Sweet Pea Has A Name.

 We have finally decided on a name for our precious Sweet Pea.
Here is a little poem I wrote, you will find her name at the end. Enjoy!

As I feel you move inside me
your fingers and your toes
your arms and your legs
and even your tiny nose

I wonder what you look like
I wonder who you'll be
I wonder if you'll love me
As much as I love thee?

Will you have your daddy's blue eyes?
Will you have my hair so brown?
Will you sing just like the nightingale?
Will you travel the world 'round?

So many things I ponder
As you grow inside my womb.
This time is full of wonder
As we wait for you to bloom.

No matter what you look like
No matter what you do
Your Father in heaven will love you
Even more than daddy and I do.

You will always be enough.
You will always have His love.
You will always have His angels
Guarding you from above.

And now this name we give to you
Our tiny precious flower.
We love you so, our darling girl
Our Violet Cecilia.

Now that you all know the name I will explain why we chose it. Her full name will be Violet Cecilia Sumire Craft.
Violet was my dear sweet Great Grandmother's name. She was a very special woman in my life. We used to go visit her and Grandpa in Missouri in summer time. She was an amazing woman. Full of love for her family and the Lord. I can still see her in her kitchen and I can smell her delicious cooking. I remember when she would get upset about something and I can still see her wiping tears from her sweet eyes and saying "Mercy, mercy." My sweet Grandma Sweet. 

Cecilia was the middle name of Gabe's dear Grandma Craft. Joyce Cecilia Craft. She was also an amazing woman. I never had the pleasure of meeting her in this life. But I have heard so many wonderful stories about her. Gabe often tells me how fondly he remembers her reading Peter Cotton Tail to him and Jesse and how she would read it with all kinds of voices for the characters. Her love of the Lord is evident in the lives of her children and grandchildren. She was an incredible artist and beautiful person. She loved her family so dearly.

Another reason behind the name Cecilia is that St. Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians. When I was a little girl I always used to dress up like St. Cecilia on All Saints Day. She was always my favorite saint. I would dress up in a pink sheet with a hole cut out for my head and carried a harp made of cardboard. I loved it.

Sumire　すみれ, pronounced "sue-me-ray", is her Japanese name. It means violet (the flower) in Japanese. We decided to use hiragana instead of kanji for her Japanese name. Our dear お父さんand
お母さん, Reverend and Mrs. Yoshida, helped us to make the decision on her Japanese name. We decided that hiragana had a softer image and feeling. Also it would be easier for her and us to write.

So that's the story behind our little Sweet Pea, our precious little flower's name. We can't wait to meet her. In fact the contractions are coming more frequently these days...we are praying she will join us soon. Please keep us in your prayers as we prepare for this life changing experience. We love you all!