Hi! We’re the Heisses!
Andrew likes to wear shorts and Italian silk ties, though not usually at the same time. He holds a PhD in Public Policy from Duke University and is a professor at Georgia State University. He studies non-profit management, teaches statistics and economics, and is passionate about the Middle East. I think he’s smart, talented, and handsome.
I'm Nancy and am the main contributor to this blog. I studied linguistics at BYU and find language fascinating. I enjoy doing yoga, reading, writing, playing ukulele, and taking my kids to the park.
Rachel is in grade six this year. She loves soccer, Doctor Who, the West Wing, Broadway, reading, and hanging with her friends. She plays the viola.
Miriam is in grade four. She loves singing, writing, and playing the piano and organ. She loves a good pair of boots and studies German in her free time.
Benjamin is thriving in grade one. He's a regular bundle of energy, but he's smart as a whip and funny, too. He recently learned how to ride a bike and thinks it's the best thing since sliced bread.
Zoë is a feisty four-year-old. She loves zipping around on her scooter, staying in her pyjamas all day, reading stories, and picking on her baby brother. She hates emptying the dishwasher.
Alexander is a year and a half already! He is clumsy as can be (has already broken his arm and had a black eye) but finally seems to have figured out how to keep his balance (he took forever to learn how to walk). He is the sweetest thing and loves giving hugs and sharing and being within an arm's length of mommy at all times.
A brief time-line of our lives:
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| This is an old picture, obviously |
Andrew likes to wear shorts and Italian silk ties, though not usually at the same time. He holds a PhD in Public Policy from Duke University and is a professor at Georgia State University. He studies non-profit management, teaches statistics and economics, and is passionate about the Middle East. I think he’s smart, talented, and handsome.
I'm Nancy and am the main contributor to this blog. I studied linguistics at BYU and find language fascinating. I enjoy doing yoga, reading, writing, playing ukulele, and taking my kids to the park.
Rachel is in grade six this year. She loves soccer, Doctor Who, the West Wing, Broadway, reading, and hanging with her friends. She plays the viola.
Miriam is in grade four. She loves singing, writing, and playing the piano and organ. She loves a good pair of boots and studies German in her free time.
Benjamin is thriving in grade one. He's a regular bundle of energy, but he's smart as a whip and funny, too. He recently learned how to ride a bike and thinks it's the best thing since sliced bread.
Zoë is a feisty four-year-old. She loves zipping around on her scooter, staying in her pyjamas all day, reading stories, and picking on her baby brother. She hates emptying the dishwasher.
Alexander is a year and a half already! He is clumsy as can be (has already broken his arm and had a black eye) but finally seems to have figured out how to keep his balance (he took forever to learn how to walk). He is the sweetest thing and loves giving hugs and sharing and being within an arm's length of mommy at all times.
A brief time-line of our lives:
2024: Grandpa and Darla get married. More in progress...
2023: Nancy graduates from UGA.
2022: Same old, same old.
2021: Still dealing with the pandemic. Still homeschooling, this time with Rachel in her first year of high school, Miriam in her first year of middle school, Benjamin and Zoë in elementary school, and Alexander the tag-along preschooler. Oh, and apparently we're having a baby—enter Phoebe!
2020: Hahahahaha. COVID. Need I say more? Zoë starts kindergarten this year, our first kindergarten homeschooler. Nancy begins her master's degree program at UGA.
2019: We move to Georgia so Andrew can start at Georgia State University. We buy our first house. Are we grown ups yet? Rachel starts middle school. Miriam and Benjamin start homeschool.
2018: Grandma passes away.
2017: Andrew graduates from Duke University with a PhD in Public Policy (though he didn't walk until 2018). We move to Utah (again—Spanish Fork this time) so Andrew can teach at BYU. Benjamin starts kindergarten. Alexander makes his grand entrance. Miriam is baptized.
2016: Nothing much, TBH.
2015: Zoë enters the scene. Rachel gets baptized. Miriam begins her schooling career.
2014: On the whole, a rather uneventful year.
2013: We went to Disney World! Other than that it was an uneventful year (which was nice, considering everything that happened in 2012).
2012: Andrew graduates from BYU with an MPA, he goes to Ghana (again). Benjamin couldn't wait to meet us so he came a little too soon. We move to North Carolina for Andrew to attend Duke—that's more school—for a PhD this time. Rachel starts kindergarten. It was a very eventful year for our family.
2011: Nancy runs her first marathon. Andrew travels to Ghana for a field study program.
2010: Andrew graduates from AUC with an MA in Middle East history. We return to BYU for Andrew to pursue an MPA. Rachel begins attending preschool.
2009: Miriam joins the clan.
