baby's name

Christian Vir Nowak is expected April 16, 2015. Vir isn't a name (or a word) that you hear every day, so here's a little explanation.

Christian: Little Christ. This is what we're hoping for all of our children; that they'll grow to love our Savior so much that they'll be able to share this name: Christian. We're a fan of Pilgrim's Progress, whose main character's name reflects his belief in Christ. Both Matt and I have a sibling named Chris (Christopher and Christine), so in a stretchy sort of way, this is a family name.

Vir: Man, husband, hero. In college, my favorite teacher made history the most interesting subject of study. He was passionate in his knowledge of everything he taught. At one point in the study of ancient times, he mentioned that he had stumbled across a word that summed up what boys should grow to be: Vir (pronounced Veer). Matt and I immediately adopted it as something for boys to strive toward. A latin word, Vir means man, husband, and hero. This is what we're hoping all of our boys grow up to be. As an added bonus, Vir is the first three letters of the state Matt and I (and our future children) call home. That has nothing to do with the choice, but makes me look at the word with a little extra fondness.