What's In a Name?

It took us months and months to decide on my Lia's name.
We tossed ideas back and forth and shot down more than a few. Ever since that day we chose her name, people have been asking why we chose it and where it came from.

It sounds so much better the way I had written it for her memorial service, so I figured I'd just clear up the curiosity and let you read my thoughts on the matter:

"In the first book of the Christian fantasy series by Jeffery Overstreet, Auralia’s Colors, only the king in this city had color - the rest of the kingdom was in a dark and drab world. Auralia came to the world from somewhere else, no one really knew for sure how or why. She had an incredible gift to be able to draw color out of the most common of things and craft them into amazing surprises for the people around her. Those surprises gave the people of this world something to hope for and healed them of their ailments. As she grew up in this drab place, she changed the course of her world and brought color and light to all who lived there, and when her work was done, the entity that brought her to this place took her back home again, leaving the world to bask in her colors - and no one who came into contact with Auralia would ever be the same again.
As her name was chosen for the effect we had hoped she would have in our lives in the years to come, we have come to realize that in her 23 weeks in our world, she has brought more beauty and color and light to our lives than we ever imagined possible. And when her work here with us was complete, the One who allowed us this time with her took her back home again - leaving no one untouched or unchanged by her influence in our world."

I love my Lia, and I know God chose her name long before we did. It speaks volumes (at least to me) about the impact my little girl had and continues to have in my world.

Now, if only I can as good with the next kid! :)