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OPA Does Oregon, 2016

9/25/2016

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The planning started in April.   The praying started in August.   [I probably should have done them in reverse order but it is what it is, right?]   Both actions, planning and praying, bore fruit.   And the fruit, so to speak, was good.  Very, VER Y good.   Great even.      “OPA Does Oregon  2016” was a field trip to remember.     From weather to whales, from low tide to light houses, from sleeping with sharks to wrassling with raccoons, we were blessed beyond measure.   (I want to throw a sentence in here that uses the word “treasure” but that seems a little too hokey, if you know what I mean.)
 
One night, early in the trip, I was pouring my heart out to God, thanking Him for the incredible experience we were having, amazed and so, SO grateful for the way things were working out and for the opportunity to be a part of it, when the Book of Mormon phrase “….inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land….” (found in at least 18 different verses) flowed across the stage of my mind.    I realized, with unmistakable clarity, that the phrase “prosper in the land” is not restricted to crops in the field or money in the bank.

“Teresa,” the Spirit of the Lord whispered, “you have been striving to do what is right [Notice he did not say I was completely successful in my efforts!] and I am taking care of you.”   And take care of us He did.     He took care of us in ways I cannot even begin to fathom much less completely enumerate.    Though I cannot possibly count the all blessings we were given I am going to attempt to make a partial list.
 
Here goes…..
 
We made it there and back, all of us.  Fifty-seven youth, nineteen parents, and five OPA employees (81 total bodies), traveling in twelve separate vehicles, made it to the Oregon coast, interacted with the ocean, and, six days later, made it back, safe and sound, without harm or accident.    Hallelujah!
 
“It’s going to rain,” I told the group in my pre-trip preparation meetings.   “Plan on getting wet.”   “You are going to be wet,” I told them over and over and over again.   I was wrong.   On the Oregon Coast, in late September, we had four days of sunny skies.  Four entire days of sunny skies!!!   Unheard of and unbelievable.     On the fifth day, we had a light sprinkle in the early morning as we got up but when it came time to break camp the sun broke through again.   At home in our Utah desert (right Amie!!) prosperity is usually associated with rain but “prosper in the land” can also mean dry skies, especially when one is camping.
 
The weather was great…..and so were the whales.   Whales!   In my pre-trip planning and praying it never occurred to me to ask for whales.    Nonetheless, we saw them.    Lots of them.    Leisurely swimming close to shore, spouting plumes and long, glistening backs unmistakably announced their presence in the area.    Thrilling.   If I had been the one in charge, I could not have planned it better.    Thank God for the whales!
 
Thank God for the students also.    They were even better than the whales.   Honestly.    Right after seeing the whales, Ellen saw a seal bobbing in the surf.    She turned and, grabbing me around the waist in a spontaneous embrace, said “Oh Mrs. Hislop, thank you!   This just keeps getting better.”    And it did….just keep getting better.

We dissected squid, made remotely operated vehicles and had live crab races at the Hatfield Marine Science Center, went on a behind the scenes tour and slept in the shark tunnel at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, toured the Heceta Head Lighthouse, Sea Lion Caves, and the Bonneville Fish Hatchery, and ate at Mo’s internationally famous restaurant.   We also hiked to Wahclella Falls, walked in Devil’s Punchbowl, and explored tide pools at Marine Gardens and Seal Rock.   Awesome.
 
The students were even more awesome than the events.   Honestly.    Repeatedly and individually they sought me out and personally thanked me for the experience.    Better for me than their expressed thanks was their obvious enrapturement; they were delighted and that delighted me.    It was a life changing experience for all of us.
 
Gabe, a retiring young man who struggles in school, found himself in van full of classmates who are high successful academically as well as socially.   Those darling young people incorporated Gabe, pulling him in their circle much like an amoeba engulfs a morsel of food.     He will never be the same.    Marta, whose trips out have Ogden have been rare and whose interaction with the ocean nonexistent, kept saying “I cannot believe I am here.    I cannot believe I am here.”   Kale, a rather large and fairly awkward football player, giggled and giggled and giggled and giggled (and giggled) when I sat on him in his sleeping bag and Tim’s  teasing “Blah, blah, blah” was his way of begging him to punch him in the arm, which I did and he loved.   Grayson’s careful shopping for souvenirs for his family members warmed my heart as did the meticulous notebook Martha made, the extra lab work Allen did and the happy hug Karen gave me every time she saw me.   Wakeley’s invitation to my Mr. Miles to join her in the squid dissection deepened my love for her and Yvonne’s invitation to my Mr. Miles to sit with their group at the restaurant cemented her place on my list of favorites.   Jessup, who typically holds his hand over his mouth and has to be repeatedly encouraged to speak over a whisper, was actually yelling across the restaurant to his new friends.   Victory!
 
We could not have done it without parents…and not just because they procreated 13-14 years ago.   Seriously, the parents were marvelous, simply marvelous.   “I feel the need to give you a hug,” Bill said..and this after he spent five days driving eighth graders around in the 15 passenger van he rented for the trip.   “What can I do to help?” Julie and Brent repeatedly asked.   Jonathon’s “Cobra Kai..No mercy in this dojo” van was a force to be reckoned with and his cooking a golden ticket to whatever field trip he wants to attend forever after.    Van, Andy, and Carlye entertained us around the campfire---burning magnesium makes an awesome light show-- while Sharon and Abe entertained the kids.  (THANK YOU Abe for being the “Plan B for Backup” whenever we needed a time filler!!!). 
 
My OPA teammates were awesome as well.   Amie, my boss, let me run the show, which is only one of her many outstanding leadership traits.   Karole kept the raccoons out of the trailer.  They may not have understood her gangster trash talk but the shovel in her hand made things pretty clear.  Beth’s organizational skills were a huge blessing as was Jerri’s upbeat attitude.     And Garey, who was initially a self-appointed Heceta Head Junior Ranger and later officially sworn in as an Army Corp of Engineers Junior Ranger at Bonneville Dam, kept me in stitches while winning my heart.   
 
Best of the best was Mr. Miles, my 12 year old son and constant costal sidekick.    Sharing the adventure with him was priceless, worth every second of preparation (there were LOTS of those) and every moment of stress (there were a few of those also) I experienced.   With Andy’s help he erected our tent the first night and without anyone’s help he prepared our sleeping spot the last night.   He put himself to bed on nights I was out late and prepared his own dinner every night.   He ran me excitedly from octopuses to otters in the aquarium and stoically accepted the fact that he and I would not be able to sleep with the sharks.    On the last night, concerned about the multiple drivers who decided to drive through the night rather than sleep at Imbler High School, I asked Miles to include a plea for their safety in his night prayer.   “I already have,” he told me.
 
I thank God for keeping us safe.   I also thank Him for the incredible blessings He gave us of which I am aware and the probably countless more about which I am clueless.     Indeed He “prospered us in the land”.   I know, from multiple experiences, that sometimes prospering in the land includes a lot more challenges than it did this week—it’s the challenges that help us develop faith—and I am so, SO grateful that this week the prosperity was the challenge-free variety.  God is good.  VERY!
 
Love,
Teresa

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Low tide at Seal Rock
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Harbor Seals
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Gray whales
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Yes, this is a photo of the principal creating graffiti....
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Crab races
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Keeping the stats...
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Focus...
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Making the remotely operated vehicle.....
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On your mark, get set.....
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Comparing the contestants
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Squid anyone?
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....focus!
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...and testing the remotely operated vehicle.
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Heceta Head Lighthouse
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OPA at Heceta Head Lighthouse
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Sleeping with the.....
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...sharks!
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Jelly anyone?
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Mossy covered street signs are not something one sees in Ogden.
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One does not see a lot of seal lions in Ogden either.
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Fish swimming....
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,,,and fish jumping.
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Wahclella Falls
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Beverly Beach
5 Comments

Beautiful

9/18/2016

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Beautiful.
 
