We have experienced heaps of Gods grace this past year. We are learning the art of intentionality: to stay present with one another, and more importantly, to connect deeply with God and the world He created and loves. Here are a few highlights of His goodness to us in 2016:
Shine On…
Titus and Evi turned two this July. The first year of their life felt like it lasted forever, but this second year flew by! We celebrated with a galaxy of excitement and a verse that has become our family theme for the year: to shine like stars for Jesus (Philippians 2:14-16).
The Watchman…
At 2 years old, Titus is one strong and solid little boy. If being particular is a sign of intelligence, we have a genius on our hands. His playtime is important work, and please don’t interrupt, thank you very much. He is the first one awake and often last to go to sleep (sigh). For all his resolve, Titus can’t resist a hearty belly laugh when being tickled or playing chase. He looks up to his daddy and mimics Shane’s guitar playing with surprising accuracy. Both grandpas tie for second place in Titus’s heart, with our dog, Mr. Darcy, following in 3rd place. He enjoys camping, playing with the cousins, and wrestling. He has a tender side and helps Evi keep good care of her baby dolls. He is quick to thank Jesus and bless friends and family in prayer. He keeps his “guy” and “tickle” (guitar and blanky, respectively) close, which warms his mama’s heart, knowing he is still a little boy, for now.
The Princess…
Evangeline is blooming as a cheerful, nurturing, beautiful girl. She sing-songs her way through the house cooking “Muppins” and caring for her baby dolls. She has her baby “Gigi” potty trained already, even though she prefers to take her time in that arena. We have decided to call it “potty experimenting” for a while. Evi is the articulate voice of compassion and is always on the quest to connect on a personal level. She keeps us on track, reminding us to “read Bible” and take our vitamins every morning. Our adorable girl is also quite clumsy: she will trip over thin air then blame it on Titus. Still, her squeaky giggle has charmed us all. We truly believe her obsession with all things “princess” will give her a vision for God’s kingdom now and for eternity.
Upward Adventures…
Shane is enthralled with dad-hood. Now that the kids are, well, kids and not babies, it’s a lot more fun! He teaches them kindness and quirky ways to eat chili and how to hum the Star Wars theme. Through it all, Shane keeps Becky swept off her feet. We survive winter together with lots of candlelight and hit the mountains and lakes early when the weather warms up. We topped off 6 years of marriage with a romantic adventure in Paris, Montana (seriously, check it out).
Shane is now in his third year of full-time youth ministry (& 7th year of BCM!), mentoring and shepherding students from 6th grade through college age. His passion for music keeps us all dancing and singing together. This summer was packed with many favorites: Shane lead worship for Summit Camp, spoke as camp pastor at camp Bethel, served on the Wind River reservation with his First Baptist youth group, and relaxed with family and college students in Glorieta, New Mexico. We stay heaven-minded and always strive to SYMOTA (set your minds on things above).
Stay-Present…
Becky is turning over every blade of grass in this new season as a stay-present mama.
I am finding my passion for creativity is keeping me engaged and thriving as a mom. I enjoy teaching the kids to see the world in a unique way, to get excited about small things–like colors and songs, and big thing–like how Jesus loves everyone in the grocery store. We daily affirm what is true about how God made us: I am Kind, I am Brave, I am Joyful. The kids know this back and forth and are quick to say it to get out of time-outs.
God provides for my extrovert heart as I continue to mentor young women, coach figure skating, and study God’s Word with other mommas. In October, I was invited to speak at a local women’s conference, which again sealed the deal for my passion for communicating God’s truth and hope to others.
Shane would like to add that my smile continues to light up the room. He quotes Proverbs 31 to me often as a reminder of how he sees me. Which floors me because most of the time I feel like an exhausted mess who cannot keep up with the toddler pace X2!
Through it all, I am discovering new depths of love and sacrifice as I learn to die to myself and serve, love, and train up Titus and Evi to have hearts after our Lord.
Look-Out!…
It is official! The twins have stolen our hearts, and our home. These growing two-year-olds both got their own room this fall. When we added college-student dinners, visits from our beloved family, and a desire to expand our family in the next few years, we started to feel a little boxed in. We have loved every moment of building and living in our home, but it is time for a good change. In November, we began working with a local builder to create a new house with room to grow. Also, God provided a beautiful family who fell in love with our little place on this hill. We closed the sale of our Osprey house in January, and are renting until the summer when our house on Look-Out Point Drive will be finished!
And now we worship…
[Full Disclosure: I began this post in December, but it has taken me till the end of April to finish and post it. (#toddlermomproblems)]
As 2017 approaches, As we continue on into 2017, we hope to invest less in screen-time and a lot more in meaningful connections. Other than this annual update, I try to keep posts and pictures of our kids on social media to a minimum. They have an incredible amount of beauty to offer this world, and I believe it should be experienced first hand.
So please drop by or give a phone call (we like old-fashioned). This year is full of promise and LOTS of transition. After such a year covered by Gods grace, we are confident He will carry us on in hope and joy. So in worship of our Savior, we welcome each day. We appreciate your prayers for us always.
With Love,
Shane, Becky, Titus and Evangeline Rosty and our trusty pup, Mr. Darcy (who apparently is not photo priority anymore. Another thing to work on in 2017)
