Home, hope and a special name for our new baby

Meeting the family

A Wednesday new arrival, a precious foundling, has brought great joy to the Happy House and to our Elizabeth back in the UK.
Mama writes:" It was pouring with rain, windy and dark. Billy and I were working hard on some facts and figures when his phone rang.
 It was the Children’s Officer from Malindi. 
He informed Billy that a baby girl had been abandoned a month ago and had been in Malindi Hospital as she only weighed 1.5kg.
Now she weighs 2.2kgs so the time has come for her to be discharged into care. Could we take here? Yes, of course, we will always have room for another.

Safe with Mama

The nurses at the hospital were crying as we were setting out on our way home saying they were delighted she is going to Happy House but sad she was leaving them. We invited them to visit any time. 
We were told the baby is so good she eats and sleeps well, hardly ever cries. 
But what to call her?

Our very own Auntie Libby, is amazing towards our Happy House Family.

With volunteer Grace

She works tirelessly raising awareness and funds. Travelling around  speaking to different groups, sometimes a  ladies group, another time a men's group or in a school.

She is brilliant and never misses an opportunity to talk about our ever growing family.

To the children she is Auntie Libby, to me, Rose and Billy she is Libz, to Papa Dave she is Little Legs! 
She was christened Elizabeth. 

Her sister Anne died a few years ago, leaving a great void in Libz’s life. 
We decided yesterday to honour our very loving and caring Elizabeth by calling our new arrival Elizabeth Anne. 
As she grows I know she will have the same loving and caring ways as her namesakes.

We all love you, Libz"

Baby Elizabeth Anne

Elizabeth writes:  To have such a beautiful baby named for me and for my lovely Anne, has made my heart sing.
Anne was a truly beautiful person, who adiated sunshine. Sweet, generous, funny and infinitely kind, she adored children and they adored her.

Elizabeth

She died from cancer at 46. Much too soon. Too soon to leave her own two daughters, and all those of us who loved her, and too soon to know the three grandchildren to whom she would have been the most amazing Granny Annie.

I speak to Anne every day. I tell her what I am doing, what my boys are up to and all about our Happy House family.  How she would have loved our Happy House kids!

Her inspiration, her influence and ultimately, her death, have played a big part in making me the woman I am today.

To have a beautiful baby, from such a tragic start, named for Anne and I is just the most wonderful feeling in the world.

And to know that I am loved to such an extent by Mama, Papa and all our family is as overwhelming as it is humbling.

 Elizabeth Anne will become a part my family and we look forward to sharing in her life and rejoice in the certain knowledge she will always have her own guardian angel to guide her.