Names

Our SS class has been doing a series of lessons on prayer... How perfect for us right now! And today Mrs. Sheila asked us if we have ever had a time in our lives where we either felt the prayers of others or felt that our prayers for others were being answered. HELLO?!? Yes, would be the answer to that question! I have felt lifted up on days where everything was dark and have been able to dress myself for work, not sit and cry in the shower, not throw-up in the shower because I've been crying so much, etc... I've felt YOUR prayers and that has meant more to me than I could ever adequately express but please know that I am truly thankful for you all.

I get these little postcards in the mail from my Aunt Carol's church every few weeks or so and they say "I prayed for you today at the altar." The ladies that have sent these are members of my Aunt Carol's SS class and they have been diligent in sending cards and prayers our way. It brightens my day when I get those little notes from these sweet Godly ladies and know that they have prayed for me and the baby hundreds of times for every one card or note that I get. They are truly prayer warriors that love not only my sweet Aunt Carol but our little family as well. FYI: Aunt Carol makes the best okra ever and I'm an okra connoisseur so I know good okra. Well, it's especially good when Uncle Donald grows it and Aunt Carol cooks it... It's just not the same otherwise. I want some right now... Dang it!!!

Well, we are week 28 and are beginning to prepare for the birth of our baby and I'm scared, excited, hopeful, nervous beyond all comprehension, prepared, unprepared, concerned about every choice we've made up until now, confident in the choices we've made.... you name it and I've felt it over the past few days. We have an appointment on Thursday (26th) and will have another ultrasound as well as Rh+ treatment since Jeremy and I have polarized blood types (he's + and I'm - ....and no that is not a reflection of our general personality differences). It's a very common practice and just one of those things we need to do to protect future children from having to undergo blood transfusions and other unnecessary procedures after birth.

Jeremy and I were both lucky enough to be given great names that have served us well in our lives. Jeremy Owen and Johnna Beth. They fit us perfectly but naming our own baby has had some bumps along the way. We started talking about baby names before we were even married and have not agreed on many names since! When we found out that we were pregnant, the name discussions began again but with a more serious undertone and we both clearly took sides. I am all for the continuance of the "J" first name and Jeremy believes and I quote that "The madness must stop." :) So I was holding firm and so was he when we found out the news in late December and then our attitudes changed. We realized that this name would not be one that we would get to yell from the back porch when someone was late for dinner, or one that we would say in it's entirety and with emphatic inflection when someone was about to be punished, or one that we would hear being said at those momentous times in life such as a graduation or a wedding. It was a name that needed to be given but not one that we would get to say as often as a parent should. With that in mind, we scrapped all of our previous names and started fresh. We also decided that we would not use the non-used name for another child should we have one of the opposite gender in the future. Both of these names are so inherently belong to our FIRST child that we could never name another THEIR name.

Boy- Robert Anderson Stafford - Jeremy's father was Robert Harris Stafford III and Jeremy's grandfather was obviously Robert Harris Stafford II. Oddly enough, his maternal grandfather, lovingly called Pop-Pop was Robert Eugene Lee. So, Robert just felt like a natural choice for this baby if it were a boy. Anderson is a family name on my mom's side that I have always liked.

Girl- Elizabeth Ann Stafford - Elizabeth is not only my Dad's mom's name (Elizabeth Burroughs Jones- she passed away just before my parents were married but I've always felt like I knew her because everyone says that my Aunt Carol is so much like her) but it is also Jeremy's mom's middle name (Barbara Elizabeth Lee Stafford) and my middle name is Beth so we have many special Elizabeth's in our families. Ann comes from my mom's side of the family- Rebecca Ann Hopkins Davis was my Grandmother (mom's mom) who I loved dearly. She passed away my freshman year of college and we miss her still. The other Ann is my aunt, Margaret Ann Davis Hayden- If you know Margaret, then you know why I love her....

So, just waiting for Thursday and hoping for a good ultrasound. Thank you for loving us and Robert Anderson.... Or Elizabeth Ann, whichever the case may be. :)

-Johnna