David (Christmas Family Update #3)

My apologies to those who've received Christmas cards, checked the blog, and thought... cute kids, but what's going on with their parents?? =) It's been very very busy this last week of school before Christmas... Noelle came down with pneumonia this week and I'm on my third of four nights right now... no, I don't usually do that! But this way I get 11 days off for Christmas!

This was David's fourth year working at Baywest Management, a strata management company based out of Vancouver, Surrey, and Abbotsford. This past year he got promoted from an Infomation Systems Developer to Applications Development Manager, which basically means he has a couple of programmers working for him as he imagines new ways of streamlining business processes for the strata managers, accountants and administration at Baywest. He says he has the perfect job for him and especially enjoys working with the other IT guys.

One of the changes he's gone through this year is a change from working every day in Abbotsford to working 3-4 days a week in Surrey. The IT guys now share an open office to brainstorm ideas more effectively and be more available for the Surrey staff. Unfortunately this has meant a much longer commute on most days, but his co-workers have been flexible with him constant construction he battles on his way to work. He enjoys the occasional day in Vancouver riding the West Coast Express and loves it! We both wish that train was able to run more often!

This year also led to a church change for our family. We love (and miss terribly!) the family environment we had at the Vineyard, but felt it was time to change. After several months of checking out other churches, we've settled at Northview. One of Noelle's friends from school invited her and we all love it there.

We enjoyed some family trips as well. In January we visited Maui for my cousin's wedding. SO beautiful. If we can ever afford to go back, we certainly will. In August we ventured to Okotoks to visit my brother and his family. Every year Alberta grows on me. I'm still a west coast girl but David and I sure enjoy the peace out there. It's such a quiet, restoring vacation. And the girls, of course, love their cousins.

I know I've said this before, but I think I'm one of the luckiest wives on the planet. Our marriage is not perfect but very, very happy. Neither of us is content to let the other person stay in their ruts, and I think it makes us better people than we would be on our own. My husband also is one of the most involved dads that I know and we all depend on him a great deal. He handles his family - and work - responsibilities with grace and humour and we are all very, very grateful for him.