Larra Iris Hailey: God's Protected Promise

If you didn't know, I'm pregnant.

And in case anyone missed my last Facebook post, IT'S A GIRL!!! And her name is Larra Iris Hailey.

As many know I'm all about name meaning. Ellie's full name is Elianna Jane Hailey. God gave me the name "Eliana" when I was 9 weeks pregnant -- before we even knew she was a girl. It's Hebrew, and it means "My God has answered." Jane is her Grammy's middle name as well, but also, Jane is the feminine of John which means "Jehovah is gracious." (Also Hebrew.)

God had indeed been gracious to me that year by answering so many prayers. For seven years I prayed for God to send me someone to love and who would love me, and finally, in January of 2008, along came Robert. We were married six months later, and after only six weeks of marriage we found out we were expecting.

Marriage and motherhood seemed to elude me. Everyone I knew had fallen in love, married, bought houses and had children from toddlers to teenagers, and yet, here I was still lonely and longing. It may have seemed like a late start to most, but God in his due time sent answers to all the prayers I had prayed for so long. All the blessings I had waited so long for were suddenly upon me. So Ellie is appropriately named, "My gracious God has answered."

My Daddy, Larry Joe Luna, the day after Ellie was born.

"Larra" is to honor my Daddy who is passed. With two R's it looks more like "Larry" so I'm hoping folks will pronounce it correctly. So it is NOT pronounced "Laura;" it's like saying "Larry" only replacing the Y sound with an A sound. Also, Larra means "protection." Something I have prayed over my body since the loss of our second child, and especially since finding out about this pregnancy.

"Iris" is for that sweet baby we lost. If any of you read the blog I posted about that, then you might remember that an iris bulb that had been dead for three years finally bloomed that same weekend. (Here is a link to that blog in case you want to catch up ... http://keepingupcarla.blogspot.com/2015/04/hailey-baby-no-2.html).

Iris means "rainbow" and the rainbow was God's sign of His promise and covenant with Noah that He would never again destroy the earth by flood. This baby is God's promise to us; Larra Iris Hailey is God's "protected promise." Since the news of her conception God has been telling me that He will never again let miscarriage visit my body. She will be born healthy and happy, and she will only add health and happiness to our lives. I fully believe that. She is the long awaited promise that Robert, Ellie and I have all needed.

And here's another little nugget of God's gracious goodness ...I lost Hailey Baby No. 2 on April 3, 2015 -- Good Friday and Easter weekend. Larra is due March 26, also Easter weekend. Good Friday 2016 is March 25. On Good Friday of last year I lost a baby, and on Good Friday of this year, it is very likely that I will have a baby! Only God can do that! Robert and I couldn't have made that happen if we tried! Only God can give and take away, or in this case, take away and give.

Job 1:21 says, "Naked I came from my mother's womb and naked shall I return. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD." But what that scripture doesn't say, what the automatic beautiful opposite is, is that "The LORD took away and the LORD has given."

And a further little nugget ... Robert and his mom have always had this thing about the number 328. I guess it's like their lucky number. It was part of their address and phone number growing up, and it has also found its way into other of life's circumstances as I understand it. Robert has the number 328 tattooed on his back. Well, it is also highly likely that Larra could come a few days late on March 28 (328). Also not something we could've planned if we tried. So either way, if she comes a day early or a few days late, she will be an on time blessing that only God can give.

I hope as others read this you will see the sovereign hand of God over our family and our Larra, and that you will be just as blessed as I was at the realization of God's timing.

Genesis 9:8-17 ESV"Then God said to Noah and his sons with him, "Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth." And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth." God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth."

We have seen some dark clouds in recent months, but we have seen the rainbow and we are hanging on to God's promises. If you are in a dark time as well, please remember that

Daddy with my brother, Larry Brandon Luna.

where there are clouds or even rain, there is often a rainbow. In fact, you can't have the rainbow without the clouds! Clouds may be dark, dreary and hard to see through, but remember  that clouds are what make the rainbows all the more beautiful!

Daddy with my niece, Peyton Annabelle Luna