In the nine weeks between our miscarriage and getting another positive test there were countless prayers, and not just over a baby. Joel was at the point where he had about a year left in his contract, so he had a choice to make as to if he would reenlist for a few more years and try to PCS to Ft.Stewart or if he would get out for us to move back home. As we prayed for clarity in which direction to go, it was abundantly clear that either way would be going home to Georgia, but that staying in the army at Ft.Stewart would provide a little bit of stability when he transitions out and back near our family. We had this time of Jubilee where we would be returning home at the end of 2016. We were so excited to be moving closer to family, near one of our favorite cities (Savannah), and also having a short drive to the beach!
We were also deeply praying over a baby. There were times where we would pray together before bed, Joel would roll over and fall fast asleep, and I would lie there continuing to pray for a little one. It was in those moments that God worked. There were two nights that I had vivid dreams of a bald baby girl. I was on the phone with my mom one day telling her about the dreams while I was out shopping, and she begins to tell me that my dad felt the Holy Spirit telling him our next baby would be a girl. At the time, I didn't know what to make of it all. It was this overwhelming moment of knowing a baby was coming, but not knowing God's timing of when. A few weeks later, in my routine of praying as Joel slept, a piece of a chorus to a song I grew up hearing in church was laid on my heart.
Lift your voice, it's the Year of Jubilee.
This sweet little phrase rang through my head and has stayed on my heart. I could not for the life of me think of the name of the song though until one day it hit me: Days of Elijah. As December rolled around and we got a positive test, I knew without a doubt this baby was a girl. I told Joel and my mom her name would be Jubilee. My mom of course loved it, but Joel thought it would be better suited for a middle name. Plus, he thought the baby would be a boy. As I searched and looked for boy names, nothing really sounded good. I definitely had a girl's middle name and a few ideas for first names but could not for the life of me settle on any boys names, I had it set in my heart that this baby was a girl. Flipping through the baby name book, I ran across the name Emerson and fell in love. I thought it was a perfect name for a little girl, especially after reading the inherent meaning, "victorious," and the Scripture with it Psalm 20:5. The other plus was that it isn't common, and that it also reminds me of Ralph Waldo Emerson, who is one of my favorite writers. I've seen so many different spellings of it, however we finally settled on Emersyn, because it ends -yn like my name. :)
The year of Jubilee in Biblical times was every 50th year. It was a year of returning home, a year of joy, year that is holy, and a year of celebrating what God had done. Our baby is due almost exactly year after we had our positive test with Levi. When she arrives this year will have come full-circle from the hurt we felt five months ago. In January, my mom sent me further confirmation that Jubilee is this little girl's name. Whole Magazine sends her alerts each morning, and she contributed an article to them a few months back. Well the alert for January 1st declares 2016 the year of Jubilee, "a time of freedom and of celebration when you receive back what was yours. A year to declare liberty and restoration in your life". Sweet little girl, our Emersyn Jubilee, you have already brought so much joy to our lives and we are so anxious for your arrival.
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