Why Elise Rebecca?

I've been wanting to write a post about Elise's name for a while.  Even before three kids that proved difficult.  How am I finding time to now???  I'm at my mom's!

Naming this sweet little one was going to be tough as names are a big deal to me.  I love my boys' names.  I never set out to name them the way I did, they just sort of fell into place.  (Read here to see why their names mean what they do to me http://watsonwarriors.blogspot.com/2009/04/caleb-burton-watson-is-here.html).  So girl or boy, this name had to mean something as well. 

Elise!
With this pregnancy I wouldn't really allow myself to think of names.  I didn't want to think of a boys name, and I wouldn't let myself think of a girls.  The one thing I knew, however, is that my husband and I really liked the name "Elle" as a special pet/nick name that only we would call her.  There is a reason, but that is another story.  So one day I randomly looked at "El-" names and came across the name "Elise." I really liked it, but it wasn't until I saw what it meant that I fell in love with it.  Different translations have it as "God's promise, God's covenant, consecrated to God."  It was perfect.  She wasn't God's promise to us that we were going to finally have our little girl.  More....she was Josh and I's promise to God....to love her, to love each other, to promise that we are "in" this marriage through all its ups and downs.  It's no surprise to anyone that we hit those "bumps" in the road as a couple. But we moved forward, we kept fighting, and kept loving.  From the very beginning of the pregnancy this child felt like such a precious gift from God.....one we didn't want to take for granted, a blessing we in no way wanted to minimize.  Elise - "Consecrated to God" - set apart for God's purpose. 

Grace upon grace!!! 

Rebecca!
My grandmother's name is Rebecca Ellis. My mother's name is Rebecca Dawn.  I am Laura Rebecca.  So.....could there be any other name but Elise Rebecca!  And for only those few privilidged who would understand this.....her (lots and lots of Great) Grandmother's English name became Rebecca when it was changed from Pocahontas! =)