When I was younger I had always had several names that I thought I would name my kids someday.  I had favorite shows growing up, and thought they would be great names for my kids, reflect the character or some trait of the person I liked.  My first son was born, and I named him Jonathan, after the Walton's John-Boy.  He had a good heart to take care of those around him.  My next child born was Elizabeth, which was the youngest daughter on the same show.  Witty, smart, and beautiful with a great heart.  The next daughter born was Katheryn.  This was a show I watched later in life "Beauty and the  Beast".  She was able to see past the ugliness of the beast and love him anyway.  A great loving heart.  Then another daughter was born, Rebecca after a show also watched later in life, "Life Goes On".  She was also very witty and had a heart to take care of and defend her brother who had a disability. 

​

All my children's names were derived from TV at this point, from great heart, moral characters.  I still had one name left in my mind, Joseph after Little Jo, "Bonanza"  and Little House on the Prairie show.  Me and my wife started going to church, got saved, and were waiting to be baptized when we found out she was pregnant.  Unfortunately, we had a miscarriage and this child is now in heaven.   In my mind, this was Joseph, but we didn't know if it was a boy or girl.  This was a very difficult challenge for us to get through, but God bought us through it.  Thinking this was all we were going to have, life went on.  Then we went to visit our newest grandchild, just born in Tennessee.  I could see it in my wife's eyes, and in her heart while she was holding her grandson.  I knew right then, we would have another child. 

​

We found out in a few more months that my wife was expecting another child.  This was the first time we elected to not know the gender of the baby.  As far as naming the baby, we struck a deal, if it was a boy I would name him, if it was a girl all the girls in the house would pick a name.  The baby was turned wrong, so we knew it was going to be a C-Section.  The night before our appointment, I had a name picked in my heart, Joseph my Little Jo.  I asked the girls what name they had picked.  They said it was from the Bible, a woman who had a servant's heart and passion for Christ; Joanna.  For a middle name, it would be after Mary, a slight change to Marie.  When they told me I immediately thought God has a sense of humor, he was going to give me my Little Jo after all, but as a girl.

​

Thank you, Lord for the blessing in my life.