Friday is this little beauty's birthday. There is so much to celebrate, so many little and so many major things. It's been quite a year.
Through it all, and from the beginning, she has been a fighter and she has been a source of so much joy.
To the subject of the post, though, what's in a name?
From 20 weeks in the pregnancy, we knew of issues. Initially, we only knew of the potential for major brain abnormalities. At the time, signs of spina bifida weren't visible, so initially things seemed rather bleak. It wasn't until 28 weeks we got the conclusive diagnoses.
Sometime around then, or during those 8 weeks, we chose a name that had deep meaning, both literally and in our hope that the meaning would be reflected in her.
Side story of her older sister Maddie first though, because sometimes chosen names don't quite work out. During Maddie's pregnancy, we'd actually settled on the name Liliana Grace. But the moment she popped out, and mainly because of her dark hair, neither of us thought she looked like a Liliana. So the name was no more. Fast forward a handful of years, and it's probably a good thing, because she met a friend (the niece of our oldest daughter's best friend) whose name is...you got it...Liliana Grace.
Anyway, Evanna is the feminine of Evan, which means: young fighter or young warrior. And Joy, of course, doesn't take a dictionary to interpret.
After nearly a year, with 5.5 weeks in NICU, 6 weeks in Iowa for club foot treatment (with pressure sore complications), and 2 weeks in PICU in May (and coming home on a bipap and PulseOx any time she sleeps)...and with all that: 5 neurosurgeries, another surgery to place her g-tube, and a tenotomy, seemingly countless appointments with specialists, therapists, and a trip down to Portland for a second opinion..she has definitely been a fighter and a joy.
