Merry Christmas

As we look back, we realize that 1997 has been a year of significant change for us. When the New Year began we were facing a move to Deep River as AECL began to consolidate research activities at Chalk River Laboratories in Ontario. We were to be among the "Whiteshell Refugees" when AECL commenced its withdrawal from Whiteshell Laboratories in Pinawa. Unfortunately the process has been extremely protracted, and our thoughts are still with friends in Manitoba who do not yet know what the ultimate fate of WhiteshelI and Pinawa will be.

In our case, things became much clearer in March when Andrew accepted a promotion and transfer to manage the Fuel Safety Branch. This meant that he had to start work in Chalk River immediately after the Easter weekend. Leslie remained behind to tie up our life in
Pinawa, arrange the move, mortgages, banking, etc. Meghan was glad to complete Nursery School with her friends although the girls missed their Daddy terribly. Andrew was able to come home every 2-3 weeks for a welcome visit and Leslie and the girls were able to visit Deep River on two house-hunting trips. While on his own in Deep River, Andrew lived in an apartment and spent a lot of time getting acquainted with his new job, while trying to wrap up commitments for his old job.

By June, Leslie had had her fill of single-parenting and headed west for a long vacation with her folks. She made good use of Nana & Grampsy, swimming and running regularly with her sister, and generally relaxing (storing up energy for the move ahead). They enjoyed several weekends at the Taylor cottage on Lac la Ronge. Andrew joined them towards the end of the month and to begin the five day trek to Deep River. Once we got to Deep River, we spent the first month in Andrew's apartment as our new house was nowhere near habitable. We had considered building a new home and once we'd renovated 22 Laurier, we felt as though we had done just that. The house (1944, traditional, two-story, four-bedroom with a 1983 contemporary cathedral-ceiling addition) was beautiful but very poorly maintained. The carpets in the old part were lifted and original hard-wood floors refinished the original (ooooh!) kitchen was replaced involving the movement of several walls, the majority of the plumbing was replaced, the electrical system overhauled, everything painted, etc., etc., etc. We were lucky to have the help of Andrew's Dad and brother, Philip (an electrician), during the month of July when the bulk of the work was underway. We still have several projects we're plugging away at, and who knows when the baseboards will get done! After many weeks of living around boxes and renos we were pretty well settled by the end of September.

Meghan, who will turn six in January, began kindergarten this year. She was lucky to find herself in a class with two children she already knew and so had a smooth beginning. She still misses her Pinawa friends, but is making new ones at school. She is beginning to read ,
can count to 1000 (not all at once) and loves to swim, skate and attend her gymnastics class.

Lauren will be three in February. Her only organized activity is toddler gymnastics which run concurrently with Meghan's class. She feels quite grown-up when she goes. She is bright, active and doesn't need nearly as much sleep as we think she should.

We launched another great change in our lives with the decision to adopt two boys, Biniyam (4) and Gosaye (5) from Ethiopia. We have been discussing options for completing our family for a while now and when we were told it would take years to complete a Canadian adoption, we decided to look into foreign adoptions. After talking to an organization facilitating adoptions from Ethiopia, we began proceedings in February and, as is usual with international adoptions, have run into a number of snags. We are hoping for our paper-work to head overseas very soon and still hope to receive the boys in the spring. We'd like to have as much time as possible for family-adjustment and english-development before school starts.

With the move and new responsibilities at work, Andrew has slowed down on his extracurricular activities. Over the summer and fall, most spare time was spent on the variety of projects that come with buying an older house. He is still keeping his hand in with Scouting, but at a much reduced level. Andrew has agreed to be the president for the local two-group district, and has helped out with a training course. He is spending less than a couple of evenings a month at it— a far cry from the couple of evenings a week as Provincial
Commissioner for Manitoba.

Leslie has moved her La Leche League work to Deep River, setting up a breastfeeding support group here. She is fortunate that her new co-leader was also transferred so she no longer has to run things on her own. Working with new mothers is rewarding, but can be
time-consuming and so Leslie hasn't volunteered for much else other than time in Meghan's classroom. She's finishing up one last University course this month and will graduate with a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Education (pre-masters). That will be enough of that for awhile, too.

We're looking forward to a big, traditional, family Christmas in Deep River which should help make our house feel like home. Both sets of parents will join us, as well as Leslie's bachelor brother, Mike, and Andrew's brother Philip, wife Mardi and children, Emily and Matthew. The kids are very excited. Meghan had her letter off to Santa before the post office went on strike. Lauren keeps asking if it's "Christmas-time" since some misguided lady in the grocery store asked, "Is Santa coming to your house soon?" Lauren believes "soon" to mean later the same day. It's very soon in adult-terms, however, so Andrew and I will be puttering full-speed to get certain bits finished up before the guests arrive.

Happy Birthday to Andrew who turns 40 this December 20!