Written on May 29, 2014: Why it was always Adele

A gorgeous pink bear from Nanci!

Before Sean and I were even married (or maybe even before we were engaged) we decided if one day we have a daughter, her name would be Adele Chaya.

A boy’s name? Never crossed our minds. Not even after we began the adoption process. Not even after we were chosen and told it was a girl but sometimes the doctors are wrong. We never came up with a boy’s name. (We got lucky)

Adele: no, not after the singer. To us, the name is beautiful. It is old-fashioned yet current. It is timeless. It is simple yet fancy. And it rhymes with “my belle.” The A is after Sean’s grandfather Abraham.

Chaya: “Chai” in Hebrew means “life.” There are many variations on Chaya in Hebrew. We liked this one and thought it made perfect sense. We wanted to incorporate our religion, its language and our heritage into our daughter’s name and thought “to life” fit perfectly. Because to us, life means everything. Life IS everything. My name in Hebrew means “to light.” The C/H is after Sean’s grandfather Herman.

As a gift for my wedding, my in-laws Becky and Jeff presented me with a beautiful necklace, which I wear every day and never take off. It is three gemstones placed diagonally and surrounded by a diamond-encrusted tear drop: my birthstone, Sean’s birthstone and a diamond in the middle.

Adele was born in April. April’s birthstone is a diamond.

And now come the tears as I write this: it was always Adele.

G-d always knew.

The necklace, already with my birthstone and Sean’s birthstone, and right there in the middle, a diamond placed ever so beautifully, waiting for Adele to come into our lives. And now I have our family in my necklace.

And some days are harder than others as a new mommy. And I constantly wonder if I’m doing the right thing. But then I remember: all I have to do is love her and the rest will come.

We loved her as soon as we got the call. And the first time we held her in the hospital she melted into our arms.

Those big brown eyes. That black hair that curls up around the ears. My kisses drown in her pillowy cheeks.

 G-d knew we could do this and we would be ready for this. He knows a lot more than we do. He knew about Adele before we did.