Why the Names?

My late Aunt Joy Lancaster Roberts

I have had many ask how Patrick & I came up with our daughters' names.  So in between my trips to the nursery I thought I would answer this pressing question.  For some reason I just had it in my head that both names had to end in "a".  I think that makes them feminine and coordinate somewhat without being identical names like Molly & Holly, etc.  So we started early on writing down names that ended in "a."  The problem is many have become so popular lately like "Ava","Emma", "Ella", "Bella" and with "Smith" we had to be somewhat original.  There was a lady at the nursing home named "Lexa."  I told her that was a beautiful name and came home and told Patrick.  Ever since that night he started calling her Lexa.  When we looked up the meaning, "Helper of Mankind" it stuck.  We knew our girl would be just that.  For her middle name, there was no question my dear Aunt Joy would be honored and what better fit to go with helper of mankind and "Joy" which is what our daughter has and will bring us in life.  Aunt Joy was the most giving Christian woman who loved life no matter the hardships.  She could never have biological children, as I was told several years ago. All during my pregnancy I felt as if she was with me keeping special guard over her great niece, Lexa Joy as she would have been THRILLED to meet her.  I know Joy lives on through all of her family but hope especially through Lexa Joy.  So... then the trouble of naming yet another child...  "Eva" was on both of our lists as a favorite name.  When I got to the "G" section in our baby name book--I said what about "Geneva" still a biblical derivative of "Eve", the woman who gave us life.  It just sounded so elegant to me and commanding "Geneva Smith."  Not to mention that night we saw a commercial for "Geneva" cookies and it stuck!  "Marie" was kind of a last minute decision.  Just looking for an old-fashioned, traditional name that was slightly short in syllable length.  It seemed to fit well as it, too is a biblical version of "Mary".  So that is how it played out.  Then came the part where we had to decide which name went with which baby... Baby B was always the active baby, had hiccups, moved, kicked, and was uncooperative with ultrasound pictures operating on her own schedule.  We had a feeling she would be red-headed or at least fair and thought that Lexa was the fiery name of the two.  So that left Geneva for Baby A, our first-born by one minute which has fit her well--with dark features.  That's the scoop.  The proud poppa just showed up so we are off again to the NICU.