Maddie Learning How to Drive??

Maddie LOVES the chance to sit in the driver's seat - here are some pics for all of you to enjoy! :)

I Have a Sad Feeling in my Stomach

Kelly & Brian are getting all set to move on Tuesday. Every time I think of it, I get a icky feeling in my stomach. I am excited for them to be following God's leading to Mankato - I just hate to see them leave. They have been such a blessing to us - babysitting, having us over for meals, and just stopping by for a quick hello. I will miss not having them only a mile away. A four hour drive seems like an airplane ride away compared to what I've been used to over the past year. I guess I am trying to look forward to good long weekends spent with them. That is the only thing that makes me happy to think of them leaving. We had a going away party for them on Friday - here are some pictures of our time with them!







Things with the UMD Navigators continue to go really well. We are seeing God answer prayer - and it is so exciting! The only problem is - we have been so busy with Nav stuff and other commitments with church and friends - that we haven't had enough family time! We certainly are seeing the importance of that time and the need to find a balance. So that is what I have been praying about lots lately - that Brandon and I would know what things we should say yes to and when we need to say no.

Tonight, many new freshmen joined us for a bonfire on Wisconsin Point. It was a blessing to see them there! Bible studies are going great - the freshmen study I have been leading has had between 8-10 women each week. What an answer to prayer! Below are some photos from the bonfire tonight. It was a great night for a fire - even though it was a bit windy.

A Weekend with Kindred Spirit Friends

If you've ever seen the movie, Anne of Green Gables, which I am hoping to receive for my birthday or Christmas...hint hint....because it is one of my favorite movies...you know the term "kindred spirits." Anne calls her best friend her "kindred spirit." Well, I feel like we have spent the weekend with our kindred spirits. :) Our dear friends, Krisanne & Paul Emch, friends we met in Fargo, ND, came to visit this weekend. We have been having a fun weekend with them - spending a couple of fun fall days around Duluth.


Here we are - enjoying Canal Park. It was a gorgeous night.





And then today we went to Park Point and to downtown to Pizza Luce. It was windy - the waves on the lake were huge! But it was still awesome - I love this city!








Krisanne & Paul will be heading on the mission field soon with Wycliffe - so we probably won't be seeing them as often much longer. It will be hard to say goodbye, but we are so excited for what God has in store for them in the country they will be traveling to. We pray that someday we can go visit them there!! It has been a wonderful weekend with our kindred spirit friends.

Move-In Weekend for students!

Well, it has been a crazy busy weekend - with students moving back to campus for classes to begin on Tuesday. We have felt a bit overwhelmed - trying to connect with the students we have been in contact with over the summer and re-connect with students from previous years - our student leaders. We had some fun events planned for the weekend - on Saturday, Brandon and I went to the dorm rooms of the women I had been in touch with via email throughout the summer. We were able to meet quite a few of them - which was exciting! Many of them are interested in being a part of the women's Bible study I am hoping to lead this semester. Yea! Praise God! This is what I've been praying for all summer - I am encouraged by how the semester is beginning. God always comes through when we really commit things to prayer. I seem to know that in my head....but I am not usually very diligent in actually doing it! But this summer, we really committed the Nav year ahead to prayer - and I am seeing awesome things happen! :) It is exciting!

Saturday night - we went down to Canal Park. We had about 8 new students join us. It was great to see some of them already connecting with one another. It was a fun time - Jingrui Le, Hong Bo, and Fang also joined us. They loved Canal Park!



On Sunday - Brandon planned an awesome activity - "Amazing Race: Duluth." He put a lot of time and effort into it - so it's a bummer that only 2 new students showed up to take part. But in the end, it turned out to be a good bonding experience for us - as we reconnected with our student leaders. Here is a picture of us out for pizza following the event.



Today is Labor Day - it's a hot one! Brandon and I have been enjoying a good family day - at least until he goes bear hunting this afternoon. (It's the first day of the season! Hope he gets one right away tonight!!!) :) We went out for breakfast with the Madster and then went down to Canal Park. It's too bad it was so hot...or we would have taken more in. I am a wimp in this weather. Here's a nice photo of Maddie and Brandon in the Maritime Museum. I love our time spent together! Wish we did more stuff like this!



Thanks everyone for your prayers for the start of the semester. God definitely has His hand in things - as we get revved up for the school year with Navs. I am excited to see how things go.

