WHOLEHEARTED | STABLE GILES + WILLIAM PORT

One thing I didn't realize I'd feel so intensely is how beautiful it is to know your family is complete.  Just like that, eight weeks have flown by and these two baby boys have changed our world and stolen our hearts in every way.  I can't believe it's taken me this long to write this post, but truthfully, we've been so content with falling off the map a little more this time around.  Now that we have a two year old, we know how fleeting this season is and along with navigating the new, we've been so intentional to soak up every second.For starters, I want to share a little about their names and how we landed on Stable and Port.  Some of you may remember this post when I shared Linen's name and how I came up with it.  Well, within that same weekend in one of our favorite places, Palmetto Bluff, John and I snuck away from our friends and drove up to the horse stable within the property.  We were 20 weeks pregnant with Linen at the time and just wanted a little time together doing something we love.  We were standing in an open field, horses all around us, and J said the sweetest prayer over my belly as we thanked the Lord for her life, even then.  Of course, at the time, we were just so overjoyed to finally be pregnant and a second (and especially a third) child wasn't on our minds at all.  We stood there, letting the fresh air hit our faces, surrounded by so much beauty, immensely happy to be halfway through our pregnancy. While walking back to the golf cart to leave, I said aloud "this horse stable will always make me think of this moment".  Without a second thought and as the word STABLE came out of my mouth, I instantly knew that if the Lord blessed us with another baby (boy or girl) - it would be Stable.  I felt equally as sure about it as I did 'Linen' and to feel such peace about both names within the same weekend just felt so meant to be.  Stable's middle name, Giles, was John's grandfather's name and we both love it so much.  It feels strong and it's so special to our family.  I never had the opportunity to meet him, but he raised one of my favorite people on earth, John's dad, so I know just how amazing he had to be.  Stable Giles -  every time I've said it aloud these last few weeks, it's just felt so perfect.  I hope his name rings true in every season - "not likely to give way, or overturn; firmly fixed" is such a beautiful definition of what we hope and pray for his little life.Fast-forward to December last year as we walked in for that initial ultrasound, only to leave with the surprise that I was growing two baby boys.  Even though I couldn't wrap my mind around it that day, I look back on that moment now and think, gosh - this is what I was made for.  Who I was made for.  It was overwhelming then and it's overwhelming now, but in two completely different ways.  After learning we had to come up with another name to pair with our Stable, we constantly went back and forth, hoping for just as much confidence in our decision for baby number three.  Throughout most of my pregnancy we thought we were set on his name, but two weeks before we delivered, we decided it just didn't feel right.  We veto'd names for the next few days and ultimately decided that we would wait to see his little face before setting anything in stone.  Anyone who knows me, knows that is not my personality AT ALL (I'm usually so decisive), but like this pregnancy as a whole - not planning it sort of felt like following suit.  We went into the hospital on July 13th, calling them baby A and baby B, with three names in our back pocket just waiting to lay our eyes on him.  I came up with 'Port' a couple of weeks before our scheduled delivery date and I instantly had such a peace about it.  J took a little more convincing, but the more we said it aloud, the more I loved it.  Clearly, I love unique names, but I knew it had to have sentiment to feel as special as Linen and Stable. The definition of Port is "a place where ships may ride secure from the storm" and I loved that so much. Similar to a stable for a horse, it's a safe place.  As I consumed my mind with those words for a few days, I paired it with William, John's dad, and using both of the male Runion names just felt so right.  James (Linen's middle name) is my family name, so to honor + pay homage to the Runion side of our family felt equally as sweet. Lastly, and what confirmed the name for us once he was here, John's family migrated to the states from Portiers, France. The American pronunciation of the word sounds like 'Port'-ier and that gave us all the assurance we needed. Between the definition and the meaning behind the word, it instantly felt so perfect and settled the decisiveness I'd been chasing.  We haven't looked back for one second. The best, last minute decision we've ever made!  Our 'Port Baby' as we've been calling him, is so beautifully 'secure' - "fixed so not to give way, become loose, or lost".  His life and his name - so, so meant to be.Eight weeks in, I can't even begin to describe all of the emotions that exist within a single day, but what I know to be true - they're all trampled by thankfulness.  Even when I didn't know we needed them, the Lord did.  Two healthy, beautiful baby boys to complete our family is all I could ever ask for.  I keep going back to the verse "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am with them".  The hard within this season is inevitable, but they're stretching me + growing me into exactly who I'm supposed to be.  Calling me to more and changing me in so many ways, just as Linen did.  Every single day, I find so much peace in knowing that there's no one more meant to be their mother than me - my greatest role yet.  They're both so fearfully and wonderfully made and with every inch of my heart, I'll spend the rest of my life assuring them of that.Stable and Port, you are perfect in every way and it's the joy of my life to call you mine.  Xx.Meg