It's More Than A Name

Eighteen months since my last post! I do enjoying blogging honestly I do, but life has a way of getting in the way.  I have been talking about getting started again for months now, and what better time than just a few months before welcoming baby number 4 into our family, and life is about to get all kinds of crazy again. :)

As most of you that read this already now by now we are expecting again! A little girl this time, sometime in early February. Just the other day was announced that we would be naming our new little one, and it inspired me to share just how important I feel naming a child is. 

When naming my children, I obviously start with a list of names I like the sound of but it goes beyond that for me. Once i find a name I like, I go research what it means. I feel that when we name our children we are speaking over their lives, & into whom they will become. I believe that the Bible speaks volumes to the significance of a name. for example In Genesis 35:18 we read that Rachel with her last breath named her 2nd son Ben-oni (son of my sorrow). However Isaac called him Benjamin (son of my right hand). Also in 1st Samuel 1 we read of Hannah and her bareness and how she begged God for a child & vowed to the Lord that if He gave her a son she would dedicated his life to the Lord all the days of his Life. When Hannah does birth a son she names him Samuel ( asked of the Lord). There are also instances we see God change the names of people in the Bible speaking to what they would become. For example Abram to Abraham meaning ( father of multitudes), and his wife Sarai to Sarah ( mother of nations).

John ( God is gracious), Anthony (worthy of praise).

As most of you know we named our 1st born after Aaron's father. However, the meanings of both names couldn't have been more perfect for our situation. Just 4 months before we married , I found I had some medical issues that we were told would make having children a difficult process.  So when just 3 months after we married and found out we were expecting I knew that this priceless gift was by God's grace. John has proven to be worthy of praise.He is always eager to please and willing to push himself to achieve above and beyond what is even expected of him.

Audrey (noble strength), Janelle ( God is gracious).

  Again God had been gracious to us in giving us a baby girl, who also happens to share her middle name with her mama.  Audrey was a name I feel in love with the moment I heard it  and the meaning was exactly what I wanted for her to be. One definition of noble, is having or showing fine personal qualities or high moral principles and ideals.We are still working on the noble part, but she is one strong girl! Dealing with a strong willed child is far from easy, but i believe that when she learns to stand strong for the right reason it will serve her well as an adult. 

Ethan (Strong & firm), Daniel ( God is my judge).

Yes, with Ethan we choose another name that meant strong. I'm still not exactly sure what we were thinking! Ethan has a very strong and firm personality! One that test his mama on almost a daily basis. However, again I believe that it is a trait that will serve him well as an adult if he learns to to channel  it properly. I hope that the name Daniel is a constant reminder to him, that he is accountable to God for the life he chooses to live.

Malachi ( my angel)

In February 2014 we unfortunately experienced our 1st loss. 14 weeks into my pregnancy we lost a little boy. We choose the name Malachi after we found out he had passed. because our angel is just what he is.

Kristin ( Follower of Christ), Nicole (victorious people).

Obviously we have yet to meet our little Kristin, but I hope that the name we have chosen for her speaks to just who she will become.