The Gift


When Joy gave birth to the twins, Anna and Andy, Anna was just fine, but the little boy Andrew was severely handicapped. He had an encephalocele and had to have immediate surgery. After their birth Joy and I decided that we probably should not have any more children because one of the doctors said that it might be hereditary.
Not long after that, we were again waiting for the birth of a little boy. We had a great fear during this pregnancy. We were afraid that there might be a problem with another birth. The day of his birth came, and he was born, a beautiful perfect baby, and we named him Mark Joseph Stubbs. It was a joyous occasion. Our fears were for naught.
Mark Joseph Stubbs
As Mark grew, he was always able to focus beyond what anyone around him was able to see. He was always loyal to his friends. He seemed to have an early grasp of how the economics of business and the world worked. He was always interested in politics and what was going on around him. He loved to read the newspaper and to learn new things in school.
When he finished high school, Mark had taken some of the tests for college credit and entered college ahead of where he would be without the credits. He graduated from BYU and later went on to Texas A&M. He had some offers from different colleges, but Texas A&M offered him more of what he needed financially to finish his schooling.
Mark was offered several great employment offerings to such places as Ford Motor Corporation in Detroit, a management position in Denmark and one with Citigroup. He chose Citigroup and has been working there even during their downsizing. That time was a little scary for his parents, but probably not for him. He was always good at management. He was assistant manager for Dillard’s in Provo, Utah and then manager for Dillard’s in Idaho.
Mark showed me a great deal of faith in his ability to give up that job and go back to school for his MBA. I would have probably stayed with the company. I did work for the same school for thirty-two years and would have been terrified of moving on to another adventure.
Mark is a river runner. He ran on some of the same trips I took on the Colorado and Salmon rivers. I always knew that I had him to depend on, especially if there was a problem. Mark has always loved the outdoors; he still runs up and down the mountains in Utah.
One of the real gifts that Mark gave was to his younger brothers and sisters because Joy and I decided that we could have other children. If not for Mark, Amy, Rachel, Nate, Stephen and Julia would not have come into our family. So, besides him being a blessing to Joy and me, he was the giver of a great gift to come into our family. How blessed an event of his birth was and what joy he has given to others. Mark is a great lover of his family and a good protector and provider. Again, how blessed we were to have Mark come into our family. He showed the way.
 

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