2008: Andrew graduates from BYU. Later we move to Egypt on a whim for Andrew to attend AUC.
2007: Rachel is born.
2006: Study abroad in Amman, Jordan.
2005: I graduate from BYU. Andrew returns from his mission. We get married in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple. Honeymoon in Italy.
2004: I spend a semester teaching English in Voronezh, Russia, with ILP.
2003: I go to Europe for the first time for the Viola Congress. I graduate from UVSC and THS simultaneously. Andrew leaves for a two-year mission to Rome, Italy.
2002: Andrew graduates from THS, begins studies at BYU. I leave THS for UVSC.
2001: Andrew and I partner up in the THS Ballroom Dance Company. Andrew goes to Europe for the first time on band tour.
2000: My family moves to Utah. Andrew and I meet in Social Dance 1 at THS.
1999: Andrew breaks his arm during the August 11 tornado in SLC.
1998: Nothing exciting happened this year.
1997: I begin homeschooling because middle school is…ugh.
1996: Andrew starts playing the clarinet, as do I. A tornado goes by my house.
1995: My family moves to High River, Alberta.
1994: My family moves to Calgary, Alberta.
1993: Andrew’s family moves to Orem, Utah. I get baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
1992: Andrew gets baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
1991: Nothing exciting happened this year.
1990: My family moves to Port Coquitlam, BC. I start kindergarten at Leigh Elementary School in Coquitlam, BC.
1989: Andrew starts kindergarten at Parkwood Elementary School in Durham, North Carolina.
1988: I break my arm. My family moves to Burnaby, British Columbia.
1987: My family moves to California, later to Provo, Utah.
2019: We move to Georgia so Andrew can start at Georgia State University. We buy our first house. Are we grown ups yet? Rachel starts middle school. Miriam and Benjamin start homeschool.
2018: Grandma passes away.
2017: Andrew graduates from Duke University with a PhD in Public Policy (though he didn't walk until 2018). We move to Utah (again—Spanish Fork this time) so Andrew can teach at BYU. Benjamin starts kindergarten. Alexander makes his grand entrance. Miriam is baptized.
2016: Nothing much, TBH.
2015: Zoë enters the scene. Rachel gets baptized. Miriam begins her schooling career.
2014: On the whole, a rather uneventful year.
2013: We went to Disney World! Other than that it was an uneventful year (which was nice, considering everything that happened in 2012).
2012: Andrew graduates from BYU with an MPA, he goes to Ghana (again). Benjamin couldn't wait to meet us so he came a little too soon. We move to North Carolina for Andrew to attend Duke—that's more school—for a PhD this time. Rachel starts kindergarten. It was a very eventful year for our family.
2011: Nancy runs her first marathon. Andrew travels to Ghana for a field study program.
2010: Andrew graduates from AUC with an MA in Middle East history. We return to BYU for Andrew to pursue an MPA. Rachel begins attending preschool.
2009: Miriam joins the clan.
2008: Andrew graduates from BYU. Later we move to Egypt on a whim for Andrew to attend AUC.
2007: Rachel is born.
2006: Study abroad in Amman, Jordan.
2005: I graduate from BYU. Andrew returns from his mission. We get married in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple. Honeymoon in Italy.
2004: I spend a semester teaching English in Voronezh, Russia, with ILP.
2003: I go to Europe for the first time for the Viola Congress. I graduate from UVSC and THS simultaneously. Andrew leaves for a two-year mission to Rome, Italy.
2002: Andrew graduates from THS, begins studies at BYU. I leave THS for UVSC.
2001: Andrew and I partner up in the THS Ballroom Dance Company. Andrew goes to Europe for the first time on band tour.
2000: My family moves to Utah. Andrew and I meet in Social Dance 1 at THS.
1999: Andrew breaks his arm during the August 11 tornado in SLC.
1998: Nothing exciting happened this year.
1997: I begin homeschooling because middle school is…ugh.
1996: Andrew starts playing the clarinet, as do I. A tornado goes by my house.
1995: My family moves to High River, Alberta.
1994: My family moves to Calgary, Alberta.
1993: Andrew’s family moves to Orem, Utah. I get baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
1992: Andrew gets baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
1991: Nothing exciting happened this year.
1990: My family moves to Port Coquitlam, BC. I start kindergarten at Leigh Elementary School in Coquitlam, BC.
1989: Andrew starts kindergarten at Parkwood Elementary School in Durham, North Carolina.
1988: I break my arm. My family moves to Burnaby, British Columbia.
1987: My family moves to California, later to Provo, Utah.
1986: Nothing exciting happened this year.
1985: Andrew’s family moves to Durham, North Carolina. I am born in Raymond, Alberta, Canada.
1984: Andrew is born in Provo, Utah.
