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Jedidiah John Phillips

Born on December 9, 2014, at 4:29pm weighing 6lb 5oz and 20in long. By far, he was my most physically and emotionally challenging birth. But, also, probably the most instantaneously bonded with any of my children thus far. 

I've saved writing a post about the meaning and history of his name until after he was born. Now he's here and it's time to share! 

Back in our engaged days, John and I  were sitting in one of our favorite places to eat in Orlando, Tijuana Flats, mmmm. We started playing the "what will we name our future kids" game. After going through family trees and laughing our way through a variety of names, we decided that our future held an Ella, Warner and Jedidiah.

Time passed. We got married. We got pregnant. Wondered "is this an Ella or a Warner?" Then, lost our sweet first baby. Five years later and we still toss around name ideas for that first baby having never known the gender. But, a few months later, we got pregnant with our Ella Gisela. Named after our strong grandmothers and she lived up to those names from the moment she joined our family!

Just nine months into Ella's life, found out Charlotte was on the way. Another girl! What will we name her? After lots of tossing around, we decided to name her after Charlotte "Lottie" Moon. Turns out, our Charlotte has no fear, much like her namesake. 

Just ten months into Charlotte's life, we found out Warner was on the way. Our first boy! He was worth every moment in bedrest, every doctors appointment, every ER visit, every hemorrhage, and every contraction that brought him here. His original name was to be John Warner Phillips, Jr. But, just a few days before his birth, discovered that Josiah meant "God has healed". I burst into tears and we ended up changing his name right as he was born. 

The morning after Warner was born and I woke up in the room I delivered our firstborn son in, I looked around and realized it wasn't a bad dream. Our son's life took place in this room and there was no going back. We had our hour and now he was with the Lord. I grabbed my Bible on my phone and begged God that I needed something. 

Immediately, He brought David to mind. David and Bathsheba lost their son. I needed to go there right away! So, I read 2 Samuel 12. Oh my word, Jedidiah. After they lost their firstborn son, time passed and God gave them another son to be named Jedidiah {Solomon}. Right there in that hospital room, I prayed that one day God would give us our Jedidiah. Even though I wasn't ready for him yet, but that one day, God would provide him. 

Just over a year after Warner's birth, we discovered Jedidiah was on the way. He wasn't "planned" (such a silly concept to me, like we can plan anything!) and I wondered if this baby was our Jedidiah. We found out another boy was on the way. And, God gave us our "beloved of the Lord". 

I still can't believe how God already knew the makeup of our family back when John and I were just engaged dreaming of the future. He knew Warner's story and how our Jedidiah would be a gift of life to our family after a deeply sad (almost) two years. We didn't even know the significance of the name Jedidiah when we picked it all those years ago, but God knew. We didn't know we would have two brothers that share an immeasurable bond despite being currently parted by death. 

There have been tears these last three weeks and there have been moments of deep joy. God has gone before us in ways we could've never planned out. He is faithful and we're thankful!