Fall Fun

Monday through Thursdays have been overwhelmingly busy this fall.  Bobby has classes in the morning and then Angie teaching in the afternoon meaning we switch childcare responsibilities and then meet again at dinner everyday.  Bobby typically leaves to study and then Angie works on her computer after the girls go to bed.  We seem to be living for weekends and the rest and connection time they provide.  In fact, there have been several fun adventures for us to share with you.

1.  Chicago with Angie's Family.  We took a short trip to Chicago to visit Angie's sister Jessie and her fiancé Chris along with the rest of Angie's sisters and mom.  While Angie her sisters helped look at wedding dresses and checked out venues, Bobby and his brother in laws entertained the kids in downtown.  It was a great weekend and we enjoyed celebrating with the newly engaged couple. 

2.  Yearly visit to Theis Farms.  For the third year in a row we went pumpkin picking and playing at a wonderful farm just north of St. Louis.  It was a wonderful sunny days and the girls had a great time in "Pumpkinland".

3.  Although TCU had a rough season this fall.  We enjoyed our Horned Frog Football games on Saturdays.  The girls have really started to get into the spirit.

4.  We had a three princess Halloween this year.
   Maddie-Belle, Cady-Ariel, Eley- Snow White

5.  A visit to the Farmland.  We also took a final weekend trip to visit Angie's sister Tessa at Purdue Vet School.  She brought us to an incredible dairy farm tour at Fair Oaks Farms in Indiana.  The girls had an awesome time learning about where milk comes from.  We  even saw a calf being born.

Eley is now 10 months and more than full of life.  She is saying a few words, cruising around the house and getting into mischief.

October Updates

Well we are finally settled into our fall schedule.  Bobby is really enjoying is classes and, although he misses his fellow classmates who are now out on vicarage (internship), we are really happy with the decision to defer our vicarage this year.  One of the best things about our fall has been enjoying our time with our Community group through Reliant Church.  It has been wonderful to connect with this group of other young families and share stories about our lives and how God has been working.  We are currently going through Donald Miller's Storyline books and really enjoying the process.

The big girls have been busy with Seminary Kids Soccer on Saturdays, a Little Gym class and school.  In the busyness our biggest challenge is time to connect as a whole family.  Dinner times and devotions before bed have become a wonderful ritual at the end of the day.

Bobby's parents came to visit us and we had a wonderful time with Nan and Poppy.  Nan even brought crafts for the girls and their friends.   Its always nice to have visits from family as we hate being so far away.

Early October started with a bit of a bang as Angie got into a car accident with all of the girls in the car.  We were very blessed that no one was injured and the car was covered by insurance (after we paid out our deductible).  We enjoyed driving a nice suburban while the car was in the shop and I think the girls kind of miss the built in DVD system but I'm really glad to be driving our minivan again.

Eley has now started crawling and pulling up on things.  She loves her big sisters and is trying so hard to be a "big" girl.  We would be fine with her taking her time a bit as she won't be a baby for much longer.

This month has been overwhelming in terms of the outpouring of very generous gifts.  Thank you all so much for your continued support for us and our ministry here.  We are so very blessed.

Back to School

 Summer is now done as Bobby finally returned to classes this morning.  We are feeling ready to get this final fall at Seminary started and to get back into a schedule but know that life is about to get very busy.  Compared to last semester, Bobby's schedule should be a bit more manageable.  He is taking:

• Pastoral Leadership, 
• Pastoral Theology, 
• History of American Christianity, and 
• Psalms and Writings.  

He continues his work coordinating small groups for our field work church, Reliant Church.   We have been so blessed by the ministry and people there as well as the partnership and mentoring from Pastor Jeff Cloeter.  Our growing commitment and affection to the congregation makes it hard to look ahead knowing that transition is coming in nine short months.


In addition, Bobby also keeps working with the Foundation for Called Workers as they begin spreading the word to more congregations.  He will be traveling to Houston the third week of September to represent TFCW at the WIKI conference.  The conference is an LCMS mission-focused gathering and Bobby will be able to network with many of his friends (past, present and future).

Finally,  Bobby will be watching the girls Monday -Thursday afternoons while Angie teaches and captaining an intramural team with hopes of a championship in his final year.

Angie is teaching three classes this semester at Maryville University in the Psychology department.  She loves this job and is really getting into a grove as Professor Angie.  In addition, she was hired by Concordia University in Seward, NE as the newest member of their online faculty for the Master's in Family Studies program.  This fall she will be writing two new courses and will be teaching them both after the new year.  She continues working with The Parenting Center in Fort Worth as well and, sometimes, gets to sleep.

