I'm hoping to get into the habit of updating our blog regularly. The last couple of weeks have been busy as I was getting ready for the first week of classes and then teaching them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to getting ready to teach, I also went to Atlanta for the American Catholic Historical Association conference. Here I am with my fellow panelists (we presented on Catholicism in East Asia). From left to right, Kevin Doak (focus on Japan), me, Fr. Rob (focus on China), and John Lindblom (focus on China). 



 

 I wanted to include a couple of pictures of our usual life. Here are David and John playing our living room. We are happy because they have a lot of fun together.

 John managed to get himself into a cloth drawer. He can't get out though and always has to ask for help.

 We enrolled David in piano lessons. He really likes his new keyboard we got him to practice on. We used part of the gift card our friend Terry gave us to get it.

Christmas and New Year

We had a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. I had to spend a lot of the break working on papers and preparing a new class (I'll teach "Religions of the World" for the first time int he Spring) but we did have some time for fun.

 

 Dad showing off some copies of art signed by Jim Shore. He is an artist whose daughter also teaches at Lander. We bought dad those two statues and his daughter got the signed copies fo the art for us.

 David really loves Garfield and drawing comics so we got him a signed Jim Davis animation cell from "Garfield and Friends."

 Garfield's girlfriend is named Arlene so I also got a personalized copy of a Sunday strip starring Garfield and Arlene.

 The boys and I after Chrstmas Mass.

 

 David, John, and a couple of their friends after Christmas Mass.

 

 

Dad and David flying a remote controll helicopter.

 John jumping up and down at Jumping Jax.

 Sliding down.

 David climbing an inflatable.

 John hopping while Arlene looks on.

David playing on a motorcyle.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone! This was a busy semester and the break is turning out to be the same, but at least we got out to our parish for Santa's visit.

 

 The boys enjoying some snacks.

 John and David with Santa

 David playing piano with Aina.

 Three of our graduates at commencement with Robert.

Most of our department posing with our recent graduates. Note me in the back with my snazzy hat.

Farewell to our Friendship Family Daughters

Two of our three friendship family daughters are returning from Lander after one semester (one will stay for a third). Before they left, we visited the Connie Maxwell House's Christmas celebration and rode on a horse-drawn carriage. The other pictures are from our dinner at Ruby Tuesday's.

Trip to Atlanta

We traveled to Atlanta so I could present at the American Academy of Religion conference. Scott and Juliet were kind enough to put us up (put up with us?).

 

 Arlene, Juliet, and Kylie during Thanksgiving break. I'm not sure why John is covering his ears.

 The kids playing with rc cars (Scott and Juliet kindly gave one to John)

 Scott and Bryce before the big Colts/Falcon game.

 John enjoying Scott's phone.

 Arlene an Juliet together.

 

Korean American Catholic Conference at DePaul

 

This last weekend I went to Chicago for a conference on Korean American Catholicism.

 

 

Having a delicious Korean meal with the presenters. Jim is on the left, with Fr. Simon (the organizer) in the center an Fr. Paul (the first diocesan Korean American priest) on the right. He had great jokes. For instance, what do you call a cow that has a baby? De-calf!

 

 The bottom of my whisky glass--the picture is meant to encourage you to drink.

 Breakfast at the rectory. More Korean food!

 

The poster for the conference.

 

 The conference room before it began. We had over thirty in the audience, a good number.

 Dinner afterwards.

Mexican food!

I had a good time with old friends and learned a lot, but was glad to get back home safely to my family.

Halloween and John's Birthday

 John wanted a McDonald's picnic while watching Garfield for lunch, so being the birthday boy, it had to be done.

 King of the birthday

 Getting ready to enjoy some sparkling wine

 Opening a gift

 Our friendship family daughters visiting for Halloween

 A generous neighbor had a smores station, so our friendship family daughters got to have their first American Halloween and smore

 Our friendship family daughters and David in front of our home

John, the train engineer, enjoying his birthday cake