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