Happy Holidays!
Our family, as always, is full of news
and changes.
We moved to Rochester, MN in September
of this year after a year in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Dave is teaching
at John Marshall High School and Susan is at home with Alea (4 1/2) and
Breck (almost 3). Dave teaches World Affairs and Sociology this semester
and US History and AP Psychology next semester. He is also in charge of
the school's webpage and web club. We bought our first home and have had
fun updating it and making it our own. The kids love the area and are involved
in swimming at the Y, playgroups and ballet with community education. Alea
goes to preschool two mornings a week at Buttonwood School. She enjoys
her time there and is getting all set for Kindergarten next year!
We had a full 2001. We began the year
in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. We had gone to the Int'l School as Preschool
Coordinator and technology instructor. While both positions held great
rewards for us as professionals, the school was experiencing tremendous
political and philosophical upheaval. Unfortunately, that led to many crises
between foreign hire, the Board and senior administration. We, along with
most other foreign hire, chose not to return for a second year. During
the year, we still had fun opportunities to travel and sight see. Susan's
mom joined us for three weeks during the December holidays. We visited
Copan Ruins, Tela, The Falls and San Pedro valley. Susan's brother and
his fiancee, Jennifer, came to visit in April. We went to Copan, again,
and then sent them off adventuring to Tegucigalpa, Comayagua and Lago Yojoa.
We joined back up in San Pedro and hit the Bay Islands for four wonderful
days of sun, sand and sparkling blue water. The kids could not get enough
of the beach. Breck jumped off the docks at least two hundred times.
June found us back in the USA. We spent
the summer looking for our new home. We moved to Rochester the beginning
of September. By October we were settled in and able to enjoy a visit from
Dave's mom and sister Shari on their route to Washington, DC. We also took
advantage of having family close by: Susan's mom watched Breck and Alea
for a weekend so the 'big kids' could go to Chicago for Dave's ten-year
Northwestern reunion. We also rejoiced at the birth of Rob and Blanche
Stutz's first child - Boyd Doveton Nichols Stutz on October 17. Welcome
to the family! Susan completed her Masters in November and is glad to have
a 'break' from the books.
December finds us decorated for the holidays
and wondering where Minnesota snow might be. We had a dusting a few days
ago; enough for the kids to build their first snowman. We hope for a few
feet before going up north to the cabin on Lake Vermilion to celebrate
Christmas. We enjoyed a visit with Santa at our YMCA. Breck was too fascinated
by a rocking horse to pay any notice to Mr. or Mrs. Claus and Alea tricked
them both by showing up as "Rudolph" before revealing her true identity.
We have our house decked out with holiday lights and the kids enjoy driving
the neighborhood to ooh and ahh at the festive decor.
2002 promises to get off with a bang
as we await the birth of Susan's sister's (Carla Regan) second baby which
is due in February.
While we want very much to continue
our education careers overseas, we have decided to wait until Breck is
in Kindergarten before we try again. The next few years will find us in
Rochester with an open door for any and all who can come for a visit. We
wish everyone the very merriest of holidays and a wonderful 2002.
Dave, Susan, Alea and Breck Stutz
stutz@stutzfamily.com