BEAUTIFUL!
 
It was a beautiful night.   It was a beautiful experience.    And it is a beautiful girl.
 
It was a perfect fall evening, cool enough to be pleasant, warm enough to NOT need a coat.  (Beautiful night.)  Coming off an exciting win over Fremont, the mood at Roy High’s Homecoming Dance was buoyant.    (Beautiful experience.)  And Grace, who is a genuine “sweet spirit” is also a stunningly attractive teen.  Beautiful girl.
 
She let me do her hair (a genuine risk), was stunned at the antiquated technology I used (hot rollers), and then felt sincerely pleased with the result.
 
Our sweet Grace is becoming a real lady.    And we are genuinely pleased with the result. 


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0 Comments

Warn Your Neighbor!

9/18/2016

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The city lawyer said that he would cut my fine in half if I would warn seven people.    
 
WARNING:  There is a new stop sign at the T where 4150 South abuts 2175 West in Roy.   And if you fail to see the new stop sign---even if you are going the speed limit and even if there is no apparent reason for a stop sign to be there and even if there has not been a stop sign there the last 100 times you have driven down that road—then the policeman parked in the field will pull you over and he will give you a ticket.  Just sayin…..
 
Here’s the story:
 
Last Thursday I dropped Grace off at Roy High and Miles off at Sand Ridge Junior High.   Being in the area and remembering that I had a couple soon-to-be-overdue books, I proceeded south on 2175 West, library-bound.     On my way I noticed two things:   1) the school zone lights were flashing, indicating the speed limit between the two signs was 20 mph and 2) there was a policeman parked right beside the flashing school zone lights.

“I got this,” I said emphatically to myself.  “I got this.  I see the policeman, I see the school zone, and I will see that I give the officer no reason to pull me over.”     Feeling rather proud of myself for my acute observation skills, I crawled through the school zone at 15 mph and did not speed up until my back bumper was well beyond the End of School Zone marker.
 
Much to my surprise the lights on the police car flipped on and the officer pulled out behind me.    So confident was I that I expected him to pass right by me when I pulled over.    I was again surprised when he pulled in behind me but my confidence never faltered.   I knew I had done nothing wrong.   “I got this.”
 
I rolled down my window (literally—my new truck has roll down windows, you know.   Have I mentioned that I love my new truck?  I LOVE my new truck!!!!) and handed him my driver’s license, still fully confident that I had not broken the law. 
 
“Ma’am,” said he, “you did not even slow down for that stop sign.”
 
Stop sign????  Stop sign!?!?!  Who put a stop sign there?   No, I did not slow down for the stop sign.  I did not even see the blasted thing.   I certainly did not know there was a stop sign there.
 
But now you do!

 

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Gin

9/11/2016

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​Gin made me look good.   Honestly!
 
Here’s the story…..
 
Ginifer Watson, who served for nearly 10 years as a secretary at Ogden Preparatory Academy, made me look good….and not just when she stood beside me.   [She is gorgeous so when she stood beside me the overall picture improved, believe me!]      Gin made me look good because she did lots of work for my students and I got all the credit.   It was a great gig…for me anyway!   
 
Like the students of most teachers, my students submit assignments and take tests.   However, unlike the students of most teachers, when my students earn 100% on a test or on a notebook, they get a post card in the mail that announces their accomplishment to their parents.   The post cards are personal, colorful, and cheerful.   Many, MANY are the students and parents who told me how meaningful the post cards have been to them.   “My fridge is decorated with post cards from you.”   “My mom took the post card to work to show her friends.”   “My younger son is excited to take science next year so that he can get post cards like his sister did.”   Gin made the post cards look great and the post cards made me look great.  
 
Post cards are not all that Gin did for me.   She printed certificates of award to be given to southern UT and Havasupai field trip participants, she organized the science fair—listing entrants, categorizing projects, and coordinating awards, and she ordered buses and lunches for me when I scheduled field trips, among a myriad of other things.
 
