Lily's Family Part 1: Jeff's Side

Our precious Lily will be blessed with lots of amazing family. I know some of them are chomping at the bit and just as excited as we are to see our lil one's face very soon. I thought now would be a good time to make some introductions and share Lily's namesake with everyone. We just didn't come up with the name Lily Faith...it was inspired.

Unfortunately, Jeff's family was never really big on pictures. In fact, this photo...
...is the only one I have ever seen of all of them together. It just so happens to be from butterfly collar, bell bottom and shaft coat days (haha). And they are (from left to right starting at the top): Jef'f's oldest brother Melvin, brother Edsel, his only sister Barbara, brother Gary and Jeff (he thinks he was in his late teens or young 20's here). Bottom row is Jeff's dad, J.T. (Jeff Sr.) and his mom, Lillian. Unfortunately for all of us, including Lily, Jeff's dad passed away the year we were married, 2001. He was an amazing man and I am so glad I had the chance to know him before his passing. I can share all of Jeff's stories about his dad but, for now, we will stick with the intros. His mother, originally Lillian Allen, was also amazing. Both of his parents accepted me unconditionally and immediately. The genuine love they had for their baby boy and their wish for his happiness was breathtaking. I became very close to Jeff's mom and we shared so many special moments over the years of our courtship and early years of our marriage. We also experienced the challenges of many losses together. I loved her dearly and always felt so much love from her as well. She knew that Jeff and I were aching for a family and shared our happiness when we were pregnant many years ago. When we lost the pregnancy, she held my hand and comforted me, no words needed from one woman who had experienced her own losses to another woman dying to just be a mom. She knew of our plans to become parents through adoption well before her passing several years ago. She was looking forward to becoming a grandmother again and seeing her son fulfill a dream of his own. Sadly, our Lily will never know the wonderful woman who gives her her name. We do, however, look forward to the day when we can share with her all the wonderful qualities of her grandmother, tell Lily stories of Jeff's upbringing, the experiences and people that shaped her daddy and when we can introduce her to her aunts and uncles who, no doubt, will love her just as we will.