This holiday season again finds the us healthy & in good cheer, and hope that your families have been similarly blessed.

The big news is, of course, the birth of our son, (Pumpkin), this past XX. I cannot describe what a glorious experience it is to bring a new life into the world, or what a passion Hubby and I (and our extended families!) feel for our firstborn. After Pumpkin's birth, Hubby took 2 weeks off, my mother came up for a week, Hubby's mom came up for a week, my Dad and his wife came up for 5 days. . .our child was over a month old before I had to change a diaper! And by the time they left our floors had been waxed, our bathrooms scrubbed, and our yard landscaped! Cool.

Pumpkin is truly a gift from god, and a delight to be around! (No, really!) He is ridiculously good-natured. It's like he constantly wants to laugh and is simply waiting for you to give him the chance! He'll giggle hysterically if you so much as look at him! He's a bit over 7 months, and just on the verge of crawling. Actually, he does crawl somewhat, but he currently moves backwards so I'm not sure if that counts. Pumpkin sits up now, so you have to make sure that everything edible, and things that are not(!), stay out of his reach. (His 'food' of choice is currently napkins) He quickly learned to sit up because it's much easier to make noise if you have both hands free to bang on things. His favorite person in the whole world is "da da" and Pumpkin goes into fits of joy every day when Hubby comes home from work. I would say the love is equaled on Hubby's part, who will spend a good part of an afternoon coaxing Pumpkin to say "da da" again.

In other news, homeownership has also proved to be a joy - more to me than to Hubby since he doesn't trust me much with anything that requires patience (like, say, painting?) since I am well know for my "hey this doesn't fit give me a hammer" attitude. I've been allowed to participate in such benign tasks as choosing colors, holding lamps and handing tools. Even though Hubby and I have owned the house for a year, we are still in the slow process of making the house our home.

I'm still taking classes at GW, which has been somewhat difficult. Hubby, as always, has been a saint and has rearranged his work schedule so that I am able to attend night classes. I have not yet decided if I should take my comprehensive exams next spring, while still one class short of graduation, or wait until the following spring. I'll be taking 2 classes next semester, which I envision being terribly difficult. I have a strong feeling I won't have any time to study for comps.

While both Hubby and I are still working for the government, a variety of things have changed. Hubby's job was slated to move to Mechanicsburg in June, and as we had already bought the house we had no intention of moving. Hubby really likes his job, and turned down several offers (while his dear wife had heart attacks) in hopes his job would remain in the DC area. Through a variety of political maneuvering (including Sam Nunn writing a letter to the Defense committee) Hubby's office was reassigned to an area within 10 miles of our house! How's that for amazing!

Hubby is managing several automated manufacturing projects, which would allow ships to create parts on demand while out at sea. The blueprints of the needed part could be sent via satellite to the ship, removing the need for supply ships. (Go NAVY) Besides getting to play with the most up to day computer macheriny, Hubby also gets to tour his project sites, which have included a Trident Sub and several air craft carriers. He also gets to travel quite a bit and recently has been attending a number of computer trade shows (read: paid free time) at places like Long Beach CA, Miami Beach FL, and, as always, Seattle. So he comes home tan, rested and with a bag of promotional goodies (we have the largest collection of computer T-shirts in DC) while I've been at wits end alone with an infant.

My job has undergone great upheaval, not the least of it because I took 4 months off after Pumpkin's arrival. I'm now working part time - which is a glorious experience - and I have recently received permission to continue to work part time for another year! (And there was much rejoicing!) 2 weeks after I returned from leave my boss left, leaving the NLS somewhat rudderless, so there has been quite a bit of reshuffling of duties. We eventually got a new director, and I have been working very closely with him creating information booklets to be used at Economics trade shows.

In other good news, a report I wrote for congress justifying our need for a new youth survey got picked up by an agency in Italy and will be a chapter in a book coming out next year. The next day I received notification that an article I co-wrote has been accepted for publication in the Monthly Labor Review. So, I'm pretty pleased with myself.

That's the main news from the Yates household. Again, we hope you had a wonderful year and wish you all the best in the new one. Hope your families are happy, healthy, and giving you lots of Christmas gifts! Happy Holidays and God Bless!

The Yates Family; Julie, Hubby, Pumpkin, and the cats.