About Judy by Judy

I have to admit that I didn't even think about my birthday post until Valerie left a message offering to do it "since I probably didn't want to do my own." Actually it is much safer to do my own....then I know what it says.

First off, let me say that I was always glad to be the oldest. I know I have heard the pros and cons about the middle and end of the family, but I was glad to be first. For one thing, I was the only Giberson child not born in Richland, Washington. I was always glad to be born in Provo, Utah. (Mike once commented that since I was born in Provo, graduated from college in Provo, got married in Provo, and will likely die in Syracuse--about 50 miles from Provo, people reading my obiturary might think I had a rather boring life, when really I didn't.) Second, I got to do everything first.....of course, that isn't actually true--Todd was the first to serve a mission and go to South America, Mike was the first to have a child, Robin was the first "female" sibling to serve a mission, Valerie was the first to see the Garden Tomb and walk the streets of Jerusalem, Lynette was the first to live back east (I think she beat Mike there.), Rick was the first to skip Kindergarden, and Scott was the first to see New York (unless Mike made a trip there before 1990.) Of course, there are thousands of things that my siblings have done that I haven't done....but I was first in those important things like walking, talking, and toilet training! First to have two dimples...always liked that for some reason (Uncle Bob always commented on my dimples when I smiled. He called me Dude when I was little.)
More important were things like driving and going away to college.

The "then" picture.....Like I said, first to walk.....

Heading to Church from our house on Longfit

Notice I am wearing a dress.....back when I was in school, girls had to wear dress every day except for a couple of weeks during the "dead" of winter. That is so hard to imagine now.

I was not a big fan of dresses even now!

Now a few things happened between riding a stick pony in a dress and the following picture of the Halls--

After living in Washington for the bulk of my life, we moved to Texas where I graduated from Tascosa High School in Amarillo. I went to BYU and met Gary on the first day I was there as a freshman. We got married four 1/2 years later and really never dated until after our engagement. A story for another day!

I graduated in psychology from BYU and later with a masters in school psychology.

We lived in 13 different apartments, houses and flats in a variety of places--Springfield, Missouri, Sunset, UT, Clearfield, UT, Provo, UT, West Jordan, UT, Hong Kong, Plano, Texas, and now Syracuse, UT.

Hall Family last summer

And a recent "Now" picture with Gary......

The "Aunts and Uncles" questions

1. Job title and description of what you do: In addition to wife/mother/Church member/Community volunteer, I work part time as a caseworker for LDS Family Services, working with expectant parents and adoptive families.

2. married how long? Gary and I have been married for 33 years so we celebrated by posting a flag pole in our front yard. We were married on the third day of the 3 months so it was a fun anniversary.

3. Hobbies and interests reading, traveling, walking, parties with friends, games, talking to friends and family, did I mention traveling?

4. Favorites:

color yellow, green, and blue

food-home Taco salad

eating out Chinese

movie "The Sting" (I know I am old.)

tv show the older seasons of "House", "NCIS"

sport. professional/college sport teams football/basketball BYU; SanFran Giants and Diamondbacks (near the end of the season): Jazz basketball

snack food nuts and peanut M&Ms

vacation spot sandy warm beaches, probably any where in the world; Hong Kong, Asia in general

game Wits and Wagers; BuzzWord; most games at least once (Unfavorite games--Scrabble--I am terrible at it despite the fact that according to Giberson lore, Dad/Grandpa and Mom/Grandma spent a month playing it waiting for me to be born.)

5. Something you are planning to do this year (before your next birthday) With a couple of my Hong Kong friends, we are planning to HK Women's 22nd Reunion in Hong Kong for March of next year. I am also planning on finishing my Wood Badge "Ticket" which means I will officially be a Scout Wood Badger and a member of Troop 1 for the rest of my life. Go, Owls!

6. Church calling .A counselor in the Primary Presidency

7. A Giberson memory Of course there are a huge number of memories. The first thing that came to mind were our vacations. I thought everyone went on yearly vacations as a family, but as I have grown I realize that it is not as common as I thought. One vacation I loved was our trip to Canada--the mud pots, the moose, attending Church in that tiny Church on the border between the US and Canada, playing in the river by our tent, and hiking around Lake Louise--truly one of the most beautiful spot in the world,

And there you have it..........Judith Ann Giberson Hall!!!! But I am always "Judy" except on my paycheck and my temple recommend (and other important documents!)