Finally, Maddie and Cady started school as well at Christ Memorial Child Care Center (our field work church) thanks to a generous scholarship provided by the Board of Directors there.  They are in the same class (a mixed 3-5 year old pre-school) and enjoying being big girls.  Their favorite part is eating lunch there and they both wish they could stay through nap time (we are doing half days).   They will both start Seminary Kids soccer this weekend and Maddie started a ballet and tap class last weekend at a local church as well.  We are searching for an affordable tumbling class for Cady but haven't had any luck yet...perhaps next year.





Thanks to a good coordination of schedules, the girls will only need additional childcare four hours a week (Tues and Thurs) morning.  The "big girls" are headed back to Miss Lisa's like they did last year (another Seminary mom) while Eley is going to be watched by a new faculty wife on campus.  We are so glad to have great, trustworthy people to entrust with our kiddos.

Eley turns EIGHT MONTHS this week.  She is rolling, pulling up, army crawling and feeding herself.  We can't believe that our baby is so big already.

Thank you all for your prayers and support as we head back into our fall routine!  Know you are in our prayers as well!

Thanks to the Deighton Christian Fund

We were very excited to receive notice today that the Deighton Christian Fund has gifted Bobby with a  $2,000.00 scholarship for the upcoming school year.  This is the third year that he has been supported by their Foundation and we are so very grateful for their ongoing investment in Bobby and his studies.  When he applied to them in 2011 we thought that being funded was a long shot, but God is good and has created a wonderful and ongoing sponsor in the Deighton Fund and family.

To read more about the Deighton Christian Fund and their ministry please visit their website deightonfoundation.org

The Desert Life_July/August in Arizona

We finished our summer travels on a plane (we had put 2500 miles on our car at this point) as we headed to Arizona for the end of our summer.  It was wonderful to spend time with Angie's mom and help her settle into her new condo.  We may not have been too much help with the unpacking but I'm pretty sure we did a lot to create new memories there!

The trip started with a celebration at a family friend's wedding.  All of Angie's sisters and families came as well so it was a busy and wonderful weekend.  Our girls loved playing with their cousin "Joshy" and Angie enjoyed spending time with her sisters and mom including some wedding dress shopping for her sister Jessie.  Thanks to Angie's sister Tessa we even got a great new family photo (now on the top of our blog) to use!  We love having photos in the family.

The Whole Family on the dance floor at the reception

We did lots of swimming to stay cool and Maddie learned how to swim without "floaties".   We hung pictures, unpacked boxes and organized the garage.  Most of all we relaxed and enjoyed a break from everyday life in Saint Louis.  

While there Bobby was able to present on behalf of the Foundation for Called Workers (www.tfcw.org) at Christ Church-Lutheran (www.cclphoenix.org), Angie's home church.  It is funny to be in a place where he is "Angie's husband" as she is much more often the "outsider".   That church has grown and changed a lot since Angie moved away 14 years ago for college and it is sometimes strange to return.  The old school she attended has been torn down and a new building is rising in its place, many staff members have changed and congregation members have come and gone but it is still home.  We have both been blessed to come from such strong churches where our faith was developed and we were offered mentoring and growth opportunities.  We give thanks for CCL and the role played in Angie's life.

The trip came to an abrupt halt on July 31st, as Eley had a very scary medical crisis when she quit breathing.  Angie had to give rescue breaths as her sister Tessa drove them to the ER.  She stabilized within 30 minutes and was transferred to a children's unit at another hospital.  The medical staff took great care of baby Eley and after three days in the hospital with many tests, she was given the clean bill of health.  It is a bit nerve wracking to leave without "answers" but we are so grateful that there were not serious heart, lung or intestinal issues requiring surgery or specialized care.  For now, we are continuing regular visits to the pediatrician to rule out and ongoing problems and lifting up prayers of thanks for our little one's health.


After our "exciting" week in the hospital, we took the weekend to settle back into life before we decided to celebrate our 9th anniversary with a stay at a local hotel.  We brought Eley with us (since we weren't quite ready to leave her alone) but enjoyed time at the pool, an incredible dinner and a night without our two oldest.  We have had an exciting journey so far in this marriage and this year will be another big milestone as Bobby finishes Seminary and we are "sent" to our next mission field.  It is exciting, scary and overwhelming, but we have faith that God is walking ahead of us and has it all under control.  Our marriage and partnership in the gospel is our greatest thanksgiving, it is incredible to think that it has been nine years as most of the time it feels like we are still new to this.  We can't wait to see the what's next for this family.

