Happy Thanksgiving!

Don't forget... our Going-Away Party is on November 30th from 1-6pm! If you can make it we'd love to see you, and if not because of Thanksgiving, blessings as you celebrate the goodness of God!

We spent 2 weeks in Ames, really our last real time in Ames and it was a huge blessing. We got to see a lot of friends...

- Aaron & Marilee with their little new addition, Joshua

- Mahbub & Luna with their new addition, Afra

- some of our favorite kids - the Bodins! (Sophie loved our housemate's cat, Tuna!)

- John & Laura
- Lynn got to spend a Saturday with her best friend Kate!
- On Sunday our friends Matt & Jessie came over as well as Aaron & Marilee, and Eric & Stephanie who we live with. All the guys are musical & Beta Sigs, so they had a lot of fun playing music and hanging out - not to mention the women had a great time too!

- Pam & Dave came down to visit us and Kate. Just so you know, Jeff's Pizza in Ames is GREAT!
- More Beta Sig's came over for dinner as well!

We're so blessed with so many friends, and so many more that we can't see very often. The first snow fall (kinda) happened as well, here's a pic to prove it!


As we head into our last month & a half in the states, we reflect on how thankful we are for what we've been given by God - one another, loving friends & family, more things than we'll ever truly need, and much much more. But the true gift is of his son, Jesus Christ, who through we have the only thing that can not be taken from us, eternal life with God! So no matter you're circumstances, we pray that you'll find joy & thanksgiving in the only One that can grant it to you. Happy Thanksgiving!



We found this great picture that Dan made when he was little in his room while cleaning at his parents house and thought it was apt for Thanksgiving!

George Washington
It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor.

H. W. Westermayer
The pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts… nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving.

God's been busy knitting...

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
~ Psalm 139:13


August 22 at 10:02 PM, Afra Farah Majumder



Around August 25th, Ella Grace Hodgell



September 3, 2008 at 2:10 PM, Annamarie Grace Jensen



Tuesday, September 9 at 2 PM, Eden Elizabeth Clarkson



September 14th, 6:33 a.m., Amelia Jane Samp



October 8 at 10:59 pm, Asher David Wessman



October 26th, Miles Nathan Klinge



November 6th at at 3:59 p.m., Leah Kincaid



November 7th at 12:14am, Joshua Ayden Eischeid
(He's glowing because he has fiber-optic lights on to help with jaundice)

Congratulations to all of our friends who are new parents - each little one is truly a miracle!

9 new babies in less than 3 months.... and don't worry there's more to come (but not any of our own, yet)!

As someone said... It was a cold winter :)

A Thought from a Founding Father

"Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have" - Thomas Jefferson

Piper's Pre-Election Perspective BUTa Timeless Transcend Truth

If a pictures worth a thousand words, a video must be worth a million, but this John Piper clip on the election (taped before) must be worth... well, I don't even know how to describe it... just watch it! Click here

from 230 to The Ridge

Note: Below Post was Written on Nov 4th, although not posted until today.

Well, it’s Election Day here in the good ol’ US of A and we hope you all had a chance to vote! What a privilege, no matter who you voted for! Songwriter Derek Webb describes well our feelings and thoughts on the matter…

“My first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man. My first allegiance is not to democracy or blood. It’s to a King and a Kingdom.”

We know that no matter who is elected that ultimately it’s God who is in control… as Daniel said…

“His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does what He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” – Daniel 4:43b-35

The title of this post describes what we just spent the last few days doing – helping move Lynn’s parents from 230 to The Ridge! We had a lot of fun spending time with them as well as getting to move and help get a house ready to be a home is one of our favorite things to do! It’s nice to see them finally in their “dream” house. Here's a pic of one of the last trips - Echo, our dog, had to sit with me in the passenger seat!



We also were in town because it was Grandma Klisch’s 89th Birthday and we celebrated on Sunday! There was a lot of family there and it was great to catch up with cousins & aunts & uncles. We had a sing-a-long time of folk songs from when Grandma was younger which was great fun!

Lynn brought some of Grandma’s famous poppy seed coffee cake that she’s begun to learn to make. Making it seems to be a whole day process, but I suppose soon many things will take much longer than we want it to, living overseas.

We spent a couple days milking for Dan’s parents while they were out of town. The kittens were sure cute again! Here’s a video for all you cat lovers out there!



October 25th was ISU Homecoming, what a joy to be in Ames! Beta Sigma Psi had an alumni event and we got to see quite a few college friends who we hadn’t seen in awhile! That evening we carved pumpkins with our housemates Eric & Stephanie, who had just taken the FE (a big engineering exam). They carved the “nice” pumpkin and we carved the “mean” pumpkin.






We were moving Lynn’s parents on Halloween so we didn’t do much except give a few things out to the kids who came to the door and watch “27 Dresses” – which we both suggest for a fun romantic comedy type of movie.

We’re excited for the next two months, as we’re flying out in early January!