Maddie Has BIG NEWS to share!

Maddie wanted us to pass along this news to everyone....so here it is!

Just some things.....

Life has been a little up and down lately - nothing too serious or anything. About a week ago, my car was parked at the Munger trail, while my friend Danielle and I were jogging. I came back to find my car window smashed in - and my purse stolen, with all of my valuables - including my camera, credit cards, some cash, checks, social security card, ID, planner, and more. It was an awful feeling - I felt so violated, and continue to deal with it every once in awhile. I am learning to just trust God and remember that HE IS IN CONTROL! Thankfully, so far, nothing serious has occurred....no charges on our cards or no strange people lurking around my yard. (Believe me - I had some awful dreams!) But God is good and I'm really learning to get past it.

This weekend - I ran my first 5K! It was for St. Mary's Children's Clinic. My friend Danielle and I ran it....it was so fun! It didn't feel that way in the middle of it, but afterwards, it felt like such a great accomplishment. We finished in 30 minutes. We were pretty happy with that! Here is a photo from the big race.



Brandon went fishing up north with my mom and her cousin and his dad, on Saturday morning. They caught some fish - and we had a fish fry on Saturday night! Yum! And what really made the weekend - was having Kelly and Brian with us Saturday night and Sunday morning. We stayed overnight at my parents - just so we could enjoy every minute with them. It is their anniversary tomorrow - so they were on their way to Bluefin Bay for tonight. Seeing them really reminded me how much I miss having them close - yet during our time together, it felt like they had never left. It was great to have them! And I get to see them tomorrow afternoon too! YES!

Hope you all have a great week! Just think....only a month until Maddie is one year old!!!

Bafield Apple Festival

Brandon is gone this weekend - on his annual hunting trip with friends from high school. I miss him! Maddie does too....whenever we are upstairs, she has to crawl into our bedroom, to see if daddy is there. I just know she is looking for him! She misses her daddy....So Brandon, hope you come home soon tomorrow!

Though I have been missing my hubby this weekend, I have been keeping busy. Danielle and I had girl's night last night - with good food and lots of scrapbooking! I'm getting lots done! I love that feeling. Today, Maddie and Danielle traveled with me to the Bayfield Apple Festival, in Bayfield, WI. I have always wanted to go - we met my parents and their friends there. It was a beautiful, crisp, fall day. There were a few too many people there I must say...but I was glad to go and eat some delicious food! :) Here are some pictures of our time there today. Bayfield is a beautiful town!

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.