Finally, after going through many boxes of things that Angie's mom wanted us to claim as our own we packed up a truck with help from some old friends Tim and Peter Walsworth (former youth from our church in Alaska who now live in Arizona).  It made us feel a bit old but was great to reconnect as their family was very dear to us and adopted us in during our time in Homer.  We again were reminded of the many lives that have touched us and the incredible "story" God has allowed us to be a part of.

 Bobby began a three day trek in a U-haul from AZ back to St. Louis carrying some furniture, Angie's high school and childhood goods (including the entire Babysitters Club book series), and after a stop in Texas, our dog Kali.  With this drive Bobby's summer milage was about 4500, he covered 12 states, and three time zones.  Angie and the girls flew back with her sister Tessa three days later with sad good-byes to Grandma Sue after our 21 day stay.   We can only pray that our girls will share such love and affection for their mom and sisters as Angie does for hers.

Although summer is done, we carry the memories with us into this final school year in St. Louis.  We saw all of our parents, grandparents, cousins, second cousins, most of our closest friends and our home towns and churches.  We were encouraged, prayed over and for, and we enter this fall with full cups.
Thank you all for being a part of our lives, for walking with us, praying with us, and loving us.  We love you all and can't wait till we meet again.

OHIO_July Trip #2

Bob and Eley Walston visit Bob and Eley Walston

Our summer travels continued as Bobby's parents met us in St. Louis and we caravan"ed" to see Bobby's extended family in Ohio.  We left just three days after we returned from Minnesota but the girls were great travelers and were loved to stay in a hotel.   The girls were also excited to go to a 4-H fair, try some Skyline Chili and visit the Miami Whitewater Park. 

Not many of you know the origins of Eley's name but she was named after Bobby's grandma and we were so excited to finally introduce Eley Walston to Eley Walston.  Bobby is also named after his Grandpa Bob so we had two Bob and Eley Walstons on the trip.  

We continued our theme of legacy on this trip as the girls got to hear all about where Poppy (Bobby's dad) grew up and see the sites of the Tri-state area.  Bobby was also able to preach at the church near the Walston family homestead in rural Indiana.  Joining us at that beautiful country church were many of the Walston family members including Bobby's grandparents (who don't typically get out much), great uncles, and aunts.  He even started the sermon "I'm not sure how many of you I'm related to but it seems like a significant portion of the congregation today".   We were enveloped like family in this place and offered many words of encouragement.

Bobby's side of the family are the only LCMS Lutherans and the excitement they showed for his becoming an LCMS pastor is overwhelming.  He is glad to be carrying the Walston name and grateful for the faith of his German ancestors.  Some days just make us proud to be Lutheran and this was one of them. 

  

The Great White North_4th of July Trip

PART 1:

We were very blessed to have Angie's dad fund a trip up to MN/ND over the fourth of July.  This is a childhood tradition for Angie as her extended family gathers at her grandparents lake house for a mini-reunion over the holiday weekend.  We were so excited to introduce Eley to the family, for our girls to have fun cousin play time and to enjoy a week relaxing and unplugged (no wifi is a good thing).   Below are some pictures of the week.

 Cady Learning to Fish

 Grandpa Brad with Angie's sister Shaina and all four grandchildren

 Eley's First Boat Ride

 Grandpa Brad and his grandkids

 Great Grandpa Noren and Great Grandma Audrey with 15 of the 19 great grandchildren

Maddie's prize fish

We love the Meland side of the family so much and were blessed to remember the legacy of faith led by the family patriarch Noren Meland.  We look forward to joining everyone again next summer and building lake side memories with our own children.  

PART 2:

One exciting part of this trip was that we got to reunite with Pastor Denny Neels and his wife Sue, the pastor Bobby served with in Alaska.   Our good friends retired and moved to Niagara, ND a town just 15 minutes from Angie's family's hometown of Northwood, ND.   It is incredible to see how God continues to use connections made from years back as Pastor Denny's church in Niagara (St. Andrews) has been supporting us during our time at Seminary.  We were able to spend the night at the Neels farm house, catch up, introduce them to our girls and eat a wonderful halibut meal just like years ago in Alaska.  Bobby was also able to preach at St Andrews and share about our time at seminary.  It was an uplifting visit and a true blessing.  

As we drove home from this trip we couldn't help but reflect on the incredible story of our lives, where we have come from and where we are going.  Sometimes Seminary can feel bit lonely as people are coming and going quickly but this trip was a reminder that people often come back into our lives and that though far away, our families carry an incredible legacy of faith and love.  Our hearts were richly blessed.

