No pictures this time - just a check in. Teri, Joey, and I are all suffering from seasonal colds. We have had about three days of sun this past month. The remaining 27 days have been rain, from steady to downpour. Fortunately, our house leak is right above our bathtub. Every so often, you will feel a drop penetrate through your hair to your scalp - yikes, it is always cold! I have been on this post since 3 August and have yet to step foot outside the gates. Hopefully, that will change this weekend.

This coming Tuesday is Chusok - the Korean version of Thanksgiving. The traffic is so crazy that the military gives us the day off. We are prohibited from driving on the roads Monday and Wednesday. So it will be odd for me and the kids. We have the weekend, work/school on Monday, off on Tuesday, and then go back for the rest of the week.

Kids are loving school. Chris came back shouting, "I love school." He rides the bus next to his big brother and has one of the best teachers in the school. Joey is seriously missing his playmate. I came home for lunch today (a five minute walk) and he was quite upset that I did not have Chris with me.

Hope all is well in the States.

Love, Mona

Well, it has been awhile. I seem to keep typing that. :) I moved from Yongsan down to Daegu at the beginning of August. I was home for a week and then went to the field for the rest of the month. We are at the end of the Labor Day Weekend, and I finally think things are starting to gel.

My good friend Liz left to join her family a couple days before I moved down. We are now the proud owners of her family's turtle - Speedy. While the humor of the name fits our family like a glove, he is in fact very quick when he is out of the tank.

Chip had his 36th birthday in August. Similar to last year, the kids picked out the birthday cake. This year they chose a "Finding Nemo" theme - the look on Chip's face was awesome!

School started last week for Nate and Teri. He is in 7th grade and she is in 4th. The school in Daegu is a K-12 school, with around 300-400 students, so not very large. Chris starts Kindergarten tomorrow. He has already seen his Kindergarten teacher three times at the PX and the Commissary. He is very excited. This will be the first time that one of the kids doesn't have a playmate at home in years. Chris and Joey remind me of the stories I hear about Chip and Andy when they were young. I suspect this week will be very difficult for Joey....and Chip!

I am in a great position, working for my old boss. I am happy about both. The office is literally a five minute walk away. I won't be leaving before 6pm at any point, but to be home by 6:30 or so is something the family is not used to.

We love you all and will actually write soon. We have family pictures that have been collecting dust. In fact, I don't recall who I sent what, so a few of you may be getting repeats!

Mona