saying their names.

For a mother who lost two children, it is always a special day when I can talk about my twin boys and say their names and really think about them. Today I got that chance, as I spoke in front of a group of Mothers, who listened to hear stories of motherhood.  I know my story is...interesting, to say the least!  But I was happy to share it. Yes, I hate speaking in front of groups - I dread it, actually - but when I am supremely motivated, I can, by God's grace, do a good job.

Of course, I never feel like I say enough (or maybe I say too much!) or I wish I could say things a million different ways.  But I pray my message gets through to everyone:  We lost two of our children.  God called our twin boys home to be with Him, and it was awful.  We were blessed with a daughter, but she is diagnosed with autism.  And yet, through means that I cannot understand and likely never will, God used those events to weave together a scenario that made us perfectly able to parent a special needs child.

A child who needs a name!

He has a Reece's Rainbow name, of course.  He has a birth name, given to him by (I hope) a loving birth mother who could not take care of her sixth child.  We want to retain his birth name so he can use it if he chooses.  But he needs a name that we can give him, too...a name that marries the combining of his "birth" life and his future family's life.

Once upon a time, a woman was pregnant with twin boys.  And she and her husband had three names for two twins:  Jacob, Zachary, and Joshua. 

They couldn't decide what name to choose for their twins.  At the moment when they were told the fateful news that their boys would be born but could not be saved, they were struck with a quandary:  What should we name them?

The twins were called Jacob (Daddy's favorite name) and Zachary (Mommy's favorite name), and the name Joshua (Mommy and Daddy's mutual favorite name) was set aside.

But when this family decided to find their son in Bulgaria, they weren't sure they could use the third name for their son, because whenever they thought of the name Joshua, they thought of their twins.  And they were sad. 

Then, one day, they sat and really thought about it.  They remembered the joy they felt as they went through the baby books, searching for names for their twins.  Suddenly, remembering the name "Joshua" brought a bit of happiness instead of sorrow.

One of the meanings of the name Joshua is "God rescues".

God will rescue Joshua through us. 

Chelsea's brother will be Joshua [his birth name].  Because there was a reason God made it so challenging for us to choose two names for three boys. 

There was always supposed to be three.

Will you help us bring Joshua ("Ian") home?  There are so many ways to help.  Donations to our Reece's Rainbow account are always helpful.  The Barefoot Books fundraiser (with a special coupon for 20% off!) is still running.  We have a great selection of t-shirts that we personally chose, a song you can download (courtesy of my husband) and even bracelets if you "believe"!

There are ways to help that cost nothing, and help immeasurably.

Pray for us.  Think of us.  Pray for our Joshua.  Pray for the place he lives in, that God would touch those who work there.  Share our blog with anyone you know.  We want God's work to be glorified in our lives.  We want the story of Joshua to be known, and The Bad Place to be further illuminated.  We want everyone to know how God works all things for good.  Pray for the USCIS; that they would work quickly to approve us. 

Thank you for your support, for your prayers and thoughts, and for sharing our story.