Deep in the Heart of Texas-May Travels

Our summer travels began in May as we made the day long drive down to Texas to visit "home".  With baby on board we split the day in two and spent the night in Tulsa along the way. We even drove through Moore, OK less than two days before the big Tornado hit. Upon reaching Fort Worth, the girls exclaimed "we made it to Texas"-thanks to their favorite bedtime book "Goodnight Cowtown" they recognized the skyline.  There is something very special about Fort Worth as it is Bobby's hometown and also the place where we met, got married, and although we left for two years, we returned and started our family there.  A return to the familiarity of home was met with the reality that things have changed in the two years we've been gone and that, perhaps, St. Louis has become more home than we realized.

Trips to Texas always seem hectic as there are so many different people to visit and connect with.  Along the way, our home base was Bobby's parents.  The girls loved being with Nan and Poppy and having our dog Kali with us for those two weeks.  We appreciate the good meals and the comfortable bed that Bobby's brother Mark lent us (I'm sure he really enjoyed the air mattress for two weeks).  We also got to spend some time visiting Bobby's extended family  and introducing them to our new addition Eley, especially his grandparents Bill and Bernice Scott.  We are incredibly blessed to have three sets of our grandparents still alive and cherish the time we and the girls get to spend with them.

While in town Bobby was able to preach at our home church St. Paul Lutheran Fort Worth (www.stpaulfw.org and we worshiped with our family there twice.  We miss the people there and are so grateful for the support and prayers being offered by the congregation.  They are wonderful people who have walked with us through our ministry journey.  Bobby was also able to share about The Foundation for Called Workers (www.tfcw.org) during Sunday school hour.  The message of providing support for our clergy was well received, it is wonderful to be an ambassador for a cause he cares so deeply about.  Later in the trip we had dinner at Martin and Theresa Danner's home (Martin is one of the pastors at St. Paul and they are Maddie's godparents) and enjoyed the brief time to catch up.  Working in ministry is so wonderful because of the connections made, but so hard because of the people you leave behind.  We pray for St. Paul and its leadership regularly, you are our family.

One of the many highlights of the trip was our opportunity to meet one of our Adopt A Student sponsors Gorlyn and Jane Bronstad. They treated us to an incredible steak dinner in the Stockyards and we enjoyed wonderful conversation and a great evening.  It was very humbling to meet in person people who have been praying for us and providing considerable financial support during these two years.  Although they are "strangers", their open hearts, kind words, and sense of humor made us feel like family within minutes.  I believe we have made life long friends.

Angie was also able to spend two days working at The Parenting Center (www.theparentingcenter.org) and enjoyed seeing her colleagues face to face as she typically connects only through phone calls and emails.  The agency is growing and changing and Angie is so glad the gift of her continued employment with them even from a distance.

We joined Angie's college roommate and some of our best friends Missy, Ben and Henry Angeley for Memorial Day weekend and were able to celebrate Henry's forth birthday, a shower for their baby girl Georgia, who arrived in July and swimming and grilling at their home.  It is so nice to have friends who accept you and your travel weary children just as they are and who you can just be yourself with.  We miss you Angeleys!

Finally, we made a family trip to Austin to see Bobby's college friends (Lee and Julie Knouse and Nick and Patty Lawrence) and connect with the ministry team of ACTS Church (www.actschurchlakeway.com).  It was great to show the girls Austin and enjoy a short "family vacation" amidst the chaos of the trip.    We even got to share breakfast with a family friend Britni McCotter on her birthday.  The girls bought special princess tiaras for the occasion.  Austin is a wonderful city and filled with lots of memories for Bobby.  It was good to revisit and hear about the cool things happening there.  God is moving in Austin.

The biggest blessing of the trip was the fact that we got to spend time with our old neighbors who happen to be family.  Bobby's sister Nichol, husband Mark and kids Parker (6) and Cooper (3) were very hard to leave when we packed up from the "compound" as we called it to head to St. Louis.  We had spent three years as next door neighbors, sharing meals, having babies, watching kids, and many late night drinks on the front porch.  When we look back at our time in Fort Worth, those will be some of the most significant memories etched.   The cousins got to play together, adults enjoyed conversation just like the good ole days.  We left Texas feeling refreshed and ready for a crazy June.

To our Texas Family, WE LOVE AND MISS YOU!  Thank you for being a part of our lives and for being a great place to call "home base".  We will be back again soon.

A Return to The Blogosphere

It has been far too long since we updated this blog. 

