Merry Christmas, friends!

We are excited to announce Baby Girl’s name this Christmas week… Elliana Faye Renaud.

After we found out we were pregnant and before we knew baby’s gender, only one name stuck out to me – a name for a girl – Elliana.

I originally started my search looking for a name that could be shortened to Elli because I LOVED Elli. I had a few options (Ellison, Eleanor, Eloise etc) but none of them jumped out to me. Of course, the meaning of the name meant just as much to me if not more than how the name sounded or felt. What sold me on Elliana was the meaning, God has answered.

Finding this name was one of “those” moments for me; a moment I’ll look back on in my life when I was at a crossroads and something foundational shifted. God gave me a whole new perspective on His character I didn’t know I needed.

As many of you know, Matt and I have been married for nearly 12 years now and this is our first kiddo! For years, we felt a “wait” to start having kids…for 11 of those 12 years to be exact. SO many people advised us to start trying sooner than we did. This “wait” finally disappeared in the Spring and when it did, God answered. Within a week we were pregnant.

We have heard the word “wait” from God often in our marriage. Possibly more than any other word.

I think about our business… From the early days of Matt shooting weddings part-time, to when I joined him, to when we both finally became full-time, was a LONG 8 years of waiting. Each morning we wake up thankful to live a life we love. Our business (which is so much more than a “job”!) will always be a miracle and gift to us.

I think about buying our first house… This is the house we’ll bring our Elli Faye home to in February. Buying our home was a long road of waiting. We knew the bank needed to see 2 years of full-time business in order to like these self-employed sweethearts haha. Finding a home we loved and negotiating a contract was the easy part. We entered a 1 year lease-to-own contract (that second year the bank needed) with the intention to buy at the year’s end. The process to follow though was totally unexpected. After an unforeseen roadblock, several closed doors, MIRACLES along the way, and a supportive community, our home finally became ours.

If I’m honest, the word “wait” has been so loud these past 12 years. Not just “wait” but “trust” and “hope” too. Over the years, we have had specific prayers for our marriage, our family, our friends, our church, our future, our own personal growth…prayers that seemingly went unanswered for a long time. We knew that God might not answer in the way or timing we wanted, but we hoped and trusted He would answer someday.

Time stopped in my world when God used my baby girl’s name, Elliana, to turn the tide on my trust. God has answered. After experiencing such a long season of waiting, He showed me that doubt had crept into my trust. It wasn’t a confident trust. God reminded me that He is not the “I was” or the “I will be”. He is the “I am” (Exodus 3:14). No matter what I’m facing, my God has already answered me. He has already spoken my answered prayers into existence even when I don’t see or experience them yet. He has given me Christ and a new life, which is every “answer” I’ll ever need.

Faye means confident trust.

It was not easy choosing a middle name but like Elliana, I hoped it would jump out to me. One night we were tossing around some middle names with good friends and Matt thought of Faye. We all loved it. When I read the meaning, I knew that was it!

With family and friends surrounded at our gender reveal party on October 14th, we found out we were having a girl. I’m not gonna lie, I was hoping for a girl! God had spoken to me so clearly about her name, it was hard to ignore. Just days before the party, I gave one of my close friends, Bekah, the gender result. At the end of the party she confessed she bought pink balloons weeks ago. She knew too.

As we enter parenthood, we will confidently trust and stand on the promise that God has answered us. In the midst of our late (and sleepless) nights coming sooner than later, God has answered us. In our questions, unknowns and hardships as new parents, God has answered us. In our joys and adventures as new parents, God has answered us. As we navigate a growing business as new parents, God has answered us. As we navigate our marriage as new parents, God has answered us. Because He loves us, He has answered us.

What are you praying for this holiday season? What is your long road of “wait”? Maybe you just started walking on this road and feel energized and hopeful still. Or maybe you’ve been walking for so long now that you’re down to a crawl. Maybe doubt is creeping into your trust.

The holiday season holds so much HOPE. Though if hope doesn’t seem like your current reality, the holidays can be painful. Our prayer is that you would stay humble and allow God to surprise you – to reveal a truth about Himself that changes the game for you. A promise that pushes you forward with confident trust. Because He has answered you, too.

 

Our love to all and Merry Christmas!

        Becca, Matt, Elli Faye (and Ramsey)

 

To our Elliana Faye – your life has already made an impact on ours. We love you very much and can’t wait to meet you soon. 

Photo love goes to our dear friend, Conrhod Zonio Photography