HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!!

We love you, Dad!!! Here's a couple of messages from your kids...

Hey Dad,

Happy Father's Day and Happy Birthday.

I have always been grateful for having good parents. I have fond memories of growing up in a happy home, surrounded by others who could have fun together. One of my great enjoyments in life has been playing sports of all kinds. I've always traced this back to when I would watch baseball with you sometimes, and despite being a skinny little kid, translating that interest into ability by joining others in the neighborhood who were into sports as well.

I know as a family we would attract attention simply because there were eight kids in the family, but there was more than that. We were part of a family whose parents were dedicated and involved, and it made a difference. Thanks for everything.

Todd

Dad,

Happy Father's and Birth Day!

As I've watched the US Open and the College World Series this weekend on TV, I reflected back on the many, many games and sporting events that I watched on the TV next to you over the years. Football, baseball, basketball, tennis, some golf, auto racing, horse racing, boxing and Olympics. More specifically ... the Jim McMahon hail mary pass, the Celtics vs Lakers series in the 80s, the Cowboys vs Steelers super bowls, the Danny Ainge shot vs Notre Dame, the Kurt Gibson performance for the Dodgers in the World Series, the last triple crown winner in Horse Racing, Muhammad Ali fights (back when shown on free TV), the Borg vs Connors battles at Wimbledon, later the Evert Lloyd vs Navritalova battles at Wimbledon ... and many more. We watched it all.

With or without trying, you taught important life lessons through these experiences: the thrill of competition, the importance of striving towards personal goals, the importance of team, the value of individual effort, respect for others, loyalty, respect for history, overcoming obstacles, appreciation for excellence, among others. You taught these same lessons to me in other ways, including during family night lessons, but I cherish the memories of sitting around the TV (on our L-shaped sofa that seemed so big to me when we first got it) and watching the ballgame with you, listening to you cheer outwardly, watching you sit on the edge of the sofa (or get up an pace around) during the particularly tense moments, and reacting with true emotion either favorably or not when the final buzzer sounded or horn blew. Through it all though, I remember you celebrating the performance and the effort even if your team didn't carry home the trophy. As with other parts of your life, you appreciated those who did things the right way and did them well.

For those special memories around the TV and the life lessons that came with it, I thank you, Dad. I love you.

Happy Fathers and Birth Day!

Scott

Dad -- Happy Father's Day! (And Happy Birthday while you are at it!) While

you are reading this message, Linda and I are off on an adventure to
celebrate our 20th anniversary. On Sunday we will be in Cusco, Peru. A
couple of days later and we will be at Machu Picchu. So will be hard to call
you on Father's Day, and I am recording this note in advance. Thad had to
sing me the Primary's Father's Day song early since I won't be with him
either this Father's Day.

Thanks for your great example and occasional important guidance over the
years. All that I have of joy in life is what I have built on the foundation
and pattern that you helped teach, establish and demonstrate.

Barring coups, rebellions or mishaps, we will be back in the states the
Saturday after Father's Day. Look for some good pictures to come soon.

Love,
Rick and Linda

[SORRY, RICK'S MESSAGE IS POSTING THIS WAY. IT APPEARS CORRECT IN THE PREVIEW, SO I'M NOT SURE HOW TO FIX IT!]

Happy Father's Day! Now my whole ward knows that my dad taught me to love science, enjoy the theater, and try new things. They also know that you can't make car repairs. I think it is the first talk that I have ever given on Father's Day.

I am so grateful for your example to me throughout my life. I was lucky to be the first in our family. I have great memories of watching you play softball at the park in Richland, going to Giants baseball games in Candlestick Park, working together on Youth Conference in Texas, and some of our funny Family Nights. And of course, playing games of all kinds.....

Have a special day.

Love, Judy

Hey, Dad!

I love you and hope you are enjoying your day (and b-day weekend!). What I remember most is your dedication to church callings (always a meeting to go to!) and to the gospel. I remember watching the many church productions you were involved in and participating in some of them when I was old enough. I remember the Family Night Phantom and FHE Theater. I remember camping and always playing games. I remember you always treating mom with love and respect. Through all of these things and more I have learned the things that make me who I am today.

Love, Valerie

Happy Birthday, Dad......