 It seems that year TWO of seminary came and went with the blink of an eye.  Bobby had a very demanding course load and we, of course, welcomed baby Eleanor Vaughn in January with Angie barely missing a beat in her work schedule.  We endured long hours, sleepless nights, exams, papers, and class trips and somehow, we have now arrived at the start of our third and final fall as Seminary Students.  We hope to be able to recommit to this blog as we now enter a very exciting year and look forward to watching God's plan for the next let of the journey unfold.  We would like to you all to be able to pray and walk with us through this year.

We continue to be truly blessed in our time in St. Louis and the MANY people who have supported us, prayed with us, and befriended us during our two years here.  It is incredible to watch God working around us, behind us and before us.  Before we start in on the fall updates, we would like to share a few posts about our summer travels.  We were able to spend time and visit with all of our grandparents, parents, and many of our friends.  It was in some ways, our farewell tour, as in nine short months, we will return to full time ministry and long vacations will be less likely, holidays will be work filled and there will be no more "summer break".  We cherish the time we had at each stop and the chance to reflect upon the legacies of our families, the history of our relationship, and how God has been laying a path before us.

Sending love and prayers to you all!

The Walstons

Merry Christmas

Adore Thee:Black Christmas Cards
Check out our collection of Christmas cards and holiday cards.

Thanks to Our Adopt A Student Sponsors

We were notified today that all of our Adopt A Student Sponsors from last year are going to continue supporting us through the 2012-2013 school year.  We are truly blessed to have ongoing relationships with these sponsors (most of whom are not people we have previous relationships with).  We look forward to traveling back to TX this spring/summer and hope to be able to thank our sponsors in person during these trips (perhaps we will be able to make a return trip to Homer as well as we finish up Seminary)

 Our sponsors for 2012-2013 so far are:

• Mr. Gorlyn Bronstad (Sherman, TX)
• Timothy and Karen Brinkmann (McKinney, TX)
• Mr and Mrs. Herbert Michael (Freeport, TX)
• Faith Lutheran Church (Homer, AK)

We have many different types of sponsors and this just highlights one of the ways that we are supported by God's Family.  We will continue to list needs in terms of prayers and financial/material gifts on this blog. If you are interested in hearing more about sponsorship opportunities OR would like to know more about seminary funding and costs please let us know. We would be glad to talk with you.

In addition, please know that your gifts of encouragement, prayers, and letters mean the world.  It is easy to question whether or not we should be here but we continually see God providing and his people affirming this journey. 

Love and Blessings,

The Walstons

 The Adopt A Student Program is a donor matching program through Concordia Seminary St. Louis that allows donors to establish ongoing relationships with the students they support.  Please read more about this program below:

Adopt-A-Student sponsors give $500 or more annually which may be given as a one-time gift or throughout the year through several gifts. Adopt-A-Student gifts are used to prepare future pastors and missionaries, or you may also designate your gift for the preparation of international, deaconess, Center for Hispanic Studies (CHS) or Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (EIIT) students.

Standing together, students and sponsors overcome the single greatest obstacle to students coming to the Seminary — affording it! By overcoming this challenge you are making an eternal difference as the students you prepare now will proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ today and for decades to come. In faith, these seminarians have come to Concordia Seminary. Now you can encourage them with your prayers and make their preparation financially possible.

As an Adopt-A-Student sponsor, you can expect to hear from your student frequently! While students wishing to receive Adopt-A-Student funds are required to write their sponsors every academic quarter, they are encouraged  to stay in touch with their sponsors even more frequently during the school year.

To enroll, or for more information, please contact Seminary Advancement at 1-800-822-5287 oradoptastudent@csl.edu

Its a GIRL and other September News

As tradition would have it, our biggest news from September is that it looks as though Baby #3 will also be a GIRL!  We are excited to welcome her into the mix this winter and glad that she is looking healthy and average sized at this point.  Angie is now going into the doctor every other week and will begin weekly visits next month.  This, of course, adds more to-do on our schedule but also gives us the unique opportunity to get to check in on our little one more often than most people experience.  We ask for continued prayers for the health of the baby and for Angie in this second half of the pregnancy.


Our schedule has shown no signs of letting up this fall as September came and went with the blink of an eye.  Bobby has had the opportunity to assist in the leadership of the Students in Mission organization- a subset of seminary students who are interested in the mission field through church planting, revitalization, overseas missions, and other non-tradiitonal settings.   We hosted a "party" at the beginning of the month and had a great turn out.  It is wonderful to see God moving in so many lives and in the church body....there is a refreshing vibe on campus right now.

