Still Guiding . . . .

Mani, the Champ

Front Row:  Marianne, Debbie, Annie, niece Laura, sister-in-law Mary, belt-buckle winner Kristi Jackson, Barbara.  Back Row:  nephew Sefo, Willie, Mike, Bill and Jim. 

Laurie and Kevin show Mother all the awards after Laurie and her horse Mani's outstanding performance at the Arabian Sport Horse Nationals last September. 

Barbara and Dusty

Mother always set high standards.  She worked hard and "expected" topnotch results from herself and her family.

Well, Mother, the family worked hard this weekend to meet those standards in your honor.

Mother's photo appeared on the cover of The River Journal earlier this week, as she is being honored at this year's Bonner County Fair for her equine contributions to the community.

  She saw the magazine and expressed delight at being a cover girl.  She did complain, however, that the print in the story inside was "too small" for her to read.

Still, she was happy, and, I believe supremely satisfied.

Mother's passing came as a shock.  We were participating in two different horse shows over the weekend, one in Sandpoint, the other in Monroe, Wash.

 My sister Laurie and my brother Kevin had taken Laurie's dressage horse Mani to the Regional Arabian Show.  In Sandpoint, Barbara was participating in the Spots of Fun Show, which I was announcing.

I received two calls from Life Care during the morning show, 20 minutes apart.

The second:  the news we all live a lifetime dreading, when it comes to our parents.  

Mother had just passed away.

We called family members and went to Life Care to see that our mother had entered her eternal rest peacefully.  While there, we received a call from Laurie, wondering if she should just head home.

A resounding chorus reminded Laurie of a long-known Mother-ism:  she hated quitters and never again did Laurie want to be branded a "born quitter" after an incident where she pulled out of a show several years ago.
The chorus of loved ones in Monroe and Sandpoint advised:  finish the job.  Here at home, we determined that we would do the same.

That evening Laurie rode in a dressage class with The River Journal cover folded and pinned inside her hunt coat with a pin given to her by Mother and worn last year when she and Mani did so well at the Arabian Sport Horse Nationals.

When the class was over Saturday evening, Laurie and Mani had won the Region 5 championship.

Laurie posted the photo of Mani on her Facebook page, stating, "Mom, this one's for you."

Yesterday, she won another Reserve Championship, thanks to that magazine cover inside her coat.

In an earlier class yesterday, she forgot to ride with the magazine cover and placed last.

In Sandpoint, we moved on with our roles at the Spots of Fun Show.  Annie had come over from Seattle, and the two of us shared the microphone in the announcer's stand.

Meanwhile, my daughter-in-law Debbie and our brother Jim from Grants Pass, Ore., served as Barbara's grooming entourage.  Later, Barbara gave them each blue ribbons for their efforts.  She rode in several classes during the day and won several ribbons.

The day was topped off with the photo above after a ceremony honoring both our father and mother.  Each year a beautiful belt buckle in honor of our dad Harold Tibbs is give to the most versatile horse at the show.

This year's winner,  Kristi Jackson of Coeur d'Alene,  won the buckle for the fourth time.  This year, we remembered Mother,  and we remembered Harold.

And, we, who were in Sandpoint, gathered for the above photo with Kristi.

I kinda wonder if Mother planned it all this way.  I do know she is smiling, as is Harold, and I bet they're both thinking they did okay guiding those kids.

Now, we'll take the next few days to put together a fitting memorial to our mother, and I'm betting she'll be guiding us as we move forward.

We also greatly appreciate all the love that has been passing our way from friends and family.  Thank you.