Today we all know is Dad's birthday. He was born in Long Beach, California.......a long time ago. Due to the unexpected death of his birth mother, Viola Grace, he was placed in the home of James and Ramona Giberson. Although apparently intended first as just a temporary situation, he was adopted by them as a toddler and spent most of his life being raised by his mother who adored him. I am not sure if the heavens knew that adoption would become a heritage in our family as Dad shared that in common with seven grandchildren.

I think Dad also learned the value of opening your home to others. He was befriended by the Calls, the family of his good high school friend, Udall. Though their warmth and kindness, he was introduced to Church sports, BYU, and eventually was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints....and the rest is history as they say. His whole life was devoted to his family and the Church that he loved. (Of course, there was the spare time which he dabbled in games from time to time.)

College student at BYU where he studied chemistry.

He later completed a master degree in the same field from University of Idaho.

Young Marrieds. Note the bow tie!

As the oldest, Dad always called me the "practice" child. I was the first one that got to stay up late on Friday nights and play war games. Mom made the comment that she thought I was 14 before I realized that I didn't have to always play war games on Friday night. But they are fond memories for me. In adidtion to that one on one time, I learned places of history and the strategy of battles. Dad might have beat me, but I got better with his direction and I liked that.

This was a family picture taken by Uncle Grant at their home.

This would have been sometime in the summer of 1961.

We moved to our Agnes house in the summer of 1962. One of the first Christmases after that we got a ping pong table and Dad proceeded to teach us to play ping pong. At the time, I remember thinking that Dad was learning to play at the same time he was teaching us. He seemed about as "skilled" as us in my opinion. It wasn't until I was an adult that I found out that Dad had taught us by playing with his left hand instead of his right. He wanted us to enjoy ping pong so he made that adaptation for us. Of course, ping pong and rotation ping pong are center in many Giberson gatherings even to this day.

Dad and Mom wearing their Giberson shirts from our 1994 reunion in Plano, Texas.

I got to share Stake plays and other drama stuff with Dad as I was a teenager as those things were still a part of the Church. I have fun memories of practices together and watching him perform. I have even a very vague memory of him playing the part of a Japanese man in a play at a Church. The Family Night Theater was a result of his love for drama and although I missed most of those nights, I loved hearing about them.

I appreciate that Dad spend time to organize family reunions. With eight kids, it is a major task but he and Mom were dedicated to getting us together. Before the "three year rule," Valerie said that she would get a call from Dad saying something like Judy will be visiting at this time (fill in blank) why don't you plan to join us...and so he would gather us from our various locations.

None of us wanted Mom to be sick and to struggle with poor health for so much of her life, least of all, Dad. I never remember Dad complaining about it to me. He took care of her and did whatever was needed for her health. He had to do things around the house that he had never planned on doing. I am so grateful for that love and care toward Mom and that example to all of us.

This was a "daughters" picture taken last year at Dad and Karla's home in Midvale.

No discussion about Dad would be complete without including parties and games. Those two words were connected with "Giberson" both in Richland and Amarillo. I can remember Dad and Mom hosting a party in Richland when I was about 10. She had made spaghetti and they had put weird things in paper bags which their guests had to eat with. It sounded like such a fun idea and I couldn't believe that I had not been invited. I remember feeling very "put out" by the whole things. (I tried to remember that feeling as my own children have expressed the same feelings as we have had "friends" parties without them.) Gary and I have continued this same tradition in our family.

Dad and Karla--April 2010

We are certainly glad that Dad was able to add Karla (Nana to the grandchidlren) to his life. It has made these past years so much better for him. They were able to serve a mission to Sendai, Japan, which was one of Dad's lifelong dreams (to serve a mission---I think he was caught off guard to be sent to Japan.)

I am giving a talk in Church tomorrow. In it I share a recent experience when I called Dad to help me help Jena with a chemistry worksheet. In the ending, I share the following: "I am grateful for a father who although he couldn’t fix a car or do most simple home repairs taught me to love science, to enjoy the theater, and to try new things. He cheered for me at my games and was proud of my accomplishments. He taught me to serve God quietly and competently wherever we are called. He told me to marry someone who could fix things around the house and I did. "

Happy Birthday, Dad....I hope it was a happy one.

