Still Running

Merry Christmas, from the Gibbons Family!! The year 2011 has flown by, and we have enjoyed many opportunities to learn and grow together as a family! The year’s family activities included a summer camping trip in Yellowstone National Park and a Christmas snowmobile trip in Island Park, Idaho. The kids were able to get to know their siblings and cousins better, make forever memories, and love each other more! Here is a little bit of what everyone has been up to…

Andrea (8) had her birthday in May, and was baptized a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by her brother, Cameron. It was many years ago that these two planned that Cameron would baptize Andrea, and it was sweet to see them together on this special day! Andi is enjoying 3rd grade this year, and continues to do well in school. She still dances with the Young Dancemakers at BYU, and is becoming a beautiful and strong dancer! She also played soccer on a team with her cousins this past spring, and found that she loves to play the game! She’s a little bulldog!! Her dad and uncle coached them, and they had a great time! Andrea loves to laugh, and to be a big helper. She is typically at her mom’s side, helping out in any way she can! If it was time to work in the yard, it was Andrea who was usually found by her Dad’s side.

Derek (10) is having a great year in 4th grade. He has many wonderful friends, and enjoys spending time with them. He continues to play soccer and has really improved, playing an important role as a defensive player. After the fall outdoor season, his undefeated team played as an indoor soccer team, and they all learned to play soccer in a whole new way! Derek looks forward to continuing his play with his great team and coaches! Derek also played Jr. Jazz basketball last winter, participated in the Lone Peak summer basketball camp, and looks forward to being on a Jr. Jazz team again in a few weeks. He is a delight in our family, making us laugh regularly! His laugh is absolutely contagious…truly a ‘full body’ laugh! He has also discovered how much he loves to read, and it has been fun to watch him discover how fun books are.

Tiffany (13) is in 8th grade. She continues to be in the Academy program, taking honors classes for all the academic subjects, and still maintains a 4.0! She also sings with women’s chorus, and has a beautiful soprano voice! Last February, Tiff had surgery on both feet to remove extra bones on the insides of each foot. She was in a wheelchair for 3 weeks, and boots and crutches for 4 more weeks while the re-attached ligaments healed. In spite of that experience, she continues to do gymnastics 3 ½ hours, after school, each day. She culminated her year of work by winning a State Championship on Floor Routine for her age group. She just finished all the requirements for her personal progress award, and will be receiving it soon. Tiffany amazes us with all she does, her kindness, and never-ending fun personality!

Jason (15) is now in 10th grade, and enjoying being in high school. At 6’ tall, he has nearly overtaken his Dad in height. Jason continues to take challenging and advanced classes, and found a way to earn another 4.0! His French is getting pretty good :-)! He still plays the cello with the orchestra, and takes private lessons. Jason was in the pit orchestra for the musical “Beauty and the Beast”, which was an amazing production at the high school! Over the summer Jas enjoyed attending the Lone Peak basketball camp. He then went on the Stake Pioneer Trek, and had a great experience! He also went to EFY at BYU Idaho with his brother, and has great memories of his experience. Jason has great friends, and attends the temple weekly to do baptisms with them. He is such a great example of kindness, gratitude, and service! We don’t know what we would do without him!

Cameron (17) is a senior in high school. It is hard to believe how fast time is going! Cam is half way through his 3rd and final year of being on the Lone Peak varsity basketball team. Last season, the team won the 5A State Championship, and Cam is the proud owner of a state championship ring. This year we have high hopes for another great year! Following a team trip, back east, to compete with some of the very best all-star teams in the country, Cam attended our Stake Youth Pioneer trek, and had a wonderful experience with his trek family. He made permanent and lasting memories at Especially for Youth in Rexburg, ID, and made friends that continue to be very close and important to him. Cam finished all the paperwork and requirements for his Eagle Scout award, and has turned it all in. He will complete the process and receive his award in January of 2012. He looks forward to graduating from high school and is looking forward to college and serving a mission for the LDS Church.

Deborah has had a busy year. Along with trying to keep up with the family, (which is no small thing), in April, Deb graduated with high honors from Weber State University’s nursing program. Four days later she had back surgery to repair a herniated disk and remove a wayward fragment from some nerves in her back. Not exactly what she had planned for this year! The recovery was long, but she is back to running and feeling great! She passed the nursing state boards and is a full fledged RN! She had a FUN summer with the family, enjoying a “school free” summer with the kids – well earned after several years of school! In August, she started working at UVRMC in Provo on the medical/oncology floor. She loves taking care of her patients and their families…usually :-).

Nathan continues to do a great job, working as a Counseling Manager for LDS Family Services in Provo. He also keeps up a small, after hours, private practice in Alpine. He has been playing basketball regularly with the ward several mornings a week, and has started running again. He is in great shape…at least for a 41 year old! Nate had a nose job…ok, sinus reconstruction surgery, if you want the specifics :-). It was not a fun procedure to recover from, but it has already helped reduce the sinus infections and headaches, so it was worth it! Nathan continues to be a passionate BYU fan (any and all BYU sports), and an enthusiastic Lone Peak Basketball fan! He has had a lot to cheer about!
In between all of the individual activities we somehow found time to take a few vacations, including Island Park and Yellowstone over the summer, where we had a great time 4-Wheeling, fishing, and hiking. We decided, as a family, to forgo Christmas gifts and go back to Island Park, and spend Christmas in a beautiful rustic cabin, snowmobiling during the day and hot-tubing during the night.
Turns out, there was barely enough snow, but we had a fun week of adventure. Unfortunately, the second day was cut short by Deb crashing headlong into a tree. Fortunately, nobody was seriously injured, and we finished the vacation playing games and enjoying our time as a family! We have witnessed small and large miracles in our family throughout the entire year, and are grateful for our Savior, Jesus Christ. His perfect life, unbelievable offering on our behalf, and his resurrection are all gifts we are constantly grateful for. In a world full of chaos and confusion, we are happy to have each other. We love you all and thank you for your love in return. May each of you have a happy and successful New Year!

With love,
Andrea, Derek, Tiffany, Jason, Cameron, Nathan and Deborah.