Merry Christmas!

Hello Family!

Once again it is that time of year that we reach out to those near and far to catch up with one another and wish you all the blessings of Christ during Christmas and throughout the New Year.

We have just experienced a wonderfully warm November, so it is hard to believe that Christmas is soon upon us, although it is finally beginning to snow now (my husband is happy!)

Our family has been blessed during the past year. Our granddaughter, Sadie, turned a big ONE this fall, so it is fun to watch all of her new accomplishments. Stacy is substitute teaching during this year, and Devin is still teaching Grade six at Pleasantdale School. They are both involved in our music ministry at the church and in various sports. A first for Stacy this fall was to run a marathon relay with her sister and friends in Regina.

Our second daughter, Stephanie, made the move to Moose Jaw this fall. She is working at the hospital there and is really involved in curling. She and her rink hope to compete in the southern SK. playdowns, hosted in Estevan this year, during the week before Christmas. The team will be staying here and we look forward to them coming.

Branden is still plugging away at his studies at university in Saskatoon. He is in his third year of Commerce. He enjoys playing volleyball and hockey with teams up there. Unfortunately, he has to spend his birthday next week writing exams again. We keep reminding him that this too shall pass!! He is looking forward to being home with us for Christmas.

Our family spent some time in northern Saskatchewan at a cabin during the summer, and we also helped plan a Barnstable reunion near Saskatoon. We really enjoyed both events. Other than a quick trip to Minneapolis, and watching Devin and Branden play baseball, it was a fairly quiet year. Barry and I hope to fly to Mexico for a week in February if he is feeling well. Barry has been in lots of back pain over the past month , so we hope that he will heal soon. He is waiting for an MRI in Regina at this time.

I am still going strong at school, teaching a Grade 3 class this year. Once again, we are just getting over the report cards and parent interviews, to be thrown in to preparing for the Christmas concert. Oh well, if it gets too much for this old gal, I know of a good substitute teacher!! haha

Our extended family has grown this year with Doug and Marcia having two new grandchildren and another one on the way! It will be a busy place this year at the farm, as we all gather for Christmas there. We appreciate Marcie for being willing to take this on!! It should be fun, and who will win the ice cream contest this year??? My parents are doing well, enjoying their friends in their apartment building and the pre-Christmas activities. They both have been able to recover from their colds to keep on truckin'!

Thanks for staying in touch! We love and appreciate all of our family. It was great to see many of you over the year, and we hope to see more of you this coming year. May you worship fully, give relationally, and experience the peace of Christmas this year.

Barry, Heather, Stacy, Devin, Sadie, Stephanie and Branden (and the old dog, Tanner)