Compassion International

We just started sponsoring a child through Compassion International (http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/default.htm) and wanted to share his story with you so he could be in your prayers as well. His name is Nshimiyimana, he is almost 8 years old, and he lives in Rwanda. Nshim lives with his mother, father, and 3 siblings, and he enjoys singing and playing ball games. His mom and dad are sometimes employed as farmers and Nshim is responsible for carrying water and gathering firewood. Nshim lives in an area that is being devistated by HIV/AIDS, as well as still bearing the deep scars of a terrible civil war. We are excited to get to know Nshim and be a part of his life even though we are thousands of miles away. We have been so blessed in so many ways and we want to pass these blessings on to others who are in need. We hope you will join us in praying for Nshim and his family, as well as taking a moment to be truly thankful for all that you've been given.

Happy Thanksgiving

We just got back from celebrating a wonderful Thanksgiving with all of David's extended family up north in Minocqua. Lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins to chat with and as always, way too much food! To accommodate all the fun we had the Thanksgiving meal at a local hotel, with the additional bonus of being able to spend time in the pool and hot tub. We even got some snow to start off the Christmas holidays. It is fun to be part of such a large, loving family and the best part of any holiday is that it brings us all together. We just want you (yes you reader) to know that you have touched our lives in some wonderful way and we truly thank God for you.

Music Extravaganza

We have had the opportunity to see three fantastic concerts in the last few weeks. The first was a concert performed by the Oshkosh Chamber Singers. Jocelyn's Dad is a member of this choir and sang beautifully in their concert! This concert was called "Reflections on Peace" and was a very touching collection of music and prose that encouraged the listener to understand the value of peace in our world. The second concert was a very high energy performance by Nickel Creek, a bluegrass rock group that has enough talent to knock your socks off. We really enjoyed getting to see this concert with friends and we were all so impressed with the depth of musical talent shown by the performers. It's the kind of music where when you listen to it, you just can't sit still. The third concert was Celtic Woman, and it was phenomenal. We got to attend this concert with, and thanks to, David's parents. The musical selections are a fun mix of Celtic and modern music and the 5 lead women are stunningly talented. We first heard them on PBS and have loved them every since. We so enjoy attending concerts and hearing live music! There is so much talent out there, you've just got to listen to the right stuff.