To All Our Family and Friends

December 6th, 1999

Dear friends and family,

As I write this letter ( it seems later and later each year!), there is nary a trace of snow outside, save a very melted snowman. Hard to believe that we are still in shoes and not boots this close to Christmas. Hopefully this winter will seem much shorter, due to the lack of snow.

25 more days left to 1999 and then the new Millennium – it will take some time practicing saying and writing “2000”.

BREAKING NEWS

Our major family news this year is that we have increased in number by one. ERIN PATRICIA arrived 13 days late on March 16th, 1999 at 11:45 p.m. She weighed 8 lbs. 11/2 oz., 21 ½ inches long. Mommy was to be induced the next morning and had seen the ob/gyn that same day. Dr. Lim said the baby was high and that nothing was happening yet. Once Erin decided to arrive, she did so very quickly. Labor started about 10:30 p.m. and she was here in just over an hour later! Needless to say, we filled in the hospital forms after Erin was born due to the swiftness of things.

Erin will be 9 months on the 16th of this month and has two teeth, with another one on the way. She is a joy to all of us and is spoiled rotten, as most babies in a family are.

KRISTJAN

Number one son is now a nine year old in grade 4. He enjoys school and did very well on his first term report card. He belongs to the Chess Club, Choir, Running Club and played intramurals, coming in second. Kristjan has 2 teachers job sharing again this year, Ms. Wieler and Mrs. Goodman. He is also in Cubs which keeps him busy with badge work and outings each Thursday night. He is still our sensitive child who takes everything to heart. We are very proud of him and his achievements.

BRENDAN

Number two son is now 6 years old and in grade 1. His teacher is Mrs. Sarna., who he seems to think is God and knows more than Mom and Dad put together. Whatever she says is the law. He, too, did very well on his report card. Brendan is in Beavers for his second year, with Dad as Hawkeye (head honcho!!) He enjoys the socialization with other Beavers and their many outings – Golfdome, tobogganing, Winnipeg Harvest (food bank), bowling, etc. We tend to have many power struggles with Billy Bob. He seems to be a typical middle child, even after Erin’s arrival.

KARA

Daughter number 1 is 4 and desperately wants to go to Kindergarten. Mommy can’t wait until next September. We are hoping that Mrs. Dubowec is still the kindergarten teacher in Sept. 2000. Both boys had her and learned so much. She tries to be a little mother to Erin and wants to carry her around, etc. Needless to say, Erin has a few bumps and bruises on her head from her helpful sister…. She enjoys singing, doing crafts, playing Pokemon with her brothers and getting into mischief. Kara especially enjoys days that Mommy baby-sits Ashley and looks forward to having our cousin Shelley’s son, Jack, come January.

KEITH

Keith has had a change in his job description and location since last year. In April of this year, his job was cut in two and he is now Portfolio Quality Manager for southern Manitoba. He covers the big accounts in Dauphin, Brandon, Carberry, Portage, etc. He no longer has to do the sales part of his job and enjoys not having to deal with customers on a day to day basis. Keith has said that if he had to hand pick people to work with, it would have been the bunch he works with now at Portage and Main main branch. Most of them are women; I wonder if that has anything to do with it?

Keith is still involved with Beavers and is Hawkeye once again this year. As well, he is on the executive as treasurer for the 163rd Algonquin Scouts. There always seems to be fewer and fewer people willing to volunteer to run programs for their children so I know that there are many grateful parents who appreciate his time and effort to run a program. He has recruited a new leader for this year and hopes to pass it on to Ron when Brendan moves up to Cubs in grade 3.

TRACEY

Some days my sanity is surely lacking with a houseful of kids. Erin is still not on a set schedule so it changes from day to day. Laundry, cooking, cleaning, changing and feeding the baby, getting two off to school in the mornings, and part time babysitting keep me busy. Ashley’s mom is a nurse who is taking a course towards working in the ER. She starts her practical in January so I will have Ashley every second week Monday to Friday. Right now , it’s occasional days when she has classes and her other sitter is unable to take her as she jobshares the lunch program at school. Are you confused yet? Our cousin Shelley is a dialysis nurse at HSC and goes back from her maternity leave in January. We will have our little cousin Jack 8-10 days per month and look forward to it. Kara will surely be a help on days that the 3 babies are here. As well, I take Jesse and Dallas on inservice days to give their regular sitter a break and to make a little pin money for myself.

I belong to the Parent Advisory Council at school. I’m guaranteed at least one evening a month out with other adults. I feel like my brain has gone to mush from being home so I’ll take any human contact I can get. I am room rep for Brendan’s room with two other moms and Room Rep for Kristjan’s room. We have to get parents to volunteer for field trips, hot lunch days, special crafts, props and costumes for Christmas program, etc. I know quite a few moms now that Kristjan is in grade 4 and really enjoy helping where I can.

Well, as you can see, our house is busy but healthy and happy. We still have our eyes open for a larger home (one with four bedrooms would be ideal), but for now, we will have to make due with our tight quarters. The kids grow so quickly that we will surely miss these times when they are teens and more independent.

May your Christmas season be merry and bright and may the year 2000 be a healthy and happy one for you and yours. We wish you God’s greatest blessings and peace throughout the world. Take care.

Love Keith, Tracey, Kristjan, Brendan, Kara and Erin

P.S. Our dog, Bailey is still with us but is slowing down with age. She is now 10 years old and seems to have arthritis in her hips. I’m sure she is going deaf from all the noise the kids make each day…..