baby's name!

Many have asked how to pronounce Taiya -- so in case you're wondering, it is Ty-yah!  Rhymes with Maya.  Others have asked where we came up with the name.  I think it was during Aaron's pregnancy that we considered the name "Taya" ... and when we were reminded of the word Taiya, we thought that would make an excellent girl's name too!

So, back to our beginnings... back to the time when Adrian and I met, the summer we went on a few hikes and lunch dates together... back to when we were dating and both landed jobs in Skagway, Alaska... that's where Taiya comes from.  The Taiya River is a beautiful place that courses through the little dot on the map that was our first home together!

These were the very first photos we took with our very first digital camera: 9-23-2003

Layla, Adrian in front of Taiya River

who knew we would one day name our 6th child after that water?
autumn then, autumn now!

on a trail next to the Taiya River
(I remember feeling very sick on this hike, as I was pregnant with Ella)

beautiful Dyea in autumn colors!

Moving ahead to naming our baby, we held onto the name and weren't able to use it on the last two babies in this house!  I had looked up the term a few times, knew it came from a native Alaskan (Tlingit) word, but didn't find a meaning.  AFTER we named the baby last week, Adrian decided to do a search and was more successful in finding a meaning!  (See link here: it is on the Taiya Inlet page, not the Taiya River page)  He read off wikipedia the meaning, "beneath or underneath".  We kinda shrugged-- as if insignificant.

A moment later, I turned to Adrian with realization: 

put together, her name means "under grace"!

We both smiled, and prayed that this beautiful doll the Lord has given us will always remain under His great grace!

"For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace."  
--Romans 6.14

have to laugh

After I had been in labor for about 12 hours, I sent out a quick email to some local friends asking them to pray for us.  One of my friends sent this back...

Dear Heavenly Father,

I lift Anna up to you at this time. Protect her and the baby. Guide the professional who will assist with this birth. Fill all involved with your peace. May the delivery come quickly and be easy. Bless them with a healthy baby.

In Jesus' name.    Amen

After the birth, I re-read her prayer and had to laugh-- in a prophetic statement she mentioned "the professional" assisting the birth... little did we know, one out of the two midwives would not make it in time!  :)  Though labor was long and arduous, the Lord gave us a quick delivery at the end-- and we are thankful!  

Day 1

the birth!

Welcome, Taiya Grace!

10-7-2015

6 lb, 14 oz; 21"

water birth; immediate joy!

called in the crowd to meet her

keeping warm

all those somber faces!

 

first blinks

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newborn screening, midwife Carrie

midwives Honey and Carrie; weighing in!

Jaci couldn't wait for this moment! 

enamored with another sweet daughter!

cuddling after the olders were in bed...

love note

LOVE love notes from my man ~ on a scratch note, in an email, in a card ~ whatever. 

This was a fun realization for us this week: 

I'm the man you’ve lived with for 12.5 years now.  

Hey, we’re ¼ of the way to our 50^th anniversary!!!  

Happy 1/4^th 50^th, baby.

my 3 handsome men!

Sept!

Well, we've been a little busy since we landed from TX.. I would love to post all my favorites of the trip, but for now... just a few! 

Baby Shower Breakfast!  ~with sweet friends and a bonus mom! ~  

Lakeside, MT  Saturday 9/19

lots of great harvest from our garden ~ trying to keep up with the zucchini, especially!  The chickens are giving us a dozen eggs/day, and when its time for dinner I can ask Adrian to bring in potatoes, onion, or broccoli.  He has done a marvelous job with it this summer!  We also credit our chickens for eating bugs that haven't hurt the garden, and a barking dog who has kept the deer out!

I guess I took this photo because I like to see all my kids working on something.  Oh yes, I remember: this was the day I left Ella in charge, went to an appointment, and when I came home I was SO pleased to see them all sitting, in their right minds, being productive.  Love my kids!!

Our Little Cowboys

Our trip to Texas was grand!!

 Labor Day marked our return home.  I took out the camera to take one last photo of the kids before we boarded the plane in Dallas.  Adrian had gone to find drinking water, and unbeknownst to me, had come up behind me and was pretending to pour the water on my head-- thus the smiles.  :)

 Sneak peek: Favorites from my brother's Texas wedding!

baby T!

Whew, only about 5 weeks until we meet the newest member of our family!  I know this time is going to speed by...and we are so excited to discover the little one God has planned for us!

I'm pretty sure choosing a baby name is the only thing I enjoy about pregnancy.  Adrian and I have chosen not to share our baby name ideas in advance because we don't really want opinions, input or feedback before the baby is born.  We want to choose the name, and then let everybody else get used to it!

...and get used to it, you have!  My poor grandmother called J "Jackie", "Jockey" and "Jassy" before she finally got it right.  When we named O, we had NO IDEA there was a different pronunciation of his name depending on what part of the country you're from!  Thankfully babies grow into their names, and pretty soon Jaci and Orion don't seem so foreign anymore. 

So this time around, we are ready with a boy name* and a girl name.  Either way, let me introduce you to baby "T"!  If baby is of the girl variety, this name we've agreed upon & held onto for several years now.  Paired with the middle name, she will have the same syllable rhythm as each of her sisters.  If baby is a boy, his first name will end like all the other males in our family, and his middle name would echo the Spanish flavor of his brothers' middle names.  

*subject to change.  I called our 5th baby "Micah" through the entire pregnancy.  We discussed at length and officially named him at 3 days old.  

Got a guess?  Post a comment!  ;)