Agnes Street

Since we had our discussion about the house on Longfitt in Richland, I thought it would be appropriate to have some posts and comments about memories from our home on Agnes Street. Mom and Dad were thinking about building a house and I believe they had some plans they were considering. Then they found this house and felt like it was too good of a deal to pass up, so they sold our house and we packed up and moved to Agnes street. I actually have no memory of the packing and moving part of the whole deal. I would have been seven years old at the time. I must not have been much help.

Agnes Street was in a new neighborhood on the edge of town. We had fields around us for a number of years while construction was going on. It was in the same ward where we had been so no change there. In fact, a few other friends from the ward moved onto some neighboring streets which was a nice bonus in a town without a lot of Mormons.

I will add a picture later when Gary reteaches me how to scan in old pictures. It was a rambler with hard wood floors......three bedrooms, one bathroom, a living room, formal dining room, and a "PINK" eat-in kitchen. It also had a full unfinished basement which later were added a bathroom, a bedroom, and Dad's enclosed train room which was my bedroom for the last few years we lived there.

Mom was never fond of the pink kitchen but she still managed to cook great meals for us. We usually ate dinner in the formal living room since that was the bigger table. The wood floors were the type that had to be polished and I remember enjoying the task more than other household tasks when I was a teenager. I didn't mind sitting on the floor and waxing it by hand. I loved how it looked when it was done and I enjoy the "thinking time." I would not like it now and appreciate my much easier to care for wood floors, but they never look quite the same as that newly polished floor.

We lived there from 1962 to 1971 (for me from age 7 to 16) so I have lots of memories there. Of course, there were the three evergreen trees on the side of the front yard which we loved jumping over in the evenings when we were playing in the front yard. Our tree in the backyard had a weird split in it, so it looked like two trees even though it was only one. I called it Martha and George Washington....was that just me or did we actually name the tree?????

We had a great sand box (actually the whole area was sand so Mom and Dad didn't have to pay to have a sand box) behind our garage. I loved playing in the sand. It was there when digging with some younger siblings when I was 12 that I clearly remember thinking that I would go to China one day. Someone said they were digging to China (a common phrase in sand box conversations of the day.) I remember thinking that you can't dig to China, but I will see it for myself.

Here we are enjoying Slurpees in our living room on Agnes Street. This was back before digital camera where you can take several shots to make sure everyone is looking.......maybe Mom wanted a candid shot. I like this picture.....it doesn't seem like a lot of kids when you are the child....as a parent, it seems quite amazing! And this picture was prior to Scott's arrival as Rick is the toddler in the middle. (Sorry, Rick, to post a "no pants" picture of you. We were all babies once.)

So for the next few weeks, post or comment about our Agnes house...............

HANDMADE=Grandma

***My dad suggested I put this post from my blog on this one as well. Even though about half of you already got it emailed to you today...but he's right, this would be a nice addition to our Giberiginal blog! And my first here!***

I found out about the Gussy Sews blog from a friend who suggested I enter a giveaway for a new Singer sewing machine that was being featured. You know, cause I'm an expert seamstress! Ha! I honestly just sewed something for the first time in my life in May at a Singer House Party a friend was hosting. Anyhow, I started reading the blog and seriously was inspired by it! So, when she mentioned she was doing this Inspiration Worskshop, I thought...why not? So each Thursday (for how long, I don't remember) I'm going to be posting on a different prompt.


Week 1: HANDMADE

Handmade = Grandma.

Grandma & I holding up my "12th Birthday Quilt", Jan. 1992

Grandma loved to create---blankets, quilts, clothes, etc...even stories and poems. She could make anything! I remember when she made clothes for my Barbies from her scraps and the time she made me & Barbie matching jumpers! I would say quilts were her specialty. I know we received many, and I wish I still had them all.

"Crackers" & me, 1983

But my favorite handmade by Grandma item has to be my clown "Crackers" that she made for my 3rd birthday. Besides one lost pom pom from his foot, he was in perfect condition for over 20 years. WAS until my husband and I got a puppy and he found "Crackers" one day. But he was very loved, and still is. I will admit that even as an adult I've hugged this clown and cried, thinking of Grandma or just for comfort during a rough time. It reminds me of her--her smile, her laugh, her creativity and generosity. Simply just the great person she was. Even though she passed when I was 15, she inspires me every day.