Update 2/5/05: We're in the thick of "winter" - 50 degrees (sometimes down to 45) does feel cold, at least to Dad and the kids.  The rain and cloudy skies keep us indoors more, but Mark's swimming lessons are unaffected as they are at an indoor pool. A new semester has begun, our 16th, 17th or 18th, depending on how you count (the year in the US being the variable).  New groups always seem strange to us, as we knew the last group so well and the new ones feel like strangers.  We always wonder if we'll grow to like them.  And we always have.  So far.  IBEX is a unique place - you don't just teach, but you actually share much of your lives with the students (and them with us).  We all live in the same small area (a few acres in size), go to the same events, chapel, and church.  We usually have 2-4 of them over for dinner each week.  And more. We've had some bouts with sickness this winter, but now all are well.  Luke and Mark seem to be doing good in their respective kindergartens.  More of the new photos below are of the girls, as they are home more, and thus easier for Kelli to photograph.  Todd had the chance to go to Egypt last month and is planning a trip to Cyprus next month.  More photos of biblical sites.  What else have we been doing? Puzzles, watching the Blue Planet, learning to tell time, and reading some new Bible story books.

We start this with some "older" photos - back to November for Mark's birthday.  They had a little party in the bomb shelter with those who were around.  (It was the fall break and most students were traveling, as was Dad - to Texas.)

Here we begin a sequence of photos which will give you a pretty good idea of where Bethany can usually be found - near Katie.  She is quite the attentive big sister.  And if these pictures had audio, you'd be hearing Bethany's voice.  All the time.

Mommy evidently likes to put funny head coverings on her daughters :-).

Katie (as of Feb 5) is a good sitter, but she hasn't started to crawl yet.  Probably won't be long before we'll look back on these days with fondness :-).		The green chair seems to be made for a big person, or in our case, Dad plus multiple little persons.

Luke and Mark do lots of crafts (and quite well!).  Here they play with their toy trains on their homemade tracks.		Bethany is getting the hang of riding her tricycle.  If the weather were warmer and drier more, she'd have it down.

Bethany looks cute in whatever outfit she's wearing.		Katie looks cute in whatever clothes bin she's sitting in :-).

And a few Christmas photos.  Mark was excited to get his First Grade workbook (he's officially in kindergarten, but that book has been retired already).		You probably can guess where Bethany's aunt graduated from school.  Her uncle is at USC now, working on an MBA.

Here Luke shows off his Christmas presents.		A very special Christmas treat was having Grandma and Grandpa here from Illinois.  (See photo at top.)