Here are my four beautiful children all surrounding me. 
I didn't think that anyone would catch on to the little game I started playing with the names of my children. Then this week my visiting teacher (who has not read the Harry Potter books) guessed what I was doing. The official party line is that all my children were named with nature names all plants or animals. But unofficially all the names have secret Harry Potter connotations. Can you figure them out? Here they are:
Willow Ann
Poppy Jeanne
Phoenix Jay
Lily Catherine
PS
The middle names are all family names. They are all names that belong to an honored family member or members. Ann is for Dave's grandma who doesn't have a middle name so somewhere along the way started calling herself Edith Ann. We love the sparkly way Grandma Snow lights up a room and wished that for Willow. Poppy's middle name, Jeanne, is for two beloved people in our lives. Gloria, Dave's aunt who passed away while I was pregnant with Poppy and my mother (Margene) the glue that holds the Taylor family together. We opted to spell it like Gloria's middle name because Gene from my mothers name is the masculine way to spell it. Phoenix's middle name comes from Dave's family his grandfather and all his brothers have Jay as either a first or middle name. Dave has always felt a little jipped because his middle name was Justin instead of Jay so we gave our son the Snow middle name. It also sounds darling with his first name! And of course, Lily she is named for my sister Catherine who is tender hearted and makes the Taylor family a little softer, a little kinder, and a little more Christ-like. What better legacy could I hope for my littlest child.
I am really not fond of overly mushy blogs, but I am less than a week post partum and have a reasonably good hormone excuse...
I am so thankful for the 4 beautiful little spirits I have been entrusted with. I may not have all the blessings that I think others have but I certainly have the ones that matter most! Children are the greatest gift we could have in this life or any life. I take back all the curses I put on your name Grant Jensen and thank you for inspiring me to have Lily through your life of service to your children. I guess you knew that when your two were up there conspiring a way to get her down here. I am thankful for my husband who endulges my moods, and stays up with the baby so I can SLEEP.
