Torrie Christmas Card

We started the year with a little business/pleasure trip to Chicago, IL, it was just Spencer and I. And in October and November we also enjoyed a family vacation to California with a few Utah stops in between.  It sure is nice to get away and see something different.

On June 23^rd, Kali turned 8 and was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints by her Dad. She is a great little girl, I've seen her develop into a very compassionate and loving person. She is definitely a better person than I am. She started grade 3 this fall and had a bit of a challenge at first not having many friends in her class, but it didn't take long for her to make new ones. Her first report card was almost straight A's, she loves school and her teacher, she makes us so proud. She's also been busy with extra curricular activities like piano, hip hop dance and achievement days.

Our big surprising news is that we are expecting a baby boy in April. We've prayed for a baby for years, and with some medical intervention it worked. We are pretty excited about the whole thing, it really is a miracle.

So, Spencer still enjoys his job and the variety of things he works on, he has a lot more responsibility and is the senior Mechanical Engineer. He's the vice chairman for the Medicine Hat branch of APEGA, the Alberta Professional Engineer and Geologist Association, and will be the chairman in February. I think it just means going to meetings in Edmonton and reporting back to the executive committee here.

He's been released as Scout master after 5 years and they put him in the Elders Quorum presidency, but I think he's been subbing in Primary for over a month straight. He still really enjoys the outdoors and looks forward to ice fishing, archery, camping and starting fires.

I'm still in the Primary Presidency, and I love it, the kids are pretty awesome and I love the spirit I feel when teaching, I think it's helping me grow. I'm still running my recycling business and I think I can still do it with a baby since it's only one morning a week. My morning sickness is lingering like it did when I was carrying Kali, but now I have 2 people to rub my back and get me water, I really have been blessed. Other than that I try to keep myself busy helping out at school and hanging out with my friends during the day. Life is good.

We hope with letter finds you well, and that you are thinking about our Savior this Christmas season. We are trying our best to give gifts to Jesus, and not focus too much on materialism. We'll be home this year for Christmas and look forward to being together where we can take time to reflect on the season. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Love, Spencer, Jenn and Kali Torrie