About Us

She's just a small town girl livin' in a high school world,

She took the Amtrak train goin' anywhere...

He's not a city boy, born and raised northwest of Detroit,

He took a nonstop plane goin' anywhere...

A tree in the family room,

The scent of pine fills the room,

Four little words that will change their lives -

They'll go on and on and on and on.

There's our story (the engagement, anyway) set to the tune of 'Don't Stop Believing' by Journey.

For some quick facts about us, here you go:

Jessica

• Born at the end of the disco era, thus making her an official "Dancing Queen"
• Oldest child; only daughter - making her a people-pleaser, a bit of a perfectionist and a princess
• An unabashed brown-noser - she made it her goal to say hi to her high school principal every day of her senior year. Her hard work paid off when she got perfect attendance for the year at graduation - in spite of attending National 4-H Congress and Iowa Pork Congress (missing multiple days for non-school related functions).
• When told that if she had a season of no activities (like summer or winter) that she'd have to get a job; she made sure that she'd be involved in almost any activity she could. :)
• What she lacked in athletic ability, she made up for in enthusiasm - winning the 'Most Enthusiastic Award' (yes! it's a real award with a plaque and everything!) 3 times in two different sports.
• Her senior year of high school, she was president of three different organizations.
• She's been friends with the same five girls since 4th grade.
• She spoke at her high school graduation.
• She didn't date a lot.
• Her career plan after college was to get married. Nobody told her that she'd have to get her Master's before that would pan out.
• Since college, she's lived in 9 different places in the greater Ames area.
• Since college, she's had two jobs; the longest working as an Advisor for the TRIO Educational Talent Search Program at Iowa State, where she completed eight full years. She loved that job.
• Her undergrad and graduate degrees are in the same program - Ag Education; her undergrad advisor and major professor are the same person.
• She was intrigued by Dan when they first met for the following reasons: 1) he was the former Michigan FFA President (yes, really); 2) she really loved talking to him (he's interesting); 3) he could dance; 4) she wanted to figure out where that accent came from (without offending him, of course); 5) he was intrigued by her.

  

 Dan

• Born 2 years before the Tigers won the World Series.
• Youngest child; third boy - naturally charming, talkative, thinks he has to prove himself to the world & everybody else thinks he's got it easy.
• Everything Jessica can do, Dan can do better. She got second at state for FFA Prepared Public Speaking; Dan got first. She was on the ballot for District FFA Officer; he was a Regional Officer. She ran for State FFA Vice-President; he was State FFA President.
• He's a natural leader - voted class president 3 times.   
• His senior year, he was president of three organization.
• He was the speaker at his high school graduation.
• He's been friends with the same three guys since middle school.
• He dated a lot.
• He's a Michigan State Spartan for life!
• His career goal (as a 10 year old) was to be a priest. Guess that's not happening!
• He had the same major in undergrad and graduate school - Animal Science.
• Since college, he's lived in 4 states and 7 places. 
• Since college, he's had four jobs. Currently, he's "livin' the dream" as a livestock judging coach for the University of Arizona. 
• He was intrigued by Jessica when they first met because she's Matt Rohrig's sister - and therefore a good person; she seemed genuinely interested in him; she had a great smile - a GREAT smile.