I can't believe I haven't written since Thanksgiving! That's just how busy we've been. That and I haven't had pictures to post since our camera was stolen. I don't know why we don't listen to ourselves. Joe and I would always lock our doors at school and people started giving us a hard time for it, asking why we always locked our doors. Well, we stopped, and guess what - our camera was stolen from Joe's room. It's a shame, especially with so much snow around. I want to take winter pictures.

What's new here? Not a lot really. We are counting the days for our first Christmas back in the U.S. with family in a couple of years. The best part will be seeing grandpas, grandmas, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends enjoying time with Sophia and Sophia enjoying time with them. I can't believe we're traveling in just over a week. How will Sophia be during the flights and airport time? Oh, we shall see. Keep your fingers crossed for us. She does like being around people and crowds, so maybe it will work for us.

School has kept us so busy lately, between committees and concerts and meetings. It takes us so long to get home at night since we live on the opposite side of town. Our apartment is near the center and our school is out on the edge of town. Traffic is horrible in this town, our number one complaint. (Joe's more than mine since he does all the driving.) The city hasn't handled its expansion well. In just a few years the number of cars on the road have doubled, but the streets definitely have not. I told Joe I will do all the driving in the U.S. since I think he has become a total Kazakh driver. He'll get arrested if he pulls some of the stunts in the U.S. that he does here.

It is nice to be in a country where Christmas is celebrated. They have lights up around town. They don't seem as nice as at home, but it helps. The snow really gets us in the mood too. You can even find Christmas decorations at the supermarkets. I remember how difficult it was to find anything decent in Egypt.

Speaking of Egypt, I've started teaching my kids about Egypt. It really makes me nostalgic. I was showing the students pictures of Egypt the other day, and there really are things we miss about it. Egypt was so exotic, so new and interesting. We miss that thrill of the unknown. Kazakhstan is normal by comparison! We definitely like it here, but as always there are positives and negatives wherever you live.

We had our Christmas party at work last weekend. It was very nice. They hosted a formal dinner at the Hyatt Hotel. We figured we'd have to pay when we got there or something, but it was a full buffet. They even served wine all night. Since then I've learned that there are students at our school whose parents work for the Hyatt, so maybe that's where it all came from. It was really nice, though. The Korean ambassador even graced us with his presence and a member of the American embassy staff. Big wigs at our school, let me tell you. I teach ambassador's children. How weird. I guess I taught one ambassador's child in Egypt too.

Tonight we went to "It's a Wonderful Life" presented by an English speaking university here. It was a community production and our computer teacher (who happens to be from Iowa and has a house in Panora) was the star role. It was nice to get a little bit of the Christmas spirit that way.

The week ahead should be a good one. We have one week before the holiday and the week ends with a carnival at our school. Should be fun. I know my students are going to be bouncing off the walls just waiting for it all week. Ahh...nine year olds :) They take such pleasure in the simple things. It never ceases to amaze me and it makes me appreciate the small things more.

We can't wait to get home, and I guess I can say, we'll be seeing everyone soon!