Thriving

Cora Elise.

Cora is my grandma's name. I'll never forget the way her eyes lit up when I told her it was going to be my daughter's name too. My eyes lit up a moment later when I found out that my grandma's grandma was Cora too. There's something extra neat that it's all down the maternal line. Cora is named after her mom's mom's mom who is named after her mom's mom.

Elise means "God is bountiful." A year and a half ago, He gave us the awesome gift of a child - something we've done nothing to deserve - a spectacular show of His grace. Then, He turned around and gave us another one! Yes, God gives generously.

Since Cora was born, the temperature outside has steadily risen from the 90s, to the 100s, and right now the internet tells me it's 106 degrees out. Even in the evening when I step outside the house, the heat is almost palpable, like a thick blanket that I can touch and taste and see. Before Cora was born, based off of how difficult the first two weeks were with Grace, I spent many hours worrying about the pain of childbirth and surviving the first couple of weeks. I've been shocked by how smooth and joyful everything has been. We are not just surviving. We are thriving. Like the heat rising day by day, my sense of God's grace and peace surrounding our family and household grows until it is almost palpable. I can almost taste and see that He is good.