Well, if you live under a rock and don't have any connection to the outside world then you are just finding out that Sara and I just had our 1st little boy, Emery Luke Ross, on June 11th, 2011. He weighed in at a whopping 7 lbs 15 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long. I do have to say that if you were to stretch his feet out he'd probably be more like 23-24 inches long, the boy has ski's with monkey toes!!! Definitely gets that from me! Check out my or Sara's FB for some pics.
I can't honestly express the range of emotions that have been running through Sara and I over the past week. The feeling of holding my son for the first time was unexplainable...maybe even the entire experience, so I'll save you the babbling attempt at trying! I can say that as a father, husband, and as a guy in general, I've never felt as weak as I have the past several days. I hold Sara and now Emery and I feel like I could life the house if I had to, but when they are in pain and you can't do anything to help, it will eat at you from the inside out. I would have done anything, but there is nothing I can do...other than PRAY...so that's what I did. I didn't want God to fix it, I wanted God to use it, to strengthen us, to be an example to others. I prayed that Sara and Emery would know that I am there no matter what, that I'm not going anywhere and that as soon as there is something that I can do to help, guess who is going to step up, step in, and come to the rescue...ME!!! I want them to have a faith in me as strong as my faith in God, and that their faith in God would far surpass their faith in me...if only I can be an example, and be there for them when they need me, then I'm exactly where God wants me to be!!!
I will tell you that I haven't felt more grateful and more in love with my wife ever. The number one priority for us right now is keeping God the focus of our relationship, and then jointly focusing on taking care of Emery. We have been blessed in more ways than you can imagine...everything from friends bringing us meals, to family taking care of him so that we can focus on us with coffee dates and not to mention an anniversary lunch yesterday! I love my wife with everything I have, and though I may fail some, I will do everything in my power to be a Christ follower 1st, a husband 2nd, and a father 3rd. Those are my priorities and they are NOT changing, everything else in life will just have to fit around those three!
Sara and I have spent a lot of time here lately talking to one another about whats next. For one, I'm planning on going back to school this fall to get my Masters in Counseling-Marriage and Family Therapy. Second, we've decided to take another step forward with our faith in our finances...can I say upping the bar! We feel like God is preparing us for something, but not really sure what that may be, but outside of just having Emery, our life is about to get even more interesting here in the next year. Who in their right mind goes back to school, lives off of one income, and has a newborn all in the same year??? ME...and I'm telling you that God is in control and I know that is where we are supposed to be.
The overwhelming responsibility that I've been given makes me sit back and really question what God has for us here soon. To think I'm having a child and say its all good compared a month ago to holding him, or holding Sara who is holding Emery and seeing it, feeling it first hand, praying for them together as we go to bed, is almost enough weight to feel like you can't move. All in all, I'm confident in knowing that God is the one setting all of this in motion, His plans for us are perfect, and there will be nothing greater than our life together following hard after Him. We're most likely going to be in Siloam Springs for the next several years and I have no clue what that may hold other than getting my Masters, but I do know that things are about to get interesting up in this place, and if you want in, call me, throw me a message, or just come by because I'd love to get a better idea of who is all in for seeing God do amazing things in and around Siloam. We're looking for a community of people to live life with...and we're not about to try and have the community on our own...one son is about all we can handle right now and I don't know if Sara would be up for that any time soon!!! I don't know what comes of this, but God does, and its about time for me to step out and start trying to figure this out a bit more! Love you guys...and THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts for the words of encouragement, messages, food, etc...that you have been blessing us with. We can't say it enough!
