I have two friends who are expecting their first baby in the coming weeks. I got to talk with both of them recently a bit about my/our perspective on parenting. It's strange to feel like I have anything to offer these friends, as I feel like a new parent BUT I've had a child around for almost 2 years longer than they have, so I guess I have learned a few things.

I have so much more to learn, and of course, I'm learning new things all of the time. But as I processed with these friends, I realized that one of my main goals in parenting is teaching my daughters to have self-control.

Someday I want my girls to exhibit self control when they're feelings are hurt, when they do poorly in school, or when they don't perform as well as they had hoped in an extra-curricular. I don't want them storming off the field when they have a bad game nor do I want them to respond poorly when something doesn't go their way. It seems that preparing them for this has to start now.

In my experience (which is very limited!!), I'm trying to stat with teaching Ellie that when she wants a snack and I'm busy with Josie, I expect her to be patient and self-controlled, waiting until I can help her. When I tell her no, it's not okay to lose all self-control and throw a fit. When she doesn't want her diaper changed, she still has to lie still, because she doesn't get to choose whether or not she needs her diaper changed.

As a mom, you find yourself making a million decisions each day. Sometimes they're easy and sometimes they're very hard! I'm doing my best to keep my own self-control in check as I parent my girls! It isn't always easy :)

Stay at home mom vs. working mom

I'm in this strange balance where I don't really stay at home (as I'm connecting with a student almost every day) but I'm not really a working mom (as I don't have any childcare for my children while I work).

One of the biggest things I'm wrestling through is what a day or a week in my life should look like. I promised Noah I would only commit to one weekly meeting on campus this semester (Tuesday mornings from 7:30-9 am... I look forward to blogging more about that soon!) But somehow I've found myself connecting with students far more than I expected, because I truly LOVE what I do!

I love that I can have young women who love Jesus and are desiring to grow, come into my home, play with Ellie, love on Josie, and talk with me. They are willing to eat leftovers for lunch, clean up toys with Ellie, get lots of smiles (and spit up) from Josie and just soak up time together processing life and seeking The Lord with me!

I also absolutely love that I get to stay home with Ellie & Josie, I can't imagine spending my days any other way.

If you pray for one thing for me, pray for wisdom from God to help me determine what my days should look like, and how to best parent my girls, while investing in young women on campus!

-Katie

I mentioned last week that I'd tell you about a neglected "campus ministry spiritual discipline."

I put it in quotes because maybe it's not a spiritual discipline, but it was an important part of my campus ministry experience as a student and often is a real momentum builder for us.  That is:  the random road trip!

At UWEC as a student, we did all sorts of trips.  There's just something about the fellowship and bonding that occurs during the time in the car--often we'd listen to a sermon or lecture, practice scripture memory, or share what the Lord has been teaching us.  And there's also just something about random adventures and college students that goes well together.  Who in their right mind would make a donut run to a 24-hour donut shop 40 miles away at 10pm on a Thursday night?

We did, last week.  We brought 35 of our students to Royal Donut in Danville.  It is technically open 24-hours, but we found out (almost) the hard way that only the drive-thru is open overnight.  We arrived at 10:50, ten minutes before close.  We grabbed several dozen, and ate them in the parking lot.  I apologized to the students that we couldn't be sitting inside because the place was closing, to which I received the reply:  "this will make for a much better story!"

We gave them questions (corresponding to the message I gave that night) to discuss in the car on the way, which always leads to great discussion and fellowship.  The questions are below.  I'd encourage you to ask your spouse or your friends some of these questions.  See where the conversation takes you!

I did learn something on this trip though.  Though I'm not quite 30 yet, I'm not as young as I once was.  Of course, our trip didn't end at Royal Donut, but the students decided to take a pit stop at Steak and Shake for more food and great conversation.  I didn't get to bed til 2am, and getting the kids up and heading back to campus Friday morning was a challenge.  But it was worth it.  Several students commented on how they appreciated the trip.

Ok, so maybe not a spiritual discipline, but a momentum and fellowship builder nonetheless.  Road trips are a valuable tool!  Comment if you have a memory of a great college road trip.  I'd love to hear about it.  Maybe I was a part of it with you!

Happy weekend!

-Noah

Welcome Back fellowship questions

 What is something God did in your life over break? 

Trust

What are some ways a lack of trust in God expresses itself in your life?

What is something you really need to trust God with this semester?

If you went to fall conference last October, are you still praying through your “impossible list”?

-How have you seen God answer items on that list?

-What are you still waiting on?

 Word
Share something (big or small) that God taught you from His Word over break.

How will you seek to delight in God’s Word this semester?

What would help you to further delight in the Word this semester?

Fruit
Dream up what fruit (inward or outward) you would like to see God bear in your life this semester.

Pray together that God would accomplish these things.

Josie Kate is 2 months old! How did that happen?  Thought you might enjoy a little comparison photo gallery! Eager to hear your thoughts.  What do you think?

