What's in a name?

As promised, here is the 19 week pic. Halfway thru this thing (in a few days) and the Dr said the baby looks perfect. We aren't finding out the gender, or telling anyone our name choices. This has led to an almost weekly call from any one of the 6 grandparents, or my brother with "helpful" suggestions. Rob is hoping it's a boy and that we'll name him Argyle. As in the pattern. My dad suggested Gertrude, or Gertie Gaines for a girl. Chris' dad called tonight to give us Elvira and Thor as options. I'll just say this. It will be a common, normal, traditional name spelled the way that the first person who guessed would be right. I don't feel the need to be unique or creative. As a recruiter I think that parents have ruined their child's chances at jobs based on name alone. My friend Christy told a story about her mother in law who's a teacher. She had a first grader with the name La-a. She called out the last name cautiously, and was told by the little girl "it's La DASH A...that dash ain't silent". Not kidding.

Hope

Such a big thing in such a small word. I tried to think of clever titles for this post. Some were funny, some were slightly vulgar...none seemed to fit. The reason is because we needed hope, it was a season of doubt...of sadness, of really having some hard conversations, some major medical procedures, months and months of drugs, and praying. Lot's and lots of praying. Thru it all we always had hope, hope that God had a plan, and that we would put one foot in front of the other and keep going.

We're having a baby. Due in Aug. It is still so amazing to me that this prayer was answered that it hasn't quite hit me yet. It took 4 sonograms for me to actually believe the Dr. We kept the entire last year plus of our life quiet as we struggled with this, so it seems odd to share it now, and to be expected to share it so freely. It still feels like a secret, and people seem surprised that I kept one! Ha. There is a lot to this story but this seems like enough for now. Please excuse the sono pick...it was the first one from week 7. I'm at 16 weeks now and I'll try to post another one soon. However I'm not one of these "all I can talk about is my pregnancy, what fruit it is, what week it is, tell you how I'm feeling" pregnant people. If you ask me, I will tell you I feel fine. That's about it, and that's how I roll.