A Beautiful Wife and Mummy!

 

I am so incredibly blessed to have such an amazing and beautiful wife. She is so kind, caring, and compassionate. When we got married over 4 years ago now, I would never have imagined all of the adventures that we have already been on and I would not change them or want to spend them with anyone else but her! God has truly been good to me.

Now we add Roman into the mix which has definitely been quite the transition. You never really realize how much things do change until you have a little one to take care of day and night. Having Roman has actually amplified my view of the ways I described Dani in the previous paragraph. The way she has taken on the role of a mother and all the challenges that come with that title is truly amazing. She encourages me on a daily basis and it gives me immense joy to call her the mother to my kid and a husband to me.

New adventures are on the horizon and I know God knows the plans that He has for us. I also know that Dani will be there to support me in whatever God calls us to do as a family and for that I am also truly grateful. I can't say enough how grateful I am to God who is so rich in mercy and abounding in love to bless someone as undeserving as me with this life that He has entrusted to me!

*Thought you all might like to see my wife's beautiful new look!

Romanisms

 For your enjoyment this week, here are 10 fun facts about Roman as well as some cute pictures!

1. Roman is 4 months old today and weighed in at 15 pounds 13 ounces!

 2. Here Roman is all decked out in red, white, and blue ready to go to the US Consulate. Yesterday we registered Roman as a US citizen!

3. Roman loves sitting in and being pulled around the flat in his diaper box!

4. Roman loves to look at this purple container that is filled with his bath toys and soaps. He also really likes his bath and has graduated to the big tub this week!

5. Roman's favorite toys include Sophie, a multicolored elephant, and his green monkey!

6. Roman still will not take a bottle or pacifier and gives us a disgusted look anytime plastic or rubber toys go near his mouth. *except for Sophie!

 7. Roman's other favorite toy is bubbles! He loves to stare at the bubbles as I blow them in his face!

 8. At bedtime I always read Roman two books. Moo, Baa, Laa, and Whose Stripes? are his favorites. It is fun watching him enjoy the books more and more as he gets bigger. His new favorite thing is eating the books!

9. Roman is now able to sit up (pretty much on his own), roll over, and he even pulls his knees up like he is wanting to crawl. This boy is growing up way too fast for his mama!

10. Last but not least, Roman loves Daddy time and I love watching my boys giggle and have fun together! What a blessing it is to be a mommy and wife!

Hard to Believe

It's hard to believe a lot of things lately. It's hard to believe we have been over in Glasgow, Scotland for almost a year. It's hard to believe that we actually had our first child over here as well. It's hard to believe that we didn't have to pay anything for the birth and it's hard to believe that he is almost 4 months old! It's hard to believe all the support we have gotten since before we even left through this current moment. From friends and family back home to our Harvest church family in Glasgow. It's hard to believe the constant provision from the Lord in our effort to take a big step of faith for Him. It's hard to believe how much we have learned and grown throughout this whole process.

Then I stop and really think...If I really do believe God is who He says He is...should all of that really be that hard to believe?

Roman's thought: *let the weening begin*

Roman's new ride

YOU ARE LOVED!

Word for the Year: Meekness

Matthew 5:5 "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."

For the past few years I have picked a word for the year, something I wanted to work on or an area I desired to grow in. In the past I have picked words such as prayer and trust. Over the past few months I have been really challenged to look at my heart and the reasons why I act and think the way I do and challenged to live with absolute contentment. As I was thinking through which word to pick for the year things such as peace and contentment popped into my head, but I wasn't sold on them. We started a new sermon series at church a few weeks ago on Matthew 5-7 and two weeks ago our pastor preached on the beatitudes. As he explained the definition of meekness in verse 5 I knew that was my word for the year. He explained meekness as being a gentle, quiet, strength, where one finds security in something other than themselves. I really liked how he explained that meekness is shown by living already satisfied. I clung to the idea of living already satisfied because it shows absolute contentedness and peace. Once you are completely satisfied in Christ than you can be content in any and every situation that comes your way because you already have all you need. So this year I want to focus on the life I have in Jesus and be content with every circumstance that comes my way.

Bonus picture of Roman in his bro tank! Look at those muscles..this little man has started rolling over and sitting up (basically on his own) this week!

Blessed With Family

We had a special time over Christmas here in Scotland. Both my dad and my sister, neither of which had ever been to the UK, were able to visit for a week. They were able to meet Roman for the first time, and we were able to get them out to see some sights while here. Roman definitely got more cuddle time than he was use to, and my dad and sister got their baby fix! I think it was also special for Lydia because it was her first time out of the country, and with the possibility of studying abroad in Scotland falling through, she was still able to come and see some really cool history and art!

The time made me think about how special it is to be around family during Christmas, but it also made me remember that as Christians, we've been adopted into God's family through His Son Jesus Christ, and at the end of the day...that's all we really need. Jesus is everything, He has to be everything.

That being said, God definitely designed us to be in fellowship with other believers for we are all co-heirs with Christ. The fact that we have been blessed to be across the pond over in Scotland with our Christian brothers and sisters these past 9 months has been such a humbling, amazing, and growing experience.

Christmas was just such a great reminder this year of how blessed we truly are on so many different levels. Blessed to be part of God's family, blessed to be part of the Harvest Glasgow family, blessed to see some of my biological family, blessed to be supported by our Harvest Rochester family.

Harpo?

Edinburgh bagpiper

Edinburgh castle

Overlooking Edinburgh

Kelvingrove Art Gallery

John Knox

Great John Knox impersonation

YOU ARE LOVED