I have no back-up but I will be fine.

Myrna wrote: Shawn is in Las Vegas, he is presenting at a conference there. Todd is in Ohio. Amy and Eric are both at work and, in fact, I am supposed to have their kids at that time. AnnMarie has court and I will have Matthew. Mary HATES traveling and cannot be around just any kids so that leaves Julie out as far as the driving help is concerned. You and Kirsten are too far away. Allan and family are going the day before. David is too far away and has to work.

As for watching the kids, Mary Horrocks has said she will help out. But that is OK. I think this may be best for me. I know what a great guy Vance is. I just want his family to know that I do. I want Sonya to know that I care about her and that I love her.

I think I will be happy with having Julie come and watch the kids so I can go to the cemetery. That is actually what I get for being such a weenie. I am a good enough driver it is just that I don’t know what to do with the rest of my life. Wednesday is school board and I will be up late. I also have been asked to take a meal into a family. I will also have the kids all day on Wednesday by myself since Dad and Jim will not be back from working with the bees in California. Then I am to have Todd’s kids for a few days. I think I just may be tired. I am not as young as I used to be when I could burn the candle at both ends and not pay for it the next few days. My problem with driving is getting enough sleep so that I don’t fall asleep at the wheel. Sleep may not be a possibility.

I’ll bet you know just what I mean. So I can quit rambling.

Love, Mom

For Vance

Melanie wrote: I just got your mail about the money. I will send a donation.

Thanks. 
Melanie

Myrna wrote: Sonya could use the money. The insurance that they had, according to Alan, was just the senior citizen variety that comes from the government. (I never can remember the name.) He is worried that this last surgery will be so pricy that Sonya will be in debt for years. I hope not, but, nevertheless, I am donating money in a card. I am not rich, as you know, so I will just give $20 and wish that it could be more. Vance was the one who sent us $10 bill each month for our missionaries. I found that out from Alan just a short time ago. It would come in an envelope with the address typed on an old typewriter.

Love, Mom

Dog Run

Kimberly wrote: We do want to dog run.  I told Shawn, but he's forgetful.  Dane is getting a dog/puppy somtime this Spring--we think we may want to start with a younger dog.  Abby was just too big for us and she wanted to be in the house. 
I would like to get the dog run and fencing put together and ready before we bring home the next dog.
Shawn is out of town this weekend and the next weekend is Easter, which would be fine if you guys are around we could probably come down that weekend.
Thank you so much for bringing it up from St George.

Myrna wrote: You are lucky. Dad offered it to our neighbor and he was going to let us know this week whether he wanted it or not. I will tell Dad. Love, Mom

Kimberly wrote: Thank you. We really are getting a dog, I just don't want to rush the decision because it is quite a long commitment.

Myrna wrote Twelve years, at least. That is if you and the dog can stand it that long. Mom

Good News About Bree Expecting

Barbara wrote: Did you get my mail telling you Bree is pregnant? She is going in for an
ultra ultra sound on the 17th. We will find out if there is anything wrong with the baby. 

Both she and David seem happy about the whole thing. I will just keep my fingers crossed.

Write me soon.

Barbara

Melanie--Vance P. Gibson

It sounded like from the earlier email that Vance would be fine. This is such a shock. He looked so horrible this past summer though. I am sure that he is glad that the pain and the trial is over. I have thought about flowers, but then I thought that maybe he would prefer to have the money donated to the American Diabetes Foundation. Let me know what you are going to do. Does Sonya need the money? I could send her some, but I don't want to be rude and just assume that they could use the money. Maybe Alan will know. 
 
Yes, I did sign the book. I did look to see if they were accepting donations or what. It didn't say. I am sure that there is someone around that could drive you, or at least go with you. I don't think Siovhan could get away, but maybe one of the other kids? 

Thanks. 
Melanie

Vance's Final E-mail

Dear Friends and Family,
Thanks.
Vance P. Gibson

Jason Gibson wrote:  Try this one...

Jason

http://www.legacy.com/saltlaketribune/LegacySubPage2.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=3288520

Danish Anchor

This anchor is a memorial to all the Danish sailors. It is in Nyhavn.

Next to Kongens Nytorv you find The Anchor - a large ship's anchor which commemorates all the Danish sailors lost at sea during the Second World War. The Anchor is also the boundary between Kongens Nytorv and the oldest part of Copenhagen Harbor called Nyhavn, today one of the prime recreational areas in Copenhagen.

The Great Belt Bridge conects the land that Cophenhagen is on to the island of Funen.  Odense is on Funen. That is the  birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen. We used the bridge when we visited Denmark. We wondered how the people of Denmark manage to pay the toll for its use if they have to do it on a regular basis. The Great Belt Fixed Link runs between the Danish islands of Zealand and Funen. It consists of a road suspension bridge and railway tunnel between Zealand and the island Sprogø, and a box girder bridge between Sprogø and Funen. 

Wikipedia informs:
Total length: 22,277' (6,790 m)
Height: 833' (254 m)
Address: Hjejlevej 107, 5800 Nyborg, Denmark
Architecture firm: Dissing+Weitling
Location: Zealand, Funen
Bridge type: Suspension bridge, Box girder bridge

The St. George family is OK

Barbara wrote: You're back home. I have not been to the kid's apartment yet. I have not been able to really talk to Bree for a while. I spent the weekend with her, but she was here. She came over here about 11 p.m. Walked in and asked me if she could sleep here. I said "of course," and she went to bed and slept until 11 the next day. The kids were already here. They spent all day Saturday, and Saturday night here, and they went home Sunday a.m. Then we all, with David, went to the Hoover Dam. We had a really good time.

They are at a meeting together right now. David can't really go very often because he works until 7 p.m, but Bree is going every chance she gets. She has a job working at the Mall until 9 or 10 p.m, so she isn't sure how many meetings she will be able to go to, but is planning on going to everyone she can.

The family is OK. 

Love ya, Barbara

Myrna wrote: Do you have their address at the apartment? I have the kids coats. They left them at AnnMarie's house when they were visiting her the last time they were

here. It was cold when we went up and it was warm when we left. I hope they

haven't needed them.

It is good you are nearby. It sounds like you are needed.

Love, Myrna

Vance Had Surgery

Jason Gibson: This is just a general email being sent out to let everyone know how Dad is doing. 

Yesterday, at 7:15 a.m. he went in for quadruple bypass surgery.

Everything went as planned with that, but when they were done, they were unable to get his heart to beat regularly without the aid of the machine. It would go for a while ok, and then go back on the machine, then go for a while ok, and back and forth. This continued on for most of the day. At 7:00 pmish that night, they were able to get him stable enough to move him up to a room upstairs. He is still hooked up to the balloon, which helps his heart beat, but they believe he will continue to get stronger as the days pass.

The doctors say he still isn't out of the woods yet though. He's got A LOT of water on him, and a lot of swelling from the surgery, so right now their main concern is trying to decrease that. As soon as both of those go down, they'll be able to permanently close his chest (as of now, it is just covered with a piece of artificial skin). There still is a worry of how he'll heal from the surgery, because he doesn't heal very well from the effects of his diabetes. I guess time will tell.

Thank you all for keeping us in your prayers. We'll let you know how things develop as the time passes by.
The Gibsons