2002 Highlights

We were again blessed with a year of good health, adventure, and family firsts. 

On the adventure front we took several trips around Texas camping and biking.  The most memorable vacation was our trip to Michigan this summer.  We put on more than 4,000 miles on the old mini-van visiting:
  - Sister Lisa in Indianapolis, IN
  - Nanette and her family in Berkley
  - Felix and Madonna in Gladwin
  - A family reunion in central MI
  - A day trip to Mackinaw Island
  - Sister Katy in St. Joseph, MI
  - Chicago
  - & finished off with our favorite Arkansas State Park

Some of the Gang at the Family Reunion

It was a great time visiting old friends and family and my first time back to Michigan in several years. 

Mackinaw Island

My Michigan "License Plate" photo from the Ferry, was that good timing or what?

It was always a life long dream take the kids back up to Mackinaw Island with it's rich Indian, French, British, and American history.  We rented bicycles for the day and spent eight hours covering the Island's sights finishing up with a lap around the perimeter. 

Here's Sebastien looking out in front of one of the Bluffs on Mackinaw Island

Here's Chloe "striking a pose" at Fort Davis, the highest point on Mackinaw Island

Tatiana    

Tatiana is having a great final year at Robert's Elementary School being one of the "senior" 5th Graders.  She is in the "Blue Steppers" dance group, the Art Club, and the Choir as part of the after school program.  She even had a solo part in the School's Sept 11 memorial that was filmed by local TV.  She made a great mark on one (of the too numerous) standardized tests and was admitted into the Gifted and Talented Program this fall. 

She is "shopping" the local middle schools and hopes to get into one of the "gifted and talented" programs at the "school of her choice."  Tatiana also completed a drama class this fall and played the role of the mother in "Hansel and Gretel". 

Tatiana with Hansel & Gretel

Here is Tatiana with her friend Sara who lives very own Mountain Bike and Longhorn Ranch (Bluff Creek Ranch) in Warda Texas. 

Sébastien    

Sébastien started Tae Kwon Do this fall.  He has completed two tests and now has his "yellow belt".  This summer he attended his first "camp", a basketball day-camp at Rice University and this winter joined a local YMCA basketball team.  His first organized team sport!  He is quite the athlete and really loves basketball.  He's doing great in school and likes to challenge 5th Graders to a game of "hoops."  

Sebastien holding up his 4th place ribbon from the 10 & under division

Chloé

Chloe started Kindergarten this year.  It will be the first (and only) year all three kids are in the same school.  Its so nice and convenient.  I'll enjoy it while it lasts.  She loves school and her teacher and was more than ready to attending school this fall.  Chloe started piano lessons at Robert's Elementary like her older siblings. 

Chloe on the Starting Line

She did great this fall in her mountain bike race over Labor Day weekend in the Texas Hill Country.  She finished second in the "6 & Under Training Wheels Division."  Usually she's not that interested in riding her bike, but when everyone lined up and they fired the gun, she was off to the races, literally!   You never know how they will surprise you next. 

Chloe & some of the Cast

Chloe also attended Theater school on Saturdays this fall. Here she is with some of the cast.  (Out the cast of two boys and eight girls, somehow the wrote the script with one dragon and numerous winged fairies and butterflies)

Dad

Dad was busy working on the International Space Station for the 12th year (see the NASA column for updates) and finishing up night school.  He signed up for a "Securities Analysis" class this fall that managed a $2.4 million dollar investment fund. (see links below) How would you like to invest in a fund run by college students?  Actually the fund has out performed the S&P 500 benchmark since it's inception.  Dad is returning next semester to be a "senior portfolio manager." and hopes to graduate (after 5 years!) this coming May!!  Yeah!!

NYC

You know who, you know where

Dad visited friends in New York City this spring and finally did all the required Manhattan sightseeing including the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, & most notably Ellis Island.  There he found copies of the ships logs where his grandmother, Maria Florentz (Lutomski) came over in 1915 from Tsaritsin, Russia. 

Pictures from the WTC Observation Line

The World Trade Center of course was a sobering sight and gave time for reflection on how and why these things happen.

Moscow 

The Spasskaya Tower (1491) the Kremlin's main tower and official entrance

(Taken with Dad's low-tech and out-dated Digital Camera,

Not bad huh?)

Dad was also had a trip back to Moscow in the first time in two years.

(Continued on third Column) 

International Space Station Update

We continued to assembly your Space Station this past year adding three more truss segments that will eventually hold more solar arrays and the heat rejection systems.  We are already on our 6th Expedition or crew of three living and working on the Space Station. 

Exp. 5 trying to organize their living room

We now have had over 16 Space Shuttles flights and 17 Russian launches to the ISS.  Next year will be a challenging one where we will bring up two more power modules which will more than double the amount of power available for experiments or "utilization" of the station. 

Here's shots of the latest truss addition

Here a picture of it's current configuration

Here's an incredible photo taken from

the ISS of Mt. Etna erupting.

(Click here for more info)

Here's American Peggy Whitson working on an experiment onboard

Click here to see more ISS Imagery.

Dad Continued from second column

The two most noticeable changes?  Cell phones everywhere (they no longer cost $2,000 for initiating service) and they are now letting women drive!  Women everywhere "za rulom."  Proof again that truly "anything is possible in Russia". 

Guanajuato

Diego Rivera's childhood home and now Museum in Guanajuato Mexico

Dad also had a wonderful trip to Guanajuato, Mexico (wana what?) to see the Festival Internacional Cervantino.  An incredible month long arts festival in one of the most beautiful Spanish Colonial cities in the heart of Mexico.  He hopes to take the children there someday to see the beautiful sights. 

Until next year,

peace to you and yours. 

God Bless.