Semi-Annual Blog

Just when you wanted to delete my link from your blog sites I'm updating my site with a few more pictures and a bit more history. The biggest news, I know you all know by now, is Seaira Kristine Rix. Here a few picutes of the last two months...
All the "big" kids our out of school for the summer and enjoying time at the pool, with friends, games and T.V. We all wish we had the energy to keep up with them but it seems that the only energy we have is taken in cleaning up after them!! Youth is wasted on the young as they say. I have to remember that getting old is all a part of the merciful plan but sometimes I would like a few less aches in the morning...I can't wait until I'm even older, right Dad?

Here are a few pictures of our last vacation. We spent some time in Kwona's hometown. She hasn't been back for 20+ years but her home where she was born in is still there. Her school has be replaced with more modern schools, the stream where she used to play and bathe is still there as well. She also took us to a favorite vacation site near her home to a place called My San.

Cari, Devin and Dillon are growing even tough I stopped watering them a few months ago...

The next few pictures are for Jenna. She always in interested with designs, and creatures etc so these are a bit of a combination of both. If you look close at the hole you may even see the crab who has been creating such a masterpiece.

The next couple are some creatures we found (I believe they were all dead before we got to them!!); please no complaints. The other ones, not shown, were later boiled and eaten!!!

There were many more but that is it for this time.

I hope all is well with everybody and I hope you enjoy this small glimpse into our latest happenings.

Take care and until next time... (maybe even a supplementary issue!) keep smiling!!

The end of the "Year of the Golden Pig" is now closing and has brought us many changes. We have been blessed beyond measure and are thankful for so many things. Top on our list is our family and friends who add so much flavor to our lives. We are now living in lodging for another 5 days until our new apartment becomes ready to inhabit. Preparations for my Change of Command are going well and I expect the ceremony to happen on the 9th of January. The company I will be in command of has a very large amount of the Army's entire ammunition stockages. It will be an exciting challenge to be involved with the company.
I have been released as the branch president, a whole of three months serving, Kwona has been released as the Young Women's president and we are now just getting to know our new branch. The kids have been uprooted again and had two days of school at their new school before the winter break.
Life here at the lodge is tiresome but because we have two rooms and two TVs we are entertained in the close quarters when wrestling and tickle wars wear off. We also try to get to see many of Kwona's friends and relatives who we haven't seen much of while we were farther away in Daegu. It is fun to be back at Camp Humphreys where Kwona and I started our married life together 13+ years ago. This place has changed but will change even more in the next two years as many of the US Forces will be moved from Seoul and north to this camp.



Devin hit the ripe old age of 8. This is a picture of our traditional pancake breakfast when there is a birthday. The pancake is expertly sculptured into the number of the age the birthday boy in this case. Since Devin turned eight the next picture shows an important step in his life.



Following are some more pictures to catch you up to date:
The BABY - I say it is a girl...


Cari - Here is a red picture to Jenna's Blue


Devin and I on our 7+ hour hike up and down more mountains than my body wants to remember!!


This is a funny picture. Notice the young children listening to the Chinese singers. They didn't care for it much... me too.


Dillon Impossible!!


Kwona and I on a bus trip to the Mask Festival. Kids are there, not seen but heard!!


That is it for this blog. I hope you are all healthy and happy.

I have been pressured into writing another blog. I am also on leave again and have a bit of extra time on my hands so I thought I would send a few pictures along as well as the latest news. By permission, Jenna has let the kid out of the bag, so to speak. After thinking we were done on changing baby diapers and waking up at all hours of the night and all the good hugs and special looks a baby brings, we get to experience it all over again. May sometime is the best guess for the new arrival. We are all excited about the prospect but the kids are the most excited. Devin told everybody in school and his class bet on whether or not it was a boy or girl. 11 girl vs. 9 boy.
We have had some other events since last I wrote. Dillon is now attending school and Cari is now 11. I wish she would slow down because the older she gets, the older I get. It doesn't seem fair but not much I can do about it.
We had to cancel our planned trip to South Africa because it would be hard to package up a new born and travel half way around the world. We are happy that we have a great incentive to get mom and dad to come visit us here in Korea.
Work has been interesting as we have been practicing the equivalent of a drive by shooting or the official term - Convoy Live Fire Exercise. We also were able to practice with Claymore Mines, Hand Grenades, and our individual weapons. We spent 10 days working on all this fun. The days were long but rewarding and better than all the paper work that comes with the army.
We still don't know what will happen to my request to get another company at a location closer to Seoul. It is that more important now since Kwona would like to have the baby at the army hospital in Yongsan (Seoul). We are now about 4 hours away but if we get the other location we would be maybe 1 hour.
The army has offered me and many other captains a bonus to stay in the military for another 3 years. I am deciding what bonus I want since they gave us some options and how each will effect our future. I am still planning to get out of the military in four and a half years.
The pictures show the first day of school (Cari's friend is in the picture but not Cari), Tae Kwon Do class for Devin and Cari's 11th birthday traditional pancake breakfast.

At Long Longing

Because of popular demand I have spent hours of research on how to break back into my blog after all the time I've spent away. Well not really, it took about three clicks and resetting my password but I'm back!! We are still here in Korea and will be until at least Jan of 2011. I may stay longer if possible or I may be ready to leave when the time comes... Cari will be going into 5th grade in Sep, Devin into 2nd and Dillon will be going into Kindergarten. Kwona will be going into shopping!!! I am now officially a commander of the unit I have been the Officer In Charge of for the last six months. They gave us more authority and now call us commanders. I am still looking for another unit to command which is an actual company instead of a team like I now have. Either way they will both be good experiences for me. If all goes well, I should be a captain for only two more years and then be a major. Currently I am planning on retiring as a major in five years time and starting my second career in something else. I wish Jenna would start her own business so I can work for her!!!

Don't know how to put comments next to the picture right so on the left is Chris Cagle a country singer (I should have worn black to match!!) In the center is a spoof on Quin's picture I saw some time back, and on the right the kids while we were camping.

That is about it. Sure wish we were close to everyone but somehow things don't always happen exactly like we want them to!! Although we are all spread out now, we will cherish the moments we can be together again that much more.

Top: Me in the back of C130 on my way home!!

Top Right: Check point that was hit by a tanker truck bomb (the good side)

Left: Me on top of a MIG that has seen better days. This is for my uncle.

Our Family

If you missed our famous 2006 family Christmas picture, here it is. This is just a typical momement in our life that depicts us very well and since a picture speaks 1000 words I'll let this one speak for itself.

Look, a cue ball with eyes and a big nose!! Don't worry those are not cigs in my shirt pocket, just medicine for Grandpa. Dillon is giving me pointers on how to play pool in the background.