Mount MORIAH...

People are curious about Moriah's name.  Some of the curiosity is typical to any name...why did you choose that name?  Is it a family name?  What does it mean?  And, for those who are observant and notice the spelling is different than like "Mariah Carey's name," they ask, "Oh, so why is it spelled that way?  What does it mean?  


Well, there is actually a lot of debate over what "Moriah" means.  Just check any baby website and you will get several different meanings.  


So, my answer when people ask me is not the "traditional babynames.com" answer.  I tell people what was on our hearts when we came up with the name "Moriah."


Note of caution:  This is a "heavy" post...very long, very transparent...


Genesis 22 (2, 12-14):  Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah.  Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”  (v.12):  “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”  Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.  So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”


Most of you who know me well know that we were finished having children after Reese.  We were so finished that we had permanent measures taken place to ensure our family of four.  So, you can imagine our surprise when we found out we were pregnant. I will leave it at that...we were shocked, amazed, surprised, confused...


Then it was a girl...

We were shocked, amazed, surprised, confused.  


And, I was reminded about Genesis 22.  God told Abraham to sacrifice his only son on Mount Moriah.  


Would Abraham do it?  
Would he be faithful to God, even though this was an outlandish request?  Would he obey the one, and true God?  
Would he trust that the God of hosts would know what was best for him...what was best for his son?  
Would he cling to his son and reject God...or would he realize that God's unfailing love for him was more important than any of his own desires...his dreams for himself...his own pleasures? 

Well, Abraham obeys...he gets Isaac ready to be sacrificed...and God tells him to stop.  Abraham demonstrated his fear of the Lord by obeying.  And God provides.  God provides in that moment and then promises to provide for years and generations to come.

So, having a third child was not our plan.  But God provided this amazing baby girl. 

Day 1 

Day 3 

Day 4 

My fluid was fine all throughout the pregnancy, until 35 weeks...they were concerned...I was put on "limited activity" and told to come back in a few days for a non-stress test.  Baby Girl fell on the cord during the NST (twice, actually), she recovered, but my superstar OB, who is also chief of the OB department at Baptist, sent me over to the hospital for more tests.  At the last possible moment, baby girl didn't pass the contractions test.  They weren't sure if she was going to hold up under the stress of labor and contractions.  So, it was time to induce labor. 

I was 35 weeks, 6 days.  They said that she was small...but looked healthy.  We needed to induce now because if they sent me home and she fell on the cord again...she might not recover in the womb.  And, even though I had two previous successful inductions, I might need a C-section if pushing was too much for baby girl.  

I wasn't prepared to give birth that day.  I came to my appointment with a wallet , my keys, and a cell phone.  I didn't have a bag packed.  I only had one preemie outfit.  I didn't say a proper goodbye to my boys (I was only planning to be away from them for at most 90 minutes).  I hadn't gotten my pre-labor pedicure that a friend bought for me.  I hadn't eaten for a really long time.  I didn't have the picture of my dad that I've had at every labor.  I wasn't ready for this, Lord.  Please, God...I can't have a baby today.

Well, God provided.  

God provided a faithful, loving, and hard-working husband, who ran home, packed everything that I needed (including the picture of my dad and the boys).  God provided. "Mount Moriah" 

Eli...he is so happy...what a gift to be his wife.

God provided an OB, who is probably one of the most brilliant women I've ever known, who also just happens to be the Chief of the OB Department at the hospital in Nashville that delivers the most babies in the city.  The staff at that hospital respond to her in a way that I have never seen before.  She canceled her dinner party, and said, I'll be here to deliver your baby (Yes, I owe her one), and she just happened to be on vacation the following week...so if I wanted her to deliver baby girl...it had to be on Friday.  God provided.  "Mount Moriah" 

My OB.  She really is as fabulous as they come.  Love this woman! 

God provided my mom.  Wow.  All I'm gonna say is that I don't give her enough credit.  She made herself available when I was on "limited activity" by taking care of me and the boys while Eli was at work and now she was taking care of my angels while I was in labor.  They love being over there.  They were safe.  They were having fun.  God provided.  "Mount Moriah"

God provided a whole host of people who cooked, loved on me, let me vent, prayed with me while I was in labor through text messages...he provided my friends, for which I am eternally grateful. "Mount Moriah"

Moriah Grace was born...I pushed for about 8 minutes...I had the hardest time holding back tears.  She was tiny, but my breath was taken away by her beauty.  She was perfect.  Her APGAR score was good...her temperature was low...but she wouldn't have to go in the NICU.  God provided.  "Mount Moriah" 

E loves to pose with MG

Reese is still figuring her out.

We were discharged, but when we saw our pediatrician the next day, she sent us to the ER because they were worried about her body temperature and her jaundice.  I called Eli..."we need to go to Vanderbilt's Children's Hospital for Moriah Grace..."  I was calm.  I was clear.  Eli was shocked at my disposition.  He said, "You seem ok with this.  What are you thinking?"  

"She has never been mine, " I said.  "From before she was born, God had a plan for her that I did not have.  God has taken care of her and provided for her in a way that I never would have...I have to let go and trust." 

We just happen to live in a city with one of the best children's hospitals in the country.  And, my sister just happens to work there and knows every nurse/doctor/and social worker in the building (I know this because they all visited me while we were in the hospital.)  God will provide...Mount Moriah. 

I have no idea what color her eyes are...

But we think they will be brown like the boys.

I held it together while Eli went to check on the boys.  My pastor visited the hospital, I fell apart and cried.  I have had to surrender many things in my life to the Lord...everyday...but my child...her health...her life...really, God...I don't have any control over that?  

No, I don't.  God will provide.  He takes care of His children.  He hides them in the shadow of His wings.  My responsibility is to trust and obey a faithful, loving, sovereign God...

Giving her brothers a pound (7 days old)

Miss Moriah Grace is doing well.  She's a fighter, so she fits into our family quite nicely.  And now our family is complete.  She constantly reminds me in a way that I never imagined that God will provide.  This experience...this child...began revealing God's presence and provision to me before she was even born.  

3 weeks old

Take a deep breath, Carmen...know that God will provide.  "Mount Moriah"