Another due date has just passed and Olivia would have been one this week. I have so many things to write about, but I realized I have not introduced our rainbow miracle. I also don’t want to keep addressing her by the name – ‘baby’ in my posts .
Here is Amirah Godelieve Zahara Ibis. I call her ‘ Pendo’ and ‘Mama’, because she’s gonna love like a Mama . She’s double her birth weight now and just started tasting carrots this week.
I have written about how we intentionally name our babies in an old post. But in summary, it’s entails fun , prayer and testimony of what God has seen us through that season in our lives.
It’s always amazing to see how God reveals the real meaning of our children’s names so early on. We usually name at the beginning of the second trimester. Then, we later see how our babies get to live up to their names.
For IJ (Imani-Jane , it was a time of faith and grace in our lives. Jane is also my mom’s name, so it fit so perfectly. It’s a blessing to see her grow into this beautiful woman of faith at just the age of seven.
With our second born, Olivia Amali, we wanted IJ to be part of the naming. So, I-J and papa chose Olivia – symbol of peace and rest.
Amali is hope in Swahili. I don’t think there are any other names that would have been perfect for our angel baby Olivia. The storm we went through, peace and hope were our only anchor. With fear never being part of the story. Hence the name of this page.
I just realized this post was to introduce Princess Amirah , but there’s no introducing her without talking about her sisters. That doesn’t take the focus off her, it’s just how it is.
She will grow up knowing she has an angel sister who came before her. She will grow up knowing that she is here as a gift from our father to mend our hearts and prove to us that our broken hearts can really love again.
* Amirah means princess.
* Godelieve ( God’s love) is my mother in law who passed away this past Easter season. We had given the name already before my mom in law passed away and every time we visited her in the hospital, I wanted to tell her the baby’s name.
Especially on the day we could see she knew she was leaving us. But then again, I wanted her to be alive to meet her other love. So, I didn’t tell her, so she can be alive to witness it, but she didn’t make it . Am sure, she knew.
1cor 13:13, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Why the name LOVE?.
***Our hearts had been broken and we were not sure we would love again, but God’s love has a way of healing broken hearts in His time.
*** Also, my mother in law left a legacy worth looking up to. She lived her life so selflessly, continuously giving herself to the service and care of children from struggling families. She cared for more than 900 babies all of whom called her Mama. You can imagine what a love story her send off was like.
So what a perfect name to give to our daughter. It’s our prayer that Amirah will not just be a beautiful princess, but with her beauty, may she heal hearts, love selflessly. If she can live her life even just 50% of how her Oma Godelieve lived hers, we will be very proud parents. May God’s love just like her name, shine through her to other people that they may see Christ in her the living hope of glory and this may cause them to glorify God.
***Zahara means to shine and flower. May her life bring light and brightness to her generation and other generations. May she be a delight wherever she goes. May God use her to bring beauty where there is ashes.
Thank you all for the support all through.
Lots of love
Mama Faith, Hope and Love.