptized 20 years earlier) in Gonzales, Louisiana

Roger's missionary "pad" in Gulfport, Mississippi.

We went on some pretty great family vacations almost every year. When the kids were little we mainly camped, but as they grew both Roger and I wanted them to have memories they would always remember. (I will have a separate section listing our vacations). We went to Canada via Moscow to see Gpa Art in 1996. Our van broke down near Grangeville, Idaho for a few days, so Moscow was cut short, but we saw Banff, Lake Louise, Glacier National Park, Vancouver, and Victoria, Island. All eight of us in an old van with no air conditioning, spraying each other with spray bottles and driving over 3000 miles in a week. Sounds awful, but it was memorable and the best because we were all together according to KC.  

On our way to Canada

They named the library on the College of Southern Idaho campus after my father the “Gerald R. Meyerhoeffer Library.” I drove down for the dedication. Family events are important. 

Emily and I with my parents at the library dedication

The Gerald R. Meyerhoeffer Library on CSI campus

We also baptized KC in Twin Falls in the same font that Roger and I had been baptized in so more family could attend. My dad spoke on KC, my mom on Baptism, Roger’s mom on the Holy Ghost, Roger’s dad sang “I Believe in Christ” and his sister’s sang “My Story”. KC said he felt all “tingly” and Keegan kept trying to take off his shirt to “go swimming”.

KC's baptism in same font both Roger and I were baptized in

KC chose to get baptized in Twin Falls, Idaho

The family members who came to KC's baptism

We decided to build an addition onto our home.  A builder enlarged the family room to 600 square feet and added a bonus room above it.  I felt it might be too worldly and expensive, but prayed about it and felt we were doing it for right reasons. We hosted many, many church events there all of the years we lived there. Emily was quite out-spoken and upset we did not use the money for her college. 

I applied for a job with the health department that was only 18 hours a month and perfect fit for me. On the way there I had a powerful impression they would offer me the job and if I wanted it I could have it. The interview was for 30 minutes with five people asking me tough questions around the table. It went very well, I was witty and answered much better than I would ever have been able to on my own. The next day they said I was the finalist, but would have to agree to give emergency contraception or an “abortion pill” for girls within 72 hours of unprotected sex. I said I felt I had a lot to offer, but that I was not comfortable giving that pill and asked if others working there could give it and I would perform the rest of the job description. After debating, the supervisor decided that I must be willing to give the pill and if not they would recommend me for any other job in the county. I declined the offer.  I felt it was a test of sorts and never regretted not taking the job. I ended up working for an Adult Home Foster Care once a week where I could take Keegan with me. It was more perfect. 

Hailey with "Sky" before she flew into the sky.

Summer 1997: Hailey (who always had or wanted a pet) got a bird and named it Sky…it flew away one day when someone left the door open. Chelsea placed in the district track meet in the 1500 meter and was always an amazing distance runner. KC loved scouts. Keegan got a fish hook stuck in his finger. Stephanie broke her arm playing basketball. Emily got her wisdom teeth out. My friend Mary Ann Salisbury went to my 20th School Reunion with me. (I got an award for most children).

Me with Mary Ann before our 20th Class Reunion

Then on September 28th, 1997 Roger was set apart and sustained to be our new Bishop. Our former Bishop Chastain was called to be the new Stake President. At 4:30 on Saturday afternoon the 27th, I got a phone call that a General Authority, N. Eldon Porter who was one of the 7 presidents of the 70, was coming to our house in 10-15 minutes. Talk about a whirl-wind pick up job with a house full of kids! It was a special experience to have two General Authorities in our home (Elder Brent Nelson our area authority came too). Roger had three spiritual experiences to prepare him. In one he saw Elder Porter looking into his eyes and  said they both knew, in another he was made aware of his weaknesses and also all that Heavenly Father had given us. Roger had aways been skeptical of people who said they knew callings in advance, but he could not doubt. He was a great and beloved Bishop for over five years in two different wards in Bend...Bend 4th Ward and then the newly created High Desert Ward. When he was called we had six kids living at home and Keegan was two years old, when he was released only three children were left at home, KC had received the priesthood  and Keegan was baptized. But we were not done living in Central Oregon yet. 

Roger called as Bishop

Summertime Christensen kids

Wintertime Christensen kids