Since I never got around to doing an electronic Christmas letter, I decided this year to do one to wish you and yours a very happy New Year. This past year has brought several changes to our family, some good, some not so great and some sadness. However, we look forward to this coming year with anticipation and hope for a year a little less eventful but just as filled with good times and lots of laughter and love.

We are currently in Atlanta, spending the holidays with my family and loving every minute of it. Not that we don't enjoy work - but having a two week break from the daily grind is pure bliss! It's wonderful to spend time with my mom, dad and grandmother and all their wonderful friends who have been so kind to Andrew, Mary Catherine and me.

In early March Mary Catherine got the chicken pox and was pretty sick with it. I am certainly glad that we don't have to deal with that again! Andrew's mom, Mary, has been so good to us coming to help with Mary Catherine whenever we ask. She and MC seem to have such good fun together and Mary Catherine speaks very highly of her 'Amma' and all the members of Andrew's family. We'd probably be unemployed without Mary's help this past year - so lots of thanks to her. (Philip too for loaning her to us for weeks at a time!)

Mary Catherine turned two in late November and what an incredible little person she's become! She can count to eleven, knows her colours and can sing the alphabet song and many others without help. Her favourite movies are Finding Nemo and Mary Poppins and she's gaga for the television show Balamory. We've made it this far with no commercial television, thank goodness. She talks constantly and is the proverbial apple of our eyes. She is now in Paddington Bear's room at her nursery and seems to think she runs the place! She is known and loved by everyone there, carers and parents alike.

I have started looking into the Montessori method of teaching, and while I don't think Mary Catherine will be going to a Montessori school (but you never know!) we have been implementing some of the methods at home. She seems to thrive being given appropriate tasks and helping around the house. She likes to hold the cord to the Hoover while it's in use and is very good at carrying her dishes to the sink. I know it's dorky to say, but we think she's pretty smart. But then again, we're her parents, we're supposed to think that.

We have continued to grow our friendships with the families we met through our mother and baby group last year. It's been so fabulous to get to see all these very different and dynamic children grow and learn over the past year. Andrew and I are thankful for their continued friendship and look forward to watching them steam straight ahead into their third years.

This past May, Andrew was threatened with redundancy from BBC Worldwide. However, he was sent on secondment to a company called Bright Things to work on an interactive DVD project. He stayed there for three months before being returned to the Beeb and is currently assured employment through 31 March of the coming year. We have everything crossed that he will find another project to assure continued employment there.

In January I will have been with Marketpipe for three years. I am also getting more and more freelance graphic design work to add to my portfolio. My design website is here if you'd like to have a look. Many thanks to those who hire me, it's a pleasure to work with all of you and I look forward to more partnerships in the coming year.

Speaking of websites, my personal website (or blog if you'd like to use the trendy word) gets many visitors from around the world and seems to keep people amused and up to date with our family. I've recently been made a finalist in a 'Best of Blog' awards 'thing' in the 'Mommy Blog' catagory. My geeky heart goes thud.

In March of this past year my Uncle Bish and Grandfather, Honey, passed away within nine days of each other. It was a horribly sad time to say goodbye to them and they are very much missed. My uncle was a very kind man who we last spent time with as he, Aunt A, Andrew and Mary Catherine went for a nature hike around my parents' lake on New Year's Day '04. My grandfather was the best grandfather a girl could ask for. Who couldn't love a man who spent 32 years being called Honey, after a small toddler coined his name whilst following him around pretending to mow grass? My heart is full with memories and while I'm not quite healed from their passing, I take comfort that they are together watching over our family.

In late March we put an offer in on an apartment in a Grade II listed building. We completed the purchase in late June and are now very much in debt! That is, of course, my witty way of saying that we are homeowners and are quite happy with our new house. It's a three bedroom, ground floor apartment with two baths. We have 11' ceilings and a big kitchen. Heck, we even have a guest room - so you know you're always welcome. Pictures from our initial viewing can be found by clicking here. I keep meaning to take more now that we're established. Hmm, maybe that's my first resolution..

Thank you if you've gotten this far.. I know I have a way of rambling on and on in these things! We've had a good 2003-2006 and are really looking forward to the New Year and all that it brings.

I hope this finds you all doing well and I hope that the holiday season has brought you peace and the joy that only this time of year can. All the best for 2005!

With love from our home to yours,
Andrew, Elizabeth and Mary Catherine