“Seven” was a surprise… and as unexpected as the pregnancy, so was the timing of birth and delivery. I was certain that Seven would arrive early and fought against discouragement and discontent as the due date approached… and then passed. For a time I became that crazed prego lady who tried every Internet suggestion… raspberry leaf tea, jumping jacks, squats, spicy food, pineapples, acupressure, sex, dancing and even my legendary running man. No dice, and life was on hold. I didn’t travel too far from home or let the kids go anywhere… just in case.
I was expecting the event to be over and done with in a couple of short hours, but this time I labored through the night… and it was such a beautiful and peaceful experience. There was laughing and reminiscing over birth stories, Stephen and I spent some time walking together outside, the gals spent time reading Psalms and praying over us and I couldn’t have imagined it going any better.
At some point I began to transition and the contractions got pretty intense so we moved the party to our bedroom and at about 7:00 AM it was time to push…
I was hoping to find a name that would represent peace but wasnt crazy about Shalom etc. I love the name Olive and it’s meaning but we know a couple of Olive’s and I just couldn’t settle on it. As I searched through the spreadsheet of 500 plus five letter names that Stephen put together for me I came across Livvy, which comes from Oliver and also means olive tree; which is a symbol of peace.
Zayin is the Hebrew number 7 and the seventh letter in the Hebrew alphabet. One of our friends texted us the name after “Seven” was born and the more we thought about it, the more we liked it. Biblically, the number seven symbolizes peace, rest and blessing. And, as a friend pointed out, you can find Zayin in Psalm 119. Verses 49 through 56 are dedicated to Zayin.
Later in the eve of Livvy’s birth our small group came over for dinner and to spend time with us praying over our new daughter. It was such a blessing to me to have been able to birth at home and to be surrounded by so many folks welcoming this precious addition with us. We have loved all of our visitors, appreciated the help with the kiddos and been especially grateful for the food and meals. I probably need to be resting a little more than I have been… as my mom pointed out, “I’m no Spring chicken anymore” and my aging body has definitely let me know that I’ve overdone it a few times. Overall though, recovery is going well, the kids adore their new sister and we are thankful for the abundance of blessings that God has showered on us.
So beautiful! Everything – baby girl, her name, birth story and pictures! I love how God shines through your family. Congratulations!
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