Isaac Buche

A name.  We gave names for the twins much thought over the whole time we waited for them.  Should we give them a new name, or should we keep their names just as they were given to them in Ethiopia.  I read lots of others' opinions on this subject, thought lots about it and prayed lots about it.  Although I think there is much wisdom in other peoples thoughts on this subject, I do not believe there is a right or wrong answer to the topic.  Everyone's situation is different.

Some of the thoughts that I had went like this...  The ONLY thing that my sweet boys will be able to keep from their county is their name.  It just didn't seem fair take them out of their country away from everything familiar and then tell them that their name is no longer what they have known it to be all of their life.  BUT, thinking ahead down the road, if God has us in the city that we live in right now still ... well, it is just not very culturally diverse.  As sad as that is to me, it is reality right now.  So, as the boys grow up I thought they might want the option to have a name that "fit in" better for a lack of better words.  

What to do...

I had a line of up names that I loved!  But, I felt very strongly that if we were to give them a new name that Ryan should pick them.  And he did ... He chose Buche to have the first name Isaac and Burka to have the first name Isaiah - at the last minute as we leaving Ethiopia with them (which drove many of our family members crazy that he was so last minute about it).  So, Isaac Buche and Isaiah Burka it is.

At first when we got home, we didn't even call them Isaac or Isaiah.  They had always been Burka and Buche ... not only to them, but to us too.  That is just who they are.  As time has gone by, we have started to call them by both names.   They answer to either but they still always call each other by their Ethiopian names only.  I am so okay with that - honestly, I hope they never make the switch when they are talking to each other.  It is sweet.  I'm sure our family will always use their Ethiopian names interchangeably with the names we have given them.  As they get older, we will let them decide what they want to be called. I'm at peace with that.

But, here's the neat thing that is happening with their names.

Our sweet Isaac Buche is a giggler.  He laughs all the time.  He laughs if he is having a blast, he laughs when he is nervous and he laughs when he is getting into mischief. After I have had to talk to him about something like ... say hitting his brother -I first have him tell Burka "I'm sorry".  He then gives him a hug and ...you got it ... he laughs.  He laughs when he wakes up and last night as I sat up with him from midnight til 3 am he had many laughs for me.  Oy!  So, guess what we've learned the name Isaac means.  It is a Hebrew name that means ... LAUGHTER.  So fitting for my sweet little giggler.  Brings me such peace.  

I praise God for knitting my children together from the very beginning and caring about each detail of their lives! His works are so wonderful - I know that full well!