Meet Brooklyn Hope

Today we had our fetal echocardiogram and -- praise God! -- our baby’s heart looks healthy. The doctors weren’t really worried there was anything wrong, but any time they discover abnormalities, they usually check out the heart just to make sure there are no other issues. Up until this morning, I wasn’t worried either, but as our appointment time got closer, I admit, I was scared.

We went to the same place I had my ultrasound, so needless to say, the feelings were welling up and my heart was heavy. My mom was there for comfort, and she kept me strong. But as I sat down on the same table in the same room we originally got the news, it took everything in me to keep it together. Thankfully, our ultrasound technician was extremely kind and was happy to chat, which kept my mind at ease.

Although a pediatric cardiologist still has to review the ultrasound tape to confirm that all is well, the technician said our baby’s heart looked “perfect.” Thank you, thank you, thank you, God.

As if that wasn’t enough, our technician also gave us a few more praises: She confirmed that we are indeed having a girl, and she gave us more than a few photos of our little sweetheart.

God is so awesome. This was supposed to only be an ultrasound of my baby’s heart, but by the grace of this technician, I got to see her precious face, her active hands, and even those tiny little toes. She waved to me, and at one point, gave us a thumbs up as if to say, “No worries, Mom, I am okay.” I can’t describe the joy my heart felt in that moment. Another image imprinted in my heart forever.

Also, now that we know for sure that our baby is a girl, I want you all to know that her name is Brooklyn Hope. Or, as her Daddy already calls her, “Brooke.”

When we first found out we were pregnant, Jeff and I quickly decided on names, and it was always going to be Brooklyn for a girl. But I admit, the night we found out she had Spina Bifida, I was tempted to change it. The next day, however, we decided her name needed to stay exactly the same because she was the same baby God had put in our life just 3 months before. He created her and has known her all along, and we wanted to honor that with the name our hearts chose in the beginning. She is our baby no matter what the details are, and we love her just the same.

Her middle name, however, did change. Originally it was going to be Marie, which is my middle name and my Great Grandma’s name. But we knew we wanted to also honor God and the impact Brooklyn was having on all of us, and “hope” just seemed to fit in so many ways.

“And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.”
Romans 5: 2b

While we certainly hope for our baby’s healing, more importantly, we have learned that God provides hope, comfort, and strength even in the darkest of days. Hope in Him gives us perspective, peace, perseverance, and even praise when challenges take us to places we never thought we’d be.

He is the light in our sorrow. A light that is so brilliantly shining through our little girl, that even she knows, it is all going to be okay.