2008 Bill & Terri Biggs Family Letter
> The year 2008 has been a good year in many ways, and also a year of many losses. We are very thankful to be healthy and happy as we end this year. For the most part we have not suffered any ailments except for those few common colds and flu bugs that most everyone has suffered. Even though we always get our flu shots in the fall, it seems we get some type of flu bug within a few months. But the bugs we get usually only last 2 or 3 days.
> Both Bill and I are very thankful to have our jobs. Bill is enjoying his job in the garden center at Lowes in Riverdale. He loves being able to be out in the garden area where he can nurture the many plants, shrubs & trees and to play with the many different types of blocks, rocks and other outdoor things. With all of the plants and shrubs that he sees, we have a very nice variety of items in our yard at home. This year we decided to try a pond in the back yard. By the end of the summer we finally had the pond in and the rocks and slate around it. Our goal is for our yard to look like my cousin Julie’s in Iowa (see the pictures below). I think that will take a year or two for our yard to look as nice as hers.
> I have really started to enjoy my job this year. Last year was quite a shock as the program I was working on had come to an end and I was transferred to another department. Just to show you how true the statement is not to “burn your bridges”, I was asked to take a position where I work with a guy who I worked with as my manager over 10 years ago. I am so thankful that I adhere to that message, otherwise the workplace could be quite uncomfortable. It took a while to get used to the work and the people (even though I’ve known most of these folks for many years), but I now feel like I am part of their team. I have learned so much over the past 1.5 years and am thankful to all those who have helped me to learn so many new things.
> Amber & Sterling have embarked on a new adventure and moved to Ancorage, Alaska. They decided to move there on September 15th this year. Sterling’s sister lives there with her husband, so right now Amber & Sterling are living with them until the end of the year. Amber is working for a health care company and in the next few months will be doing the job she was trained for and enjoys doing – billing & coding. Sterling is working as a physical therapist aid and as far as we know, is enjoying his job.
> Courtnee has worked for Lowes for 3 years now. She is also working at the Riverdale store where Bill works. She has had a few positions this year. She started the year out as a member of the freight crew. She then moved on to being a customer service associate in the hardware and tools department, but was only working part-time. Just about a month ago she decided she missed working on the freight crew so is now once again full-time doing freight. This makes it nice for her because she works Monday – Friday and has her weekends off. The only downside is that she works 4:00 am to 1:00 pm., but seems to enjoy and handle those hours quite well.
> Mandi is working for Lowes as an Appliance Specialist in the Lehi store. She has worked for Lowes for 5 years now and is the one who started this madness (J). She has done quite well this year selling her appliances, but has had a few mishaps which took her out of commission for a few months. She was very upset back in January last year when she tore a ligament in her shoulder by moving a small vacuum. The first thing she said to me when she told me what happened was that she was upset she hurt herself moving a vacuum instead of moving a refrigerator like she has done so often. She had to have surgery back in March and was finally able to go back to work on May 15th. She was thankful to be able to go back to work, but was sad not to be able to join Bill and I when we went to visit Grandma and Grandpa Courtney. It just so happened we left on May 15th.
> Last year we decided for Christmas that we would take a family vacation to West Yellowstone for a few days of snowmobiling instead of giving each other any major gifts. This was the best decision we have ever made. We had an absolutely lovely time and look forward to doing this again in the next few years. Bill and I took a bus tour into the park the first day, while the kids rode snowmobiles inside the park with a tour group. The second day we snowmobiled outside of the park and had a blast!! It was very cold, but the snowmobiles had seat and handwarmers. It was so beautiful up there. We are so very blessed to have such beautiful areas to visit.
> As you noticed above, I did mention that this year was also a year of great loss for my family. In April we lost my cousin Butch to that horrible disease of cancer. On April 19th Butch passed away from liver cancer surrounded by his family. I hadn’t seen Butch in many years, but last year my mom turned 90 years old and we had a big family party for her. I was able to see many of my cousins and get back in touch with them. It was a wonderful time and I am so thankful we did it, because I was able to see and get to know Butch again. He fought a valiant battle with the horrible disease.
> Then at the end of June this year, while Bill & I were in Park City, UT celebrating our 31st anniversary, I received a call from my dad saying my mom was in the hospital. My daughter Mandi and I traveled to Iowa to be with her, but were devastated when we landed in Minneapolis and received a call from my dad to let us know that mom had passed away just a few minutes earlier. We were within 4 hours of being there to say good-bye. I will always feel cheated that I wasn’t able to be with her to say good-bye. She had a long and happy life, and was able to see so many things during her lifetime. From milking cows and delivering milk using a horse and buggy to seeing all of the things that we can now do with computers. Even though her life was long, it seems short to me now that she is no longer with us. I am thankful for my belief that I will see her again after my life ends on this earth.
> And we lost one more from our family this year. My mom’s youngest sister Bette lost her battle with lung cancer on October 13th. I was so thankful to be able to spend time with her when we went to visit in May and then again when we were there in July. It was fun to sit with her and reminisce of the days when mom and her were young girls and the things they did together in their young lives. I miss her very, very much, but I am sure that she and her sisters and brothers and mother and father are enjoying themselves being together once again.
