Naming Our First Child

What is in a name?

In some cultures, everything. To the ancient Jews a name wasn't just what someone called you but it signifies who you are. So we thought long and hard before naming our first boy a few weeks ago. So I know what you are thinking- are you expecting or did you adopt someone?!

Let me start from the beginning...

We had an amazing priviledge to join the foster home's formula project in which they provide health and growth evaluations to government orphanages around the country. For children who are not growing we brought baby formula(non melamine) and cereal which is too expensive for them to buy.
This cute little girl is one of several children we saw. She was blue from lack of oxygen due to a severe congential heart defect. Please keep her in your thoughts that she survives through the cold winter and gets the surgery she needs. Families in many villages usually don't have any central heating during the winter. The children are bundled up at all times in order to keep warm like the picture below.

In addition to the formula project, many orphans are transferred to the foster home we work at so that they can get much needed surgeries at our hospitals. Many orphanages don't have adequate surrounding medical facilities or finances to perform these surgeries. So during this trip we got to bring back a little boy for his surgery and be "mom and dad" for a day.

Like all "new parents" we took hundreds of pictures. Here are some of his first:

First balloon animal.

First fast food bite.

First plane ride.

In addition, our orphanage gave us the honor of giving him an english name. We named him Ethan, which in Hebrew means strong and firm, in hopes that our father will be his strength and firm foundation throughout his life.