Welcome!

Hi! Joe here, writing the first post of the joint blog Abi and I are going to be managing. We aren't the most prolific of posters on either of our individual blogs, so we'll see how this works out. ;)

We're starting our 6th week of living in Des Moines, and I think we're finally (mostly) settled in. There's a bit of unpacking and decorating to do yet, but for the most part, we're feeling quite at home. We've had the opportunity for Abi's family to visit us a couple of times, even had Abi's sister Susanna and my dad stay the first night we were here, had Abi's friend Elysse stay for a night, and had Abi's friend Helena and her husband Aaron over for a visit just this past Saturday evening. It's been a lot of fun to have company both in Rochester and here, and we're looking forward to being able to do that as much as possible.

We've been attending a small church not too far away, Bethany Baptist Church (link at the bottom of the main page) and have really been enjoying it. We're starting to get to know people, and everyone has been incredibly friendly. As long as God allows, we're looking forward to serving there.

My job at the VA Hospital is going well. Slowly but surely some of the material I learned in college is coming back to me. I'm working in the Hematology Department right now, which, I admit, isn't my favorite place to work, but oh well. In the grand scheme of things, I likely won't spend all of my time there anyway.

Abi keeps busy with several graphic design projects. It has been a tremendous blessing for her to be able to stay home and have such a good job, as well as for her to match her schedule to whatever I am working. She'll really be put to the test when I go from days, to evenings, to nights, and back to evenings, all in a 2-3 month timeframe.

Well, I think that's it for now. Supper's on the table, and I'm definitely hungry. And then it's bedtime. I feel so old going to bed before 9, but to get up at 5, I find it necessary. :P

God bless!