all in a name

Do you ever wonder what makes parents choose certain names? Where did they come up with this moniker, is it a family name, why do they love it?

For me, it's one of the hardest parts about having these wee babes. I wasn't one of those girls growing up who knew how many kids I wanted and kept a growing list of what I would dub them.  It's all taken me quite by surprise. Which is fun, except for coming up with these titles. Thus far all my littles names do have some kind of story or meaning behind them, and I thought I would share Eleanor's.

If you recall from here, I don't have great pregnancies. To say the least- I am very sick, for the entirety. Nobody understands why and there doesn't seem to be any cure except survival. Which we do. The babies are healthy so we consider ourselves blessed.

One day, near the end of my last pregnancy, the kids were napping, and Kaleb was outside building our wild ones bunk beds. I had this brief and glorious moment of reprieve. So I stumbled my way out of doors to sit in the cool grass and chat with Kaleb.

The Avett Brothers were on in the background, their lyrics whisking and circling around us. A soundtrack to our interlude. While he labored on we caught up, prattling on about life, how hard those last few months had been and of course- what we would name this upcoming bundle.

Just then, 'Fathers First Spring' wafted in on light air.

My heart never beat like it does at the sight.  Of you baby blue, God blessed your life

I do not live 'less I live in your light…

My heart is now ruined for the rest of all time

There's no part of it left to give…

The day that I met Eleanor 

We both looked at each other and quietly breathed. . . Eleanor. As quickly as the decision was made my sickness descended. I crawled my way back to bed and Kaleb tucked me in.

And we will always remember it. This hour that I felt good and we caught up, the atmosphere charged with love. . . 

and our baby had a name.