Nav Leadership Retreat

We had a busy weekend - helping with the Nav leadership retreat and canoe-a-thon, held in Jay Cooke State Park. We had about 5 students who have hearts for leading and discipling other college students join us for camping and an 8 mile canoe on the St. Louis River. I, Katie, stayed back, taking care of Maddie and preparing meals. The guys enjoyed, and worked rather hard, canoeing! Sounds like it was quite the adventure! :) You'll have to ask Brandon about it sometime. But we ended up having gorgeous weather and really felt God's presence among us at the campground - as we planned, prayed, and prepared for the semester ahead.

I am getting excited for students to move in this weekend! I have a handful of freshmen girls who have shown an interest. I also continue to meet with my dear Chinese friends! We are still looking for furniture for them for their apartment. I went to visit them yesterday - they have nothing! So if you have any unneeded items....like furniture, dishes, pots/pans, pretty much anything - let me know! They would be so grateful to you for whatever you provide. Thank you! Jingrui Li went to the Art in Me community outreach event our church held in Chester Bowl, yesterday. I can tell she is very impressed by the people's hearts and kindness they have been showing not only to her, but to the community. She is alreay wanting to be involved and asking me about coming to church with us next week! I am so excited about the things God is doing in her heart! Please continue to pray for Jingrui Li - along with the 3 other girls. Pray that we would be a blessing to them and that they would see the light of Jesus as the reason as to why we want to be serving them!

One other exciting thing! There is a contact thru church who has met Jingrui Li (Claire) and the others - major God story! I am really seeing the hand of God!! Also - another woman from church talked to me yesterday - she has been helping another student from China find housing....and she will be at church next Sunday as well! Another Chinese student at Anchor Point....another friend for Jinrui Li!! Wow - I am so thrilled at the things God is doing around us!

God is so Faithful in Answering Prayer!!

It has been such a wonderful weekend! God has blessed me with so much - and so many opportunities to minister. I am finally feeling my "place" here in Duluth. Yesterday, I met four very sweet Chinese women. To make a long story short, through random connections - being involved with the Navs, a man called Brandon from Arizona last weekend. He is discipling a Chinese man there, who recently became a Christian. This Chinese man's girlfriend was heading to the States to study....and of all places, guess where she was coming??? Duluth! So, we have been in touch - only this last week (everything has moved so quickly!) and I went to meet her yesterday, on UMD's campus. I told her I would help her find some housing. When I got there, there were three other Chinese grad students with her. They all were looking for housing together. Just typing all of this gets me so excited again! (We are having trouble finding them housing, with it getting so close to the school year starting....so please, if you think of it, remember them in prayer!) Anyways - we looked at a couple places yesterday, with not a whole lot of luck, but they ended up at our house for quite a few hours, making us Chinese food! It was wonderful! The best part was, Jingrui Li, asked if she could come to church with us on Sunday!! What more could I ask for?!?!?! What an answer to prayer!!! Jingrui Li is really seeking God - she has many questions. Please keep her in your prayers! Already she is becoming a very dear friend to me. I look forward to getting to know her and the other three friends of hers, better. Thank you God for such wonderful ministry opportunities.

I also just got home from a church potluck and meeting. I feel so blessed to be a part of Anchor Point's community. I have never felt so connected and a part of a body of Christ - striving together for on purpose. Icannot stop praising God for where He has placed Brandon and I at this time in our lives!!! As you can tell....I am on cloud nine!!! Posted is a picture of Jingrui Li (Claire), Hong Bo Lin (Lydia), Jiyiug Li (Jean), and Chen Fang (Amy). They just loved Maddie!

Oh my...

I just wrote a huge update on all of the things we've been up to this summer and I guess i didn't save it and lost it all!!! That really stinks and makes me really sad. I don't have time to write it all over again...so I guess I'll have to write more later. :( Wow, I'm disappointed!

For now, I'll just post a few more pictures. Madeline is almost nine months already! She is a joy - busy scooting around (not crawling) and walking around, holding onto the furniture. She's taken a few steps on her own....very exciting! She is understanding some words - like mommy, daddy, clock, eat, kisses, and puppy. She continues to be the most smiley baby I've ever seen. She is a joy and I continue to praise God for allowing me to be at home with her every day, seeing these huge milestones! I love it!