One of the myriad of other things Gin did for me was have my back.   When the North Fork Environmental Center billed me erroneously for lunches Gin waved me off.  “Don’t worry about it,” she said, “I’ll take care of it.”  And she did.    When I realized the day before a trip that I’d forgotten to order a bus “Don’t worry about it,” she said, “I’ll take care of it.”  And she did.     When my daughter ended up in the hospital and I needed a substitute “Don’t worry about it,” she said, “I’ll take care of it.”  And she did.   
 
Gin had more than my back, she had my heart.    When that daughter was in the hospital, I needed more than substitute.  I needed a hug too.   Gin gave me both….and more.   “I need my computer to make sub plans,” I told her, “but I cannot face seeing anyone right now.”  “Don’t worry about it,” she said, “I’ll take care of it.”  And she did.    She met me in the lobby with my computer….and a hug…and a piece of her heart.
 
Gin, you have given me your heart and I want you to know that you have mine.    Thank you for writing me sweet notes (I still have them) when I struggled with the reality of having to return to work after a summer with my family, thank you for always smiling and saying “What can do I for you?” when I asked if you were busy, thank you for bringing your husband to meet me at the faculty Christmas party when I was feeling awkward and slightly out of place.   Thank you Gin.   Thank you.   And I love you.   Always.

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How to Turn an Acura into a Ford

9/4/2016

2 Comments

 
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The Acura

  1. Run the Acura into a parked trailer.   Be sure to go at a speed slow enough to guarantee that no injuries are inflicted on the passengers but fast enough to crumple the front end, damaging it enough to ensure that the insurance declares the vehicle a total loss.
  2. Text your friend and ask her if you can borrow her Range Rover for two days until your other vehicle returns from its fishing trip in the mountains.   If you do it right (or more accurately, if you ask the right friend—one who is generous, trusting, and self-sacrificing) then your friend will loan you her Range Rover for the two weeks it takes you to find a replacement vehicle.
  3. Marry a fabulous man who is committed to making your dreams come true.   If you marry such a man then he will begin a hunt for a truck for you (if that is your dream).   Turn the vehicle replacement responsibilities over to your marvelous man and his hunt will take him through literally hundreds of hours of time on the Internet scouring literally thousands of auto ads.   In his attempt to secure the best vehicle for the money that he has available, he will research trucks, truck engines, and truck options of all varieties, he will briefly consider flying back east where truck prices are consistently better, and will seriously consider flying to Canada to bring home a specific CNG (compressed natural gas) truck. 
  4. Decide, based in research done, to buy a CNG truck.  This decision will take your man to Kaysville, money in hand, to make a purchase.   The “make-no-deals”, arrogant attitude of the truck’s owner will send him back to the Internet where he will find a newly posted ad for a different CNG truck, this one located in American Fork. 
  5. Make a call to the truck’s owner and learn that the truck (and owner) are currently located at Scofield Lake.  This will lead to a foray to the lake where the owner’s willingness to negotiate, coupled with the truck’s appearance and performance, will lead to an agreement to purchase the vehicle.
  6. Research the vehicle and discover that its CNG tank is expired which will enable your man to negotiate a further reduction of the purchase price but will effect an increase the vehicle’s actual cost.
  7. Buy the vehicle.  Your man will replace its CNG tank, license and register it, resign himself to drive the family van to and from work, and will give you a new-looking, white, 4x4, extended cab, CNG 2003 Ford truck.
 
Simple as that!!

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Thank you SANDY UNDERWOOD for the two week loan of your cherished Range Rover!
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CNG = Compressed Natural Gas, currently $1.67/gallon
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Two fuel doors, one for CNG and one for regular, unleaded gasoline
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I love the windows that roll down manually. If I ever end up submerged in a lake in my truck (I read about it all the time in the Reader's Digest) I will be able to roll down the window and escape. Being trapped in a submerged truck is worry I can check off my list now!
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I love my truck. I LOVE my truck! I LOVE MY TRUCK!!!!!!
2 Comments

    Author

    Teresa Hislop
    thislop@msn.com

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