she has a name

We thought for sure that we would be having a boy.

Neither of us wanted a boy more, or a girl more, but the thought 

that we would have another girl never crossed our mind until the morning of our first ultrasound. We kind of had the sense before we went that there was a very real possibility she could be a girl. We saw her that day

and were so excited to have another little girl.

Piper will have a sister, and Daddy will be softened even more

by his family of little women.

I love this.

Later that night we picked her name... Larken for her first name,

because it is beautiful and it will match her personality. (Someone asked me how we can name our kids before meeting them... I have always thought that I already knew them.) I love how it sounds with Piper's name. For her middle name, we chose Winter. This one has so much depth for us.

Our family has been through a winter season this year... it seemed like there was so much evidence of brokenness. But even in our winter, we found Jesus right beside us the whole time, never turning away, and the Spirit brought spring and new growth. The promise of new life lies within each winter. Jesus enters into our death to bring us life. This winter season has been a beautiful time in the life of our family, despite the hardship and heartache. We wanted to remember what this time was like for us, and God's closeness to us in our time of need, never turning away, never forsaking, always reconciling and bringing peace.

I am so excited to meet this little person.

xo

paige