In August, Harold graduated from BYU with a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Yea! Not thinking five years of school was enough torture, he decided to stick around for one more year to complete a Master's Degree in Computer Engineering.

His studies are focused in computer architecture, microchip design and fabrication, and digital signal processing (technology the makes compact disks work). He has only six more classes to complete before he graduates again in August (1989).

He has been working part-time as a digital teaching assistant for the Electrical Engineering Department at BYU. He works hard and seems to be enjoying his studies and TA position, but Holly regrets she only really sees him on weekends.

Life gets easier after school, doesn't it?

After four long years of school and ROTC classes, Harold capped off his summer by being commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. Holly was so pregnant she almost didn't make it to the commissioning ceremony to pin Harold's bars on....David was born only three days later.

Harold found that by obtaining his Master's Degree before going active duty he could possibly go to any base of his choice. He discovered that at Wright -Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio some exciting research is being done on cockpits of the future. He arranged an interview with the head of one of the labs and has been told he will be requested to work in one of those laboratories when he goes active duty. Of course the Air Force still has the final say in where he is assigned. He will definitely go active duty in September of 1989. Harold is excited that things seem to be going so well with his career.

Holly had a wonderful and easy(?) pregnancy. After her first three months of incubating, she was twelve pounds lighter. ("I highly recommend this diet.") In the last month, Toxemia (Pre-Eclampsia) was diagnosed, and the doctor ordered complete bed rest. It was difficult for Holly to stay in bed and leave work a month early. With the help of family and friends they were able to pull through those challenging final months.

On Monday (October 3rd), one week before her due date, Holly visited the doctor for her weekly check-up. Dr. Bigler told Holly he would be out of town Tuesday, and on Thursday he would induce labor. She was specifically told not to have the baby on Tuesday. Soooo, at 4 a.m. Tuesday morning guess who went into labor? By 12:30 that afternoon Holly and Harold were the proud parents of a beautiful 9-lb. 3-oz. baby boy.

Harold and Holly had never met the doctor who delivered David, but he sure did a fine job. All he had to do was threaten with the "salad spoons" and David immediately came forth.

Please note, for once we are not moving, but our zip code is moving. As of January 1, 1989 it will be 84606.

We have really enjoyed writing this newsletter for you. Even though you probably haven't had as much fun reading it as we have had writing it, at least we've caught you up on this past year's events.

You are in our prayers, and we hope you have a wonderful Christmas and an even better New Year.

With love,

To view the original scanned "Toomey Times" Christmas Newsletter, click on the scanned pages below: