Why the name Echo?

Coming up with a baby's name is always tricky, right? we think of all the ways that the child could be made fun of, if the name will fit the child, how it will look on a resume. it can get pretty frustrating. this name was really no different, and then again, it was really different.

As many of you know, Heath and I had some infertility issues early on. i know, shocking to those who know us now, meeting us only after the births of our three crazy children. but there was a time....oh there was a time, when I thought that we wouldn't be able to have any. I'd begged God to give us children and after three years, when He still had not provided (at least that's how I saw it), I had a knock-down drag out with him. "God, what are you telling me? No biological children? If you want me to adopt, just say so. I will do it, I will, but you have to prepare my heart. I really wanted a Mini-Me." (i'm being honest here). i remember the rain outside and how I felt that my tears were a part of that rain. And then I felt Him. Almost a whisper. I felt as though pregnancy might still be in my future. but I also felt a smile from Him. as if to say, "I'll come back to you later...".

And so we prayed. And prayed. And prayed for children.

Fast forward to the birth of our twins, Reese and Maddox. We'd been blessed right!? Two for the price of one! Over, right? no way. If you give a pig a party....any moms know that book? well, I just wanted more. Fast forward to my pregnancy with Zane. Heath and I had dinner and asked the waiter to take the closed envelope. Inside was the sex of our third child. If it was a girl, bring out creme brulee, if a boy, chocolate cake. neither one of us are huge fans of chocolate cake, we knew it was a girl. reese would have a sister. as the waiter walked off with our fate in his hands, I told heath, "you know, if it's a girl, I think we'll be done. I've always imagined that if I adopted it would be a girl. I don't see myself adopting a boy for some reason." There was a sadness that swept over me, after all, I was pregnant with a girl, right? I'd kinda wanted to adopt.... clearly I was wrong when the waiter set down chocolate cake and high-fived my husband for the bouncing baby boy that he would soon have. WHAT?! A boy? How is this possible. I clearly remember looking out the window and feeling a loss for that daughter that never really existed. How could I have made it up? It was so clear to me. And then, I felt it. That smile. That nudge. That whisper. Why did it feel like an echo of a time before? "I'll come back to you later", It seemed to say. and then came the rejoicing for a boy! maddox would have a brother! It could not have worked out better. if we only knew......it really could not have worked out better.

There are so many more instances much like the ones above, some tiny, some more pronounced, where I felt that God had his hand gently nudging me, preparing me. Getting my head and heart ready for it. Her. Adoption. The echo. it was there. i could feel it. maybe I could even hear it?

I'll speed it up for ya, get to the point, Mistye. After we'd decided to go through with the adoption, turned in our paperwork (a small pile at that point. the paperwork is enough to send someone into orbit.) heath and I were driving home one night, talking about this possible "daughter" out there. We'd requested China, we'd requested special needs, which by the way, was a leap of faith all on its own. but that's another story. we were going through names. some we'd thought of before, some were were throwing out just for laughs. and then Heath said it. Echo. What about Echo. I immediately asked him how he thought of that name and he couldn't answer me. "It had just come to him" he said. How could he have known my feelings of what my journey had been like with God and this adoption story? How could Heath have read my mind? yes. echo. echo. that is her name. God came back to me over and over until I was ready. He had prepared me.

So, here we are. a week away from meeting this little girl. our little girl. our echo. Echo Yu Yi Wilson. no doubt she is a fighter. I can't help but wonder who is more afraid, me or her? who will cry more when we meet? how will we bond? I have a million questions. no answers. this is what we call blind faith, right? I've had a lot of blind faith for a little over a year now. I have to admit. It's turned out really well so far....there might be something to it. and there is that smile. that wink. God just looking down and giving me a nod. So for tonight, like all the other nights. I'll leave the questions and answers to Him. I'll just keep walking in this faith. Echo, get ready girl, we are about to come sweep you off your feet. And I have a feeling, we are going to be head over heals for you too.