Emily Esther

Emily Esther

was born on 10.28.2009

7 lbs. 2 oz!

Emily means "strength". You know how when your baby is in the womb you can detect some personality? Well, we just know this little girl is going to be strong. From her kicks to her cry, it's the beginning evidences of someone who is strong. We are praying she's strong in many ways including her strength of character and her strength of heart to love the Lord.

Esther. This name has a lot of meaning for us.

Esther was an amazing and beautiful Jewish queen of Persia.

She was brave. She was strong.

And God used her to save the Jews from complete and total annihilation.

Had they been annihilated, Jesus would never had been born.

But, God used her "for such a time as this" to keep that from happening.

History is His Story, of course, and He can do miraculous things it and through anyone-including through a Jewish orphan.

I studied the book of Esther throughout this pregnancy.

When choosing a name, we like to not only look at it's meaning for a prayer for the future, wait until we see their faces to make sure that it "fits", but also have that name symbolize something of that time period during pregnancy.

And, during this pregnancy, we have decided to change direction in where we, as a family, are headed. God has been the author of that move in our hearts and God used Esther in mine to be a reminder that whatever happens in the future or in history that the best and most safe place to be is right where God is leading you to go, despite how scary it seems, even if facing death.

When I think of Esther, when I see Emily, I will be reminded to have courage and to remember that God may be moving our family for many reasons "for such a time as this" even if I never see the fruit of the purpose, just like Esther never knew that the Savior would come from her decision.

So, we feel that these two names are like two peas in a pod that are supposed to fit together.

We love her and can't wait to see who she becomes, who we become, as she grows.