Meet Darcy Abigail

Abundant. If I had to describe the experience of Darcy’s birth and the days leading up to it with one word, that's it -- abundant. Though our third child, Darcy came into the world as if to say, “I will make my entrance in my own way, thank you very much.” Fashionably late. Some have suggested that she must be our “rebellious one.” We like to think of her as laid back. Regardless, so much of this pregnancy was totally new to us.

While I’ve never been one to just luuuv being pregnant, I’ve never felt so physically uncomfortable for so long in my life. Also, we’ve never put a baby’s birth on our schedule. They always just showed up. So, because many of you knew I’ve felt bad and you also knew to expect a baby from us around March 16, we’ve been showered with texts, inquiries, and prayers.

Abundant.

And your prayers and support have covered these past four weeks with a special outpouring of the Spirit of Christ. For example: What we thought was a week or so early, Kendall and I finally decided on a name. This process needed a special out-pouring of the Holy Spirit. In the past, we’ve focused on family names, but we couldn’t agree on one for this little lady. So we started taking more seriously some counsel given us long ago to consider carefully the meaning of a child’s name.

Early on, we both liked the name Darcy, but we weren’t crazy about the Irish meaning – “dark one.” Then we decided that definition would be appropriate if we happened to see a few more Puerto Rican features in this Castello baby that is, after all, also half-Rodriguez. At some point, we discovered the French meaning of the name Darcy – that is, “Fortress.” What a strong meaning for a tiny girl! The name was growing on us. But we still wanted another defining characteristic – that is, joy. She would not be a formidable fortress, but a fortress of light. In seeking that complementary meaning, we happened upon the name Abigail, which means “joy of her father.” We decided to sit with it until she arrived, but by the time she came, her name was all but official. Darcy Abigail, as we understand it, means “Fortress of her Father’s joy.” Her heavenly Father, that is.

Abundant.

In addition, despite my discomfort and weariness with pregnancy, I finished the girls’ room. Now, many of you might be saying, “What’s the big deal about that? New baby = new space for baby that must be finished before baby arrives.” Well, let’s just say that domestic life doesn’t work that way for me. In fact, I can’t think of a time when any form of housework has felt "complete." But because the girls’ room was done a couple of weeks before the due date, I read a novel and started two other books. I took my kids to the zoo, a place they haven’t been since 2010. I finished my thank-you notes, or as Kendall says, my thank you-novels, which I sometimes send late because of the aforementioned reason. I swept and mopped my floors twice in two weeks, something that usually occurs more on a monthly basis. I stocked my cupboards one more time – again. And after my mom came into town, which turned out to be 13 days early, I had the freedom to share a few meals with my husband alone, to enjoy some friends and family I rarely see, to see the doctor and run errands freely, to rest and retreat when I needed a second wind, and to finish a painting for the kids’ bathroom. I even watched an episode of Rachael Ray. I mean, daytime TV, people! At times, I actually wasn’t sure how to spend all my free time.

Abundant.

As it turned out, as soon as we got her scheduled for delivery, Darcy was more than happy to join us. We started the process around 10 p.m. Monday, and she arrived four-and-a-half hours later with very little drama. Though we love to share our exciting labor and delivery stories, what we all really want is an uneventful account, right?

Once again, abundant.

So thank you. Your prayers truly held me up. In the anxious moments of waiting, I sought the Lord and He helped me. He moved me out of myself once again – towards others, towards Him.