We also had the opportunity to host a Texas District BBQ and connect with the leadership and other students from TX.  It was wonderful to hear about what is going on in our "home" district and to receive encouragement from them (we also enjoyed some Shiner and Blue Bell).   The Mid-South District was also on campus this month and we were able to see our friend Josh Woodrow who is currently called to the Mid-South as a church planter.  It was great to reconnect and again and here from another district that is actively pursuing ministry and outreach to "the least of these".

Maddie has been enjoying school, although she is TIRED by the end of the week.  She has a wonderful teacher who is handling her sensory challenges with ease.  We are very glad to have found this program for her.  She is continuing with Occupational Therapy once a week and we are seeing her catching up in her body awareness, coordination, and fine motor skills.  We are truly Blessed!

As we continue to get back into a routine, prayers and support are always appreciated.  Thank you all for your love and encouragement!

The Walstons

Fall Begins Again_Blogging Returns

To our friends, family and supporters,

We apologize for the extended absence from our blog.  The Spring and Summer flew by with Bobby's trip to Uganda, Angie and the girls in Texas, an extended family trip to AZ in August and a quick trip to Southern CA thanks to some gifted tickets and hotel accommodation at Disney.  All this along with classes, teaching, working, and, of course, a new baby on the way!  We will be back to posting once a month.

Thank you all for your many forms of support, financial gifts, prayers, care packages and words of encouragement.  We are so very grateful to be surrounded by a family who walks with us on this journey.  As year 2 begins, please continue your prayers for diligence, patience, clarity, and frugality along with prayers of health for Angie and the baby.

Here is a brief update on fall:

Bobby’s Schedule

This Fall Bobby will be busy taking 15 hours (5 Classes) including:  Homiletics I, Systematics I, Theology of Missions, Pastor as Counselor, and Synoptic Gospels.   He is excited to begin official preaching duties at our field work church and hopes to visit some of our sponsor churches over the next year to share a message and meet you all in person (after the baby comes :).   He will also be participating in a year long class called Mission and Ministry that involves three out of state trips to mission planting churches in KS, IA, TN and AR.  Bobby has also accepted a part time position at our new field work church Reliant Church (www.reliantchurch.org) as the Community Groups coordinator.  This church is a newer plant in St. Louis and provides some wonderful hands on experience. He is filling the rest of his time assisting with Students in Mission, serving as an Intramural Captain, and providing childcare while Angie works :). 

Angie’s Teaching and Consulting

Angie also has a busy semester teaching three psychology classes at Maryville University, continuing her grant writing and online class development for The Parenting Center (check out her online parenting classes at  www.theparentingcenter.org) , and, of course, caring for the girls along with growing our new baby :).  She has also been able to start doing some parenting classes at local churches and schools and hopes to continue to expand this as the baby comes in January.  So far, she and the new baby are healthy and the Drs. are optimistic that this high risk pregnancy is being managed well.

Maddie and Cady

With mom and dad back at school/work, we have been excited to find a wonderful Sem Wife childcare provider on campus again this year.  The girls are with this family on Mondays and Fridays and Wednesday is “daddy day”. Maddie has also started preschool at Christ Community Lutheran School on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.  Cady will be joining her for a “new 2s” class in January.  We are making some new friends and enjoying fall in St. Louis as the cooler weather arrives.  We anticipate finding out the gender of the new baby in mid-September.

Uganda Trip Summary

Blessings in Uganda

At the end of May I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Central Uganda with two friends and brothers from Seminary on a two week mission.  While in country we were able to build relationships with the people of the Ntutti and surrounding tribes, work with and train local pastors and church elders, work with the students training at African Hospitality Institute (AHI), repair water wells, mud homes and schools, and enjoy the beauty and culture of the “Pearl of Africa”.  It was encouraging to see the ministry which is ongoing in that region long after the three of us came home but it was equally encouraging to know that the partnership opportunity is long term.  Quality pastoral training is a real need in this remote area of the country and the pastors there are eager for us to return.  

Below you can read more about the region and the ministries which we partnered with during our time there.  Words cannot express my gratitude and thanks for everyones support and encouragement for this mission.  Please know that the people there are incredibly grateful for the gifts which we were able to share and send many thanks and prayers for their brothers and sisters in Christ back in the United States.      

