Faith, Hope and Joy

I started this blog, "Holding onto Hope", when I was in such a dark place - unsure of the future, unsure as to whether we'd be bringing a baby home from the hospital. When Maddy was born, we were still "holding onto hope" as we learned how diastrophic dysplasia would affect our lives. As Maddy has grown and blossomed into an amazing three year old who already has exceeded the doctor's expectations, we are no longer in that dark place any more. "Hope" isn't something that we have to search for and cling to so strongly any more. Hope is all around us. 

When Lana, my oldest, was born, we decided we'd give our kids first names that we liked, and "sentimental" middle names. We were tossing up between passing on "Joy" (my middle name), or "Anne" (my mother is Dianne and Bernard's grandmother is Anna). We chose "Joy" mainly because it sounded better with "Lana". 

We had planned to continue this with Maddy, using family names, but through the trauma of the pregnancy, "hope" was something that was so important to us. It was only natural that she would become "Madeline Hope" - breaking our tradition, but yet starting a different one.

With Briella, "Faith" was the most natural choice. In fact we chose it before we were even pregnant with her. The bible says that "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen" (Hebrews 11:1) and this suits our experience with Briella so much. Our hope with Maddy was so vulnerable - the odds seemed against us all the way. With Briella, our faith is confident - we have walked this road before and know that it goes somewhere good! 

For a while now, I've felt that the title "Holding onto Hope" didn't really fit where we are at this stage of our lives, however I haven't been blogging as much and haven't been bothered to change it. And then there was the question of what to change it to? 

"Faith, Hope and Joy" reflects our family so much better, where we are at today. We aren't in that dark place any more. We are in a place of joy and confidence in the future. We still have concerns and worries, but far less than three or four years ago. I still plan to use this web address rather than moving the entire blog over to a new address, and I'll continue to post both medical updates for Madeline and Briella, and about how dwarfism affects our lives.

So welcome to "Faith, Hope and Joy"!!