A Double Rainbow

Three years ago yesterday we announced we were expecting Sloan. A year ago at this time I was 8 months pregnant with our rainbow babe Phoenix. Today, we are announcing another little rainbow miracle joining us this winter!

I grew up hearing James Taylor songs on my parents stereo, and I’d always latched on to one song in particular, “Fire and Rain”. It has its own meanings for its author, but for me it signifies both the depths of struggle, and the beauty of happiness. Our story is fire and rain. A Phoenix sets itself on fire so that it can rebirth from the ashes.

Phoenix Iris. Our headstrong, feisty daughter, who rose from the ashes of loss and stoked the fires of joy again. Her middle name, Iris, is the goddess of the rainbow. She herself a rainbow, ushered in another, baby Valor James or Valorie James. The name James means “to follow”, chosen by us because of that song, because of their brother, and because no rainbow can come without following rain.