Ekitangaala Ranch: African Hospitality Institute

Nine million Ugandans live on less than $1 a day, and most of these belong to households depending on subsistence agriculture.  Uganda is also plagued by health problems including high rates of malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malnutrition and infant and maternal mortality.  African Hospitality Institute Vocational Training and Guesthouse is located 70 miles north of Kampala on Ekitangaala Ranch, a working dairy ranch owned and operated by Cornerstone Development Uganda.  AHI was created in 2002 to provide vocational training to chronically poor and vulnerable youth; preparing them for employment in the growing tourism and hospitality industries in East Africa.  Students are admitted without regard to race, gender, or religion.  Tuition and salaries are sponsored by generous donations of individuals and organizations.  While at AHI students experience unity and teamwork in a caring community, build hope for the future by learning valuable restaurant, hotel and domestic skills, develop practical communication and leadership skills, and receive assistance in securing future employment.  AHI is a restorative community committed to following Jesus; bringing hope and opportunity through the sacred practice and vocational training of hospitality skills.  AHI promotes the dignity of man, respect for individuals and the freedom to make life choices in a community of trust, grace and peace.   

Green Means Go...

Thank you all for your ongoing prayers during our recent Church Planter Assessment Center (CPAC) process.  It was a very busy month filled with some wonderful opportunities for connection, self reflection, and encouragement.  Many of you know that as we pondering making this transition to Seminary we have had a strong feeling that we were being called to a church planting ministry.  Although this type of ministry is very rewarding, the challenges and sacrifices that it takes to start a new church can take a toll on the ministry staff, as such, the LCMS is very intentional about screening potential candidates and providing them support and training prior to entering the mission field.  Participating in CPAC was our first step in joining this track at the seminary.

I will give you a short overview of the process.  First, both Angie and I were asked to complete an extensive battery of personality and "gifting" inventories.  This was fun as Angie, of course, enjoys them! After the "at home" portion, we also participated in two in depth interviews (one "behavioral" and one "psychological").  We had some really wonderful assessors and although we were "under the microscope" greatly enjoyed their company and look forward to continue our connection with them beyond CPAC.   Our favorite part of the process was being paired with two other GREAT couples and given a demographic profile of an area where a church plant is being proposed.  It was our team job to develop an in depth proposal and present during the CPAC weekend.  We were so blessed by the process and really loved our team members....it would be a joy to work with any of them again in the future.

The weekend itself was short but full.  I was asked to preach two short sermons, we heard others presentations, and had some great networking time with church planters and mission executives from across the country.  There are some incredible things going on....we can't wait to join in.  The final step of the assessment was a feedback session.  During our session we were affirmed and encouraged in our calling and given the green light to continue on in the missionary development track with the intention of church planting upon the completion of our time here.  We are looking forward to continuing relationships with the people we met and doing some more intentional training in church planting.

We are so grateful again for you all, our extended family and friends.  During the CPAC process so many of the stories we shared involved many of you and all the lessons we have learned.  Thank you for your investment in our lives and the knowledge and love we have gained through our relationship with you all.  We would not be able to be doing this without you all.  Please know that we send our love, prayers, and thanks!

And remember....we are all called to GO and make disciples...where is God calling you today?

Here's to a New Year!

The 2011 Holiday Season came and went for the Walston family in a flash.  We were blessed to spend time with family and friends across the country and have traveled our fair share of miles both driven and flown over the past six weeks.  Along with the holiday bustle we have had some time to reflect on the incredible blessings we have received during our short time here at Seminary.

We began our holiday season with a drive to Iowa City for Thanksgiving.  We met Angie's mom and sisters at her Uncle David's beautiful home and had a weekend of catching up and fun.  David and Noreen were more than gracious hosts providing excellent accommodations, food, drink and entertainment.  The highlight of the trip was probably the creation of the "next big sport" coined Roller Hoop....it involves a hula hoop roll, may rules and point system.  It was our first break from St. Louis and seminary life as Bobby was on his quarter break.

We returned home to a quick start to Bobby's quarter (Hebrew in the morning and Greek readings in the afternoon) and Angie's end of the semester (lots of grading).  With the intensity of Bobby's study and class schedule it was decided that he would take a break this quarter from his on campus job while Angie increased her work hours at The Parenting Center providing grant writing and the development online parenting classes.  Bobby was also trained for the "snow removal team" in case of ice and snow (of which we have seen none yet...but I'm sure it is coming).  Bobby's brother Mark joined us for our last week in St. Louis, helped watch the girls while Angie finished up work responsibilities, and entertained us all.  We finally did the Budweiser tour during his trip here, it was shockingly interesting and historical!  We will bring you when you come visit.  It was a fast two weeks.

Christmas break provided us the opportunity to go home to Texas much to Maddie's delight.  We drove to Fort Worth as soon as Bobby finished classes and were able to spend 10 days at his parent's house (with one night at our friends Missy and Ben's).  It was a great return trip, and though we both shared some anxiety about heading home and wishing we haven't left, during our time there we continued to be affirmed that it had been time to leave and we had made the right decision.  Don't get me wrong, we miss Texas.  Our licenses and plates remain loyal, but it is clear that God has been leading us here.

