Eli Joseph Neff
December 29, 2010
He’s here! Sweet little Eli. He joins big sisters Olivia Quinn and Elizabeth Grace and big brother Mitchell Elijah.
Of course, Tim and Kim did not go with any of my suggested names — shocker! Even my latest suggestion of Landon (as in Donovan!) of soccer fame (thought Tim would surely go for that one) fell flat….. But alas, I’ve already forgiven them because this little Eli is so darn precious.
My first reaction when Tim told me “Eli Joseph Neff” was –”Wow that sounds Amish!” He said” Yeah, well Eli Jacob Neff would have been worse!” 
So here we are with a tremendously meaningful name. According to “Behind the Names” Eli means ”ascension” in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he was the high priest of Israel and Samuel’s teacher. The name Joseph of course, refers to the favorite son of Jacob who ended up placed in charge of Egypt by Pharoah, which led to his reunion with his brothers during the great famine.
On a lighter note…. in the photo of (my dad holding) Eli, the Labor Pain chart on the door behind them just completely cracks me up. It brings back particularly “severe” painful memories for me on this eve of Mia’s birthday…. where she came a) earlier in the day than anyone thought would happen (let’s just say her head broke through with no doctor in sight, b) while the anesthesiologist was “busy” with someone else and c) before her Mama could even get a hint of any pain medicine. Yeah, good times.
But yes, they are worth it all.
Auntie Tonya’s favorite boy names!
November 25, 2010
In December, actually the day after I turn the big 4-0, I will become Auntie again to another beautiful nephew. I have 3 wonderful ones already…but I cannot wait to get my hands on this baby.
In the spirit of 1) Thanksgiving (because I adore my nieces and nephews), 2) reality (as I will likely not give birth to any more boys myself!) and 3) given my knack for butting in when uninvited, I’ve decided to take a load off of Tim and Kim by offering a few suggestions…
”Auntie Tonya’s favorite boy names”
– Jonathan (before Mia came out with girl equipment she was going to be Jonathan (and called Jono))
– Judah (strong biblical name)
– Jacob (this is my vote for middle name, because Tim has two grandfathers with this name)
– Wesley (as in Charles Wesley the great hymnwriter)
– Anderson (not sure why but it sounds cool)
– Jude (despite the fact that I think of Jude Law)
- Hershey (family name!)
– Lucas (because we know he will grow up loving StarWars)
– Owen
– Caleb (another strong biblical name)
– Micah (this one might actually be my favorite! and his older brother is Michell. two M’s is just fun)
Of course, the fact that I am recommending these names is probably the very reason Kim won’t go for them (because that’s how she rolls)…oh well. Worth a try!
Now if you ask Rob, he’ll suggest..
– Rubens Barrichello Neff (because he beat The Stig on Top Gear)
Say it Isn’t So….
January 8, 2009
Little Connor James Neff died yesterday. Here is the story we received through email from my Aunt Norma Jean’s sister Nancy….
Connor is safely home with Jesus now. This morning when they took him off the respirator his lungs collapsed. That was the turning point. They took all the machines away, and Kelly held Connor on the rocking chair, and Jim knelt beside her, whispering to Connor. Bob and Pam and NJ and Larry (all grandparents) were there, and Connor’s heart stopped at about 11:20 this morning.
Bob and Pam are having lunch with NJ and Larry at their house. Jim and Kelly asked them to take all their things from the Ronald McDonald room, where they were staying, to their house before Jim and Kelly go there, and to put the baby things in the nursery and close the door. Norma Jean is expecting Jim and Kelly to come to their house this afternoon before they go home.
My heart aches for the parents going home to an empty nursery. Such wonderful expectations, and now such a different reality to deal with. Connor is safe, and we are sad.
so sad.
Born in the USA…..
January 7, 2009
It is always (in my book) fun, like today, to get a “Welcome Joey Scott Martian” or “Welcome Minerva Sue Flannigan” email in my inbox at work announcing that the Microsoft Public Sector family has been extended by one very tiny stockholder (read: employee’s child). In the United States we have the most incredible access to quality health care in the world. We take for granted healthy births. We expect them, many even schedule them, like a dinner reservation. That’s why when what happened to my cousin Jim and Kelly this week is so jarring. In short, amidst a very long labor with Kelly giving birth to their first child, their little boy’s heart rate took a nosedive while he was in the birth canal, and til an emergency C-section was performed, he was without oxygen for 11 minutes.
Little Connor James Neff. Perfect little boy, now barely able to move. What looks like almost certain brain damage has led to days with a cooling cap on, multiple seizures, just one session of opening his eyes, and life (so far) on a respirator. Jim and Kelly’s lives, while already being turned upside down by the addition of their first child, now hold the most unimaginable of circumstances. Right now, this is all we know. Whether and how Connor will develop and recover is in God’s hands. We pray unceasingly for the Neff family, for grace through trauma, for BIG miracles.
Tonya's Links
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Tonya is a Community Content Producer for
WUSA9.com, DC's CBS affiliate.