> We are looking forward to the new year and hopefully one without as much loss, but with as much prosperity in having our family, our friends and jobs. We wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
> The year 2008 has been a good year in many ways, and also a year of many losses. We are very thankful to be healthy and happy as we end this year. For the most part we have not suffered any ailments except for those few common colds and flu bugs that most everyone has suffered. Even though we always get our flu shots in the fall, it seems we get some type of flu bug within a few months. But the bugs we get usually only last 2 or 3 days.
> Both Bill and I are very thankful to have our jobs. Bill is enjoying his job in the garden center at Lowes in Riverdale. He loves being able to be out in the garden area where he can nurture the many plants, shrubs & trees and to play with the many different types of blocks, rocks and other outdoor things. With all of the plants and shrubs that he sees, we have a very nice variety of items in our yard at home. This year we decided to try a pond in the back yard. By the end of the summer we finally had the pond in and the rocks and slate around it. Our goal is for our yard to look like my cousin Julie’s in Iowa (see the pictures below). I think that will take a year or two for our yard to look as nice as hers.
> I have really started to enjoy my job this year. Last year was quite a shock as the program I was working on had come to an end and I was transferred to another department. Just to show you how true the statement is not to “burn your bridges”, I was asked to take a position where I work with a guy who I worked with as my manager over 10 years ago. I am so thankful that I adhere to that message, otherwise the workplace could be quite uncomfortable. It took a while to get used to the work and the people (even though I’ve known most of these folks for many years), but I now feel like I am part of their team. I have learned so much over the past 1.5 years and am thankful to all those who have helped me to learn so many new things.
> Amber & Sterling have embarked on a new adventure and moved to Ancorage, Alaska. They decided to move there on September 15th this year. Sterling’s sister lives there with her husband, so right now Amber & Sterling are living with them until the end of the year. Amber is working for a health care company and in the next few months will be doing the job she was trained for and enjoys doing – billing & coding. Sterling is working as a physical therapist aid and as far as we know, is enjoying his job.
> Courtnee has worked for Lowes for 3 years now. She is also working at the Riverdale store where Bill works. She has had a few positions this year. She started the year out as a member of the freight crew. She then moved on to being a customer service associate in the hardware and tools department, but was only working part-time. Just about a month ago she decided she missed working on the freight crew so is now once again full-time doing freight. This makes it nice for her because she works Monday – Friday and has her weekends off. The only downside is that she works 4:00 am to 1:00 pm., but seems to enjoy and handle those hours quite well.
> Mandi is working for Lowes as an Appliance Specialist in the Lehi store. She has worked for Lowes for 5 years now and is the one who started this madness (J). She has done quite well this year selling her appliances, but has had a few mishaps which took her out of commission for a few months. She was very upset back in January last year when she tore a ligament in her shoulder by moving a small vacuum. The first thing she said to me when she told me what happened was that she was upset she hurt herself moving a vacuum instead of moving a refrigerator like she has done so often. She had to have surgery back in March and was finally able to go back to work on May 15th. She was thankful to be able to go back to work, but was sad not to be able to join Bill and I when we went to visit Grandma and Grandpa Courtney. It just so happened we left on May 15th.
> Last year we decided for Christmas that we would take a family vacation to West Yellowstone for a few days of snowmobiling instead of giving each other any major gifts. This was the best decision we have ever made. We had an absolutely lovely time and look forward to doing this again in the next few years. Bill and I took a bus tour into the park the first day, while the kids rode snowmobiles inside the park with a tour group. The second day we snowmobiled outside of the park and had a blast!! It was very cold, but the snowmobiles had seat and handwarmers. It was so beautiful up there. We are so very blessed to have such beautiful areas to visit.
> As you noticed above, I did mention that this year was also a year of great loss for my family. In April we lost my cousin Butch to that horrible disease of cancer. On April 19th Butch passed away from liver cancer surrounded by his family. I hadn’t seen Butch in many years, but last year my mom turned 90 years old and we had a big family party for her. I was able to see many of my cousins and get back in touch with them. It was a wonderful time and I am so thankful we did it, because I was able to see and get to know Butch again. He fought a valiant battle with the horrible disease.
> Then at the end of June this year, while Bill & I were in Park City, UT celebrating our 31st anniversary, I received a call from my dad saying my mom was in the hospital. My daughter Mandi and I traveled to Iowa to be with her, but were devastated when we landed in Minneapolis and received a call from my dad to let us know that mom had passed away just a few minutes earlier. We were within 4 hours of being there to say good-bye. I will always feel cheated that I wasn’t able to be with her to say good-bye. She had a long and happy life, and was able to see so many things during her lifetime. From milking cows and delivering milk using a horse and buggy to seeing all of the things that we can now do with computers. Even though her life was long, it seems short to me now that she is no longer with us. I am thankful for my belief that I will see her again after my life ends on this earth.
> And we lost one more from our family this year. My mom’s youngest sister Bette lost her battle with lung cancer on October 13th. I was so thankful to be able to spend time with her when we went to visit in May and then again when we were there in July. It was fun to sit with her and reminisce of the days when mom and her were young girls and the things they did together in their young lives. I miss her very, very much, but I am sure that she and her sisters and brothers and mother and father are enjoying themselves being together once again.
> We are looking forward to the new year and hopefully one without as much loss, but with as much prosperity in having our family, our friends and jobs. We wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Love you Mom and Aunt Bette
Judy, Derek, Dad & Britney
Memoriam for Butch Becker and Bette Becker
My cousin Julie's pond - I hope ours can look at least half as good.
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