We wrapped up our time in Fort Worth on Christmas Day and drove back to St. Louis.  We spent only two hours in our apartment switching out luggage and headed to catch a flight to Phoenix.  We enjoyed the dessert weather and getting to see family as well as our dog Kali, who Angie's mom has been graciously keeping while we are in student housing.  Maddie had missed her terribly and enjoyed following her around (though Kali may have had enough).  It was fun to see Angie's sister Shaina looking pregnant (baby Joshua is due May 16th) and spend time with her mom and sisters again.  Maddie enjoyed time with her Aunties in a special made princess tuladoo (tent/fort).  It was a special time.

We returned to St. Louis on January 1st, Bobby returned to class, Angie began prepping for the semester and we were blessed to find out that just as occurred last quarter, we received enough last minute Adopt-A-Student funds to cover our tuition and living expenses.  God is so GOOD!  One of our donors gave a very generous amount anonymously....if you are a reader of our blog please know that we came to tears with the news...you have been an answer to prayers.  These gifts allow us to remain taking out the minimum amount of loans, God continues to confirm how he works through the body to provide for his people.  Thank all of you for your prayers, words of affirmation and support, and financial gifts.  

As we embark on the next few months keep us in your prayers.  We will begin the CPAC (Church Planter Assessment Center) process next week with a set of psychological interviews and participate in the "retreat" the weekend of the 20th.  We pray for God's leading and guidance in this process.  Also, Bobby will be traveling to Austin the last week of February to attend the VERGE conference on church planting and missional communities, keep he and his fellow 8 students who are going on the trip in your prayers.  

Peace and Blessings and Happy New Year!

The Walstons

One Quarter Down and Missionary Formation Track

We are thrilled to report that Bobby has successfully completed his first quarter!  He passed his Greek Qualifying exam and joined the rest of his class in the tradition of jumping in the Seminary Fountain in celebration.  Although this two week break has been nice for us, we have all been passing around a head cold with congestion and coughing.  Both of the girls are on antibiotics for ear infections and Bobby and I haven't been sleeping much!  We had a long list of things to do during the break (including rest) but have only gotten through a few of them.  I am hoping that this second week of break is a bit more fruitful.  

Bobby was able to finish the initial screening and interview to join the Missionary Formation Track.  As most of you know, we are hoping to become church planters (establishing a new church and outreach) upon completion of seminary.  After completing an online questionnaire, Bobby met with the program director and was invited to continue with a set of screening instruments (I have to do some too :)) and we have been invited to attend a Church Planter Assessment Center (CPAC) in January. Bobby will potentially be going on a two week "class" in March visiting several of the church planting networks in Arkansas and Texas (he would get to see our friends) and attend a conference in Austin.   We are excited to begin this process and as for your prayers during our initial interviews and meetings.  You can learn more about the LCMS efforts in church planting here: 

I have been working on finishing up my classes for this semester and am excited that Maryville has asked me to create and teach a new course in Cognitive Development in the Spring.  This is exciting but a lot of work and reading for me prior to January.  I have also been doing work with The Parenting Center on grant writing and online class development...we are very close to launching the online classes.  I will be posting some free online class trials on Facebook if you want to be our guinea pigs!  Finally, I have been able to begin doing more individual consulting through my blogging and networking.  If you know of parents who are in need of some guidance please send them my way!  You can visit my blog at www.wordpress.c3parenting.com.

We are very excited to be heading to Iowa for Thanksgiving to spend time at Angie's uncle's home.  Her mom and sisters will be joining us and we look forward to family time and a break from St. Louis.  Perhaps we will even get to play in some snow.  

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and THANK YOU for all of your love and support.  God is good!

Seminary Family Updates

Hello to our Friends and Family! As a part of our seminary journey (and just our experience as a family) we have been trying to create ways for people to stay up to date with our lives.

 Many of you have been receiving our quarterly newsletter (which we will continue to publish and post here as well) but have asked for other ways to keep up to date. So here it goes! We hope that our honest reflections about seminary, family life, ministry and marriage encourage you and give you some laughs.

 Maddie recently told us "It is a great day when i have mine whole flamily". We couldn't agree more. Sometimes we don't have much, the world is busy, falling apart, and unkind. . .but we have a wonderful family of Christ supporting us, loving us and encouraging us along the way.

Thank you for being a part of our Flamily!

The Walstons