A Request and Miscellaneous

Rainy Wednesday. Noelle is napping and I'm getting some printing done for church on Sunday. I'm hoping the rain clears up . . . we are supposed to meet some girlfriends for a friend's birthday lunch and it's not much fun lugging a car seat in the rain. I haven't figured out how to do it without getting mostly wet. I'm not coordinated enough to handle an umbrella and a car seat. :-)

Kara requested that I explain how Noelle got her name - I'm always in need of blogging suggestions and welcome them! *hints* :-) Noelle's full name is Noelle Joyce. "Noelle" is a girl name I've always loved for several reasons.

(1) It is French for "Christmas", which is one of my favorite times of the year. The songs, the lights, the get-together with friends and family, the meaning behind it all - it's wonderful.
(2) It's an old-fashioned name, which in my opinion, wears well. (No offense at all meant to those named Britney, Coco or Apple!)
(3) It's not a common name, but not so unusual that when I would tell people what we were going to name her they would say, "Hmmm, that's interesting. Why did you pick that?" You know what I mean.

The name "Joyce" is very special to our family. When my parents were young, have two small girls (I was probably 3, and my sister a few months old), my Dad was really struggling with life. Great job, lots of money (for 1973), but knew something was missing. There was an older married couple that lived across the street from them in Oklahoma City, Phil and Joyce Hubbard. Joyce invited my parents to church and on their first Sunday there, my Dad is saved. Mom accepts Christ several months later. My parents' salvation causes a large rift in the family, especially with my Dad's parents, and the Hubbards step in a surrogate grandparents for me and my sister for several years, until we move so that my Dad can enter Dallas Theological Seminary. One woman, inviting my folks to church at the right time and changes the entire focus of our family. Very cool. My sister and I always called Joyce "Kissy-Kissy". That was our nickname for her. She always said this silly rhyme when we saw her: "Kissy, kissy, kissy coo. Kissy, kissy, I love you," followed by a huge kiss. Joyce passed away probably 10 years ago, and Mr. Hubbard is now remarried, but her legacy in our family was remarkable and I wanted to honor her by naming my daughter after her. And, when I am asked why I chose that name for Noelle, I can pass on the story for future generations of how our family turned to Christ and the part one woman played.

(I'm definitely going to have to print out the text of this post for Noelle's baby book!)

In other news . . .
Mucho congratulations to my friends David & Amy with the exciting news that they are pregnant!! Also, to my friends Kip & Kathleen who are expecting #4 in January! I'm so excited for them both. I think I hear that clock of mine ticking somewhere.... :-)

Lastly, a recent family pic - this was in the church directory which was just printed. Noelle is only 6 months old here - she turns 9 months on Saturday! And took another step yesterday!



PS. Why do my dogs decided they need to be hyper and wrestle outside when it has been pouring down rain for 4 hours this morning? Why? Why? WHY? Nothing more fragrant than the smell of wet dog . . . must go find air freshner.