The Name…Keren

Posted by Geraldine

It was on the second day in SCBU that we named Keren.

Choosing a name for your baby is (in my opinion) one of the first big decisions you have to make after the birth.

During the pregnancy we had plenty of ideas as to what we would call our third child, and we had narrowed down a few boy’s names that we liked, but up until the night before Keren was born, we hadn’t really any girl’s names chosen.

That Thursday night, Glenn and I were trying to think of some girls names when Glenn mentioned one of Job’s daughters, (Job being the pen-man of the book in the Bible, bearing his name) her name being Keren-happuch. He said we could call her just the first half…Keren! I immediately liked the sound of that, and thought it would be quite appropriate, if we had a girl, as Kezia, our two year old, was also named after one of Job’s daughters.

At this stage we had no idea that our third child would be born the very next day!

After her birth, and us receiving the news that our daughter was seriously ill, and with her transfer to Antrim Area Hospital, Glenn and I didn’t have the opportunity to discuss names any further that day.

Our minister called, along with another friend from church, later that evening after Glenn had left, and we were discussing names. Rev Park mentioned the name Keren, and to my memory, that was the only name he mentioned that night. Of course I had to say that that was the name we were seriously considering! Despite the circumstances, I felt really at peace when they left, and I was able to get a good nights sleep.

The following morning I was visited by two close friends, and received phone calls from family members, all of which I really appreciated.

I was due to travel to Antrim Hospital early that afternoon, so I waited as patiently as I could for the ambulance staff to arrive. I remember I didn’t feel too much pain when I was lying in the bed, but my first trip out of bed was very painful, (understatement!). A few steps, and I was breaking out in a sweat, and I just felt so weak. The journey in the ambulance was relatively smooth, but I was still glad when we got to Antrim. I was taken to the Maternity Ward, and when I was settled in, Glenn came, and wheeled me round to the Neo-Natal Unit, to see Keren.

One of the nurses in the unit asked us if we had decided on a name for our baby, as the birth card, which was taped to the incubator just said “Baby Owens”. We looked at each other, and just knew that we were going to name her Keren.

Keren’s Name2

November 17, 2007 | Filed Under Keren 

Comments

2 Responses to “The Name…Keren”

  1. Joanna on November 19th, 2007 10:06 am

    I remember dad telling me about this! and said how it very strange that u’s were thinking on it and then dad mentioned the name without knowing you’s were thinking about it! pretty amazing!

  2. Glenn on November 19th, 2007 6:35 pm

    Yes Joanna, pretty amazing is right! We couldn’t believe it!

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