MY MOTHER: EILEEN JANE OWEN GIBERSON

+TAKEN FROM MY JOURNAL, OCTOBER 8, 2012+

I've read two more of my mom's journals. It's an obsession. I finished one Sunday night and started another and then stayed up half the night finishing it. After falling asleep I dreamed Amarillo Texas all night. Before going to sleep, though, I went outside on the patio where it was actually feeling a little cool (it is September in AZ after all--the nice weather is coming). I just felt I needed to pray again (I'd already said my nightly prayer) to express my appreciation for my mother. I asked for a few more blessings to be sent her way for being the amazing person she was (is).

It's so interesting to look at her life and our family's life through her eyes. To me as a child in all of it, I just think of how wonderful it was and how wonderful our family was. I know we weren't perfect, but what a fulfilling life--speaking specifically of years in Amarillo since those are the journals I've been reading. (Of course, a childhood in RICHLAND, WASH was idyllic, we all know that!) So here's a perspective shift while reading, where I am reminded that it wasn't an easy life for my mother. Okay, not pioneer-harsh, but not easy in that she was virtually sick most every day with a headache. She had 8 children going every which way and most often with only one car to do it in. She had a constant stream of church work and church meetings to attend to, as did my dad and the children, too. Besides the one-car thing, they had so many car problems. They also had so many appliance issues and breakdowns and the going without. Like how do you go 6 months without a working oven? Three plus years without a dishwasher (okay, that's doable, though highly unpleasant as I recall!) Now I love doing dishes--it's my favorite household chore--what a surprise!

That was the downside to her life, but she had a very rewarding life nonetheless. She wrote so many programs, played so many organ and piano numbers, sung in so many choirs, taught so many lessons, gave so many talks, planned so many parties and events for both church and family. She studied the gospel and nurtured a fervent testimony. She was a pillar of strength and example in the Amarillo and Lubbock stakes. And I haven't even got to the whole getting sick, being bedridden, and the subsequent heart transplant.

Seriously, you just had to know her. You had to be around her to hear her play the piano or give a talk. You had to be in her home for a party or sing-along or dinner or Family Home Evening Theater or for games. You had to receive a letter from her or read a poem she wrote. You had to hear her give a witty comment.

I hope someday you will get the chance. (Heaven won't be soon enough.)

Journals, Family History, and Sheri Dew

+THIS WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2012 FOR THE GIBERIGINAL BLOG+

A week ago Sunday, Sister Sheri Dew* came to Mesa to speak at a fireside for a Young Single Adult Stake in our area. At the time arrangements were first being talked about, the YSA branch involved in inviting Sister Dew was still part of our stake. Because of that, my stake became the host for the event and I got to be the one corresponding with Sister Dew's assistant (I served as Stake Relief Society president at the time.) (In June our little YSA singles branch was incorporated into a YSA stake.) The fireside was wonderful, and the family that was there all got to meet Sheri Dew. At the request of President Decker (our stake president and Jarom's father-in-law) I put together a little thank you gift for her and she actually hugged me after I gave it to her. :)

Anyway, fast forward a few days...Judy arrived in town in time to attend the fireside, then on Monday we started our project scanning mom's journals, personal history, and the family history. We had an awesome scanner borrowed from the Deckers which was fast and would scan both sides of a page at once. Judy returned to Utah on Wednesday and we're now working on organizing the files to get them in a fashion suitable for family consumption--personal history and family history specifically.

 

On Friday I chose a journal to read of the ones Judy left behind...

 

Mom recorded in January 1989 that Dad was in the hospital and his roommate was Charles Dew from Ulysses, Kansas. Mom and Dad became acquainted with him and his wife JoAnn and learned of their family--the oldest daughter was Sheri who had recently authored President Benson's biography. Dad was released from the hospital, but the next day or so they returned to visit Brother Dew. Sister Dew gave them a copy of President Benson's biography--signed by Sheri Dew and the Prophet. I went to my bookshelf and took out our copy of the biography and opened it to find that it was the very book given from the Dews to our parents. It has their book stamp in it. After mom's death and dad's remarriage, he gave away many things that were duplicates or wouldn't fit into Karla's house, so that is how I received the book. It was a tender moment to find that tangible connection between Mom and Dad and the Dews.

In reading further into 1990 I found that Sheri Dew was the guest speaker at their women's conference and spoke at Lubbock's women's conference as well. She attended church in their ward in Amarillo that Sunday. Mom was in the Stake Relief Society presidency at the time and was behind the request for Sheri to come. It was so sweet to have just met Sister Dew after the Mesa fireside the Sunday prior and then find this connection with our parents, and particularly Mom.

 

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheri_L._Dew