Names

If you want to throw a stink bomb into a group of adoptive parents...

Ask about naming the adopted child.

We discussed this at length (Paul and I) and decided that we would 

give our children a first name and keep their Ethiopian name as their middle. 

We feel that they can then decide to use that name later in life if they choose, 

but would have the name we give them which would give them a 

way to "blend" a little in school and with friends.

(ie -not answer questions about adoption/Ethiopia/etc all the time)

For our 4 year old daughter we chose Lillian.

It is a diminutive of Elizabeth, which has personal family meaning,

and also my great-grandmother's middle name.

For our 3 year old daughter we chose Evelyn.

It is Paul's grandmother's name and we think it goes beautifully with her Ethiopian name.

For our 2 year old son we chose Joshua.

Paul's parents had a baby that went to Heaven after just moments here with his parents

and we want to honor them and his memory by naming our sweet baby boy after him.

We plan on calling them by both names for awhile... 

just so that they understand who we are talking to 

(but my pronouncing their Ethiopian names in 

Southern may just confuse them even more!).

So... just so you know we are fully insane...

our girls are:

Allie

Olivia (Livi)

Lillian (Lily)

Evelyn (Evie)

and our boys are

Paul

Samuel (Sam)

and

Joshua (just Joshua)

I can't wait to have all 7 of my babies together!!