Tas (tas@nadas.org) aka T, went through the biggest change this year. On Christmas Eve 2003, he received notification that he was accepted at Case University (was Case-Western Reserve) in Cleveland. The big surprise was that he was to start classes January 12. This gave him approximately two weeks to prepare for college in a new city. Add to it, that his Christmas holidays were planned full with guests and travel, and that I would be visiting my own (95 year old) mother in San Diego the first week in January. So Tas went off to college without a maternal send-off (and without sheets, which I sent him later). He adjusted well, and after a semester to get used to the whole situation, has done quite well. He has also taken advantage of the Hungarian community in Cleveland, and has become an active scout leader there as well as participating in the folk dance group.

Zsolt (zsolt@nadas.org) aka Z, accepted the role of camp-master for the scouts this past summer, never dreaming that by September, he would take over the troop as scoutmaster. This is quite an honor as well as quite a huge undertaking. In addition to work (sometimes up to 75 hours per week) and working on his master’s degree (University of Phoenix Online) in Information Technology, he puts in hours of work developing programs, outings, etc. for the scout troop. Scouting had been part of all the kids’ lives, so it is natural for all of them to assume leadership positions. Zsolt is doing an impressive job at it, and hopes to continue with the energy and enthusiasm he started with. He lives at home right now – he’s much too busy to deal with finding a condo, moving, furnishing, cooking, cleaning, and all that. He’s home, but we don’t see him all that much – except for frequent ping-pong games with me, since we both spent so much time sitting at our computers for school (see below).

Gyula (gyula@nadas.org) aka Jay, and Colleen (colleen@nadas.org) have put a lot of their energies into making their house a home. They now have a fenced in yard with a shed, deck and playground, vegetables and herbs growing as well as a flower garden. There are baby trees growing all around. Indoors, Gyula has built room dividers, a storage room in the basement, and they have done much painting and decorating. Gyula as become pharmacy manager for a Walgreen’s store about 3 miles from home. He is learning that management is sometimes more than a full time job. Colleen is a stay-at-home mother to Peyton (7) and Xander (20 months), while making candies, cookies, and cakes for special events. They are expecting another baby in February. The family keeps growing.

Krisztina (krisztina@nadas.org) and Scott (sundem@nadas.org) are also expecting in February, so there will be cousins the same age again. József (16 months) is barely younger than his cousin. They are living in Monterey, CA this year, while Scott is studying for his master’s degree in physics, specializing in acoustics, at the Naval Post-Graduate School. Krisztina home-schools Zoltán (5) and Sándor (4). This is in addition to taking them to swimming, gymnastics, soccer practice and games (Papa does soccer as well), and to the race track to drive. How I envy the energy!

Erika (erika@nadas.org) is finishing the sixth year of teaching – time flies! She is also working on a master’s degree – in Adult Education and Distance Learning, also at University of Phoenix Online. This entails nearly daily reading and posting to classroom newsgroups, usually one paper per week, several responses to assigned discussion questions, and some kind of team project. Classes run six weeks then one week off. It is great fun, but pretty intense and time consuming. At least there is no commute! But it is easy to spend way too much time sitting in front of a computer.

Gyuszi (julius@nadas.org) aka Julius is as happy as a kid, when he gets to ride the motorcycle. And he is smart enough to be careful. His daily commutes by bicycle (even in winter) helped prepare him for the traffic problems as a two-wheeled vehicle. School is still too much fun to consider retiring, although a bit stressful this year, with a three week strike and the corresponding changes in work schedule for everyone involved. Our travels have been limited to day or weekend trips until Erika’s degree program is finished. Fortunately Western Illinois and Southern Wisconsin offer plenty of good fun.