SO grateful for our two beautiful girls! 

I've determined the best way to describe Ellie & Josie.

Ellie is my clock. She has always been and she remains to be a TOTAL routine girl! When she was Josie's age (2 months) she was already on a very predictable schedule. Eating every three hours, staying awake for a bit of play time and napping at very consistent intervals. She went to bed after her 7:30 bottle and other than one "dream feed" before I went to bed, she would sleep until 7:45 on the dot each and every day. As long as we didn't do anything differently, she didn't do anything differently. She is my clock! She still wakes up at 7:45 almost every day and likes her precise routine. If she's going to get into her high chair, you can best she will have to (a) get her stool to help her climb up and (b) sweep out all of the crumbs before she climbs up. She will then (c) clap for herself every time. You name the activity, I will tell you how Ellie does it day in and day out without fail.

Then there is Josie. She is my thermometer. She wants things to be just right, but "just right" seems to change. She's affected by the time of day, the day of the week, and most likely the cycle of the moon :) I am confident that she can sense my stress, and if I'm stressed, she almost never naps well. She is a super sweet baby and very happy most of the time, but I struggle to know exactly what she wants, when she wants it, and how she wants it done. What worked today, very well might not work tomorrow. She is doing great overall- on a very good schedule for most ofthe day (She sleeps through the night from 10:30 pm to 7:30 pm!!! already!!) And then is getting to be pretty consistent until 4 pm. But from 4 pm to 11 pm she is a mystery :) You just never know!

I've spent the past two months getting to know her and of course falling in love with her- and I've learned a LOT! I know that the poor girl likes to sleep in her car seat (often sleeping better when we're out and about than when we are home), she spits up a lot, she loves being rocked, she prefers to be held on your chest/shoulder rather than cradled in your arms, she likes her pacifier SOMETIMES, she likes to be swaddled SOMETIMES, she likes to lay on the changing table and smile SOMETIMES, she likes tummy time SOMETIMES, .... do you get what I'm saying? :) I love the fact that she is so sensitive to what is going on around her but sometimes it drives me crazy that she can tell when I'm stressed. I find myself rocking her and telling myself "relax your shoulders, take deep breaths, hide your stress" but she sees right through it every time :) She's my sweet little thermometer that is going to help me learn what "just right" looks like for her!

I guess The Lord has a sense of humor- as much as I'm a little clock who loves routine, I'm a total thermometer- as I'm a picky person with seasonal food tastes, changing preferences, and an ever-evolving "just right".

As they say--- Like Mother, Like Daughter :)

Happy Friday friends!

Our lives are ruled by the campus calendar, which has its benefits and drawbacks.

One of the benefits is the ability for our students to "reset" themselves at the beginning of each semester. Their schedule is new, and there's a fresh sense of purpose and new beginnings during the first couple weeks.

In our teaching we try and play toward this feeling by encouraging them to trust God for big things in the upcoming semester.

Last night at our NavNight (large group meeting), I encouraged our students to "be a tree" this semester.  In multiple places, the Scriptures use the picture of a tree to describe the life of a person secure and fruitful in the Lord.

Psalm 1 is one example of this picture.

I challenged the students to trust God for their best, most growth-filled and fruitful semester yet!  I suggested for practical application that they simply tell the Lord regularly that they desired to be the person described above, and that they would delight in God's Word, as referenced above as one of the causes of this fruitful life.  I wonder what the Lord will do in (and through!) the students who take up that challenge.

Would you consider doing the same in 2013?  What might He do in (and through) you?

Other "be a tree" references:
Jeremiah 17:5-8
John 15:1-8

Thanks for sending us into this semester with your prayers!

-Noah

Next week:  I'll share about a "campus ministry spiritual discipline" that I've been feeling we've neglected quite significantly in our time at Illinois.  So we decided to do something about it.

This obviously has nothing to do with campus ministry- whoever thought I could best sum up our life in a blog post about DIAPERS!  And for those of you who know me well, who ever thought I'd post a blog about diapers- not quite my forte!  But in the chaos of our life, I was thinking about how to best describe our reality... here it goes.

Hey friends,

The new semester is almost here.  And so is something else...I'm gonna try to send out periodic mini-updates in between our newsletters.  Check out the first one below.

It looks to be a challenging and rewarding semester.  We'd appreciate your continued prayers as stated below.  Thank you!

-Noah

LAfter months of learning to walk and getting stronger, on Monday, I was able to get Ellie out of her car seat and set her down in the parking lot and then not pick her back up until we were in the library at story time! That means she was able to walk the whole way across a parking lot for the first time ever!!! Way to go Ellie!

Meanwhile Josie slept a nine hour stretch at night earlier this week. Pretty awesome for a six week old baby!! It's not her usual but she's doing great with a 6 or 7 hour stretch almost every night.

I don't know about you, but we're considering these some major accomplishments!!