Introducing for the First Time Ever...

Meeting Max

Maxim Everett Bard Luippold!

Maxim
This is his given name and our hope all along has been to keep his name the same.  Maxim is actually one of the names I was hoping for when we went to our first referral appointment!  The name means "Greatest" and I think nothing could fit him better. Whether born into poverty or riches, every child is precious, every child is valuable, and every child is full of beautiful potential.   Max had all those attributes before we adopted him.  We did not change who he was, he was already great.  But our hope is that by becoming part of our family maybe he will have a better chance at sharing that greatness with the world, and at the very least, we are thrilled that he will share it with us!  Max, you are the greatest son and the greatest baby brother that we could have hoped for!

Everett
When I was a very little girl, my grandpa was pushing me on the swing.  He asked if I knew how much he loved me.  When I replied, he said that there was someone who loved me even more and that was Jesus. It is my first memory of being aware that life was more than the world around us.  Something existed outside of us, bringing purpose, order, grace.  It was my first recollection of Love. As I grew older I saw my grandpa live out that love in how he served others-whether it was serving my grandmother by doing the dishes so she could sit and visit with us or serving his country by leading his tank unit to take Utah Beach on D-Day.  His name was Everett.  It means brave and could not possibly be more appropriate for describing one of my earliest heroes and now his little great grandson, who at 14 months has already faced many fears and will continue to fight through them,
carrying on the legacy of his family.

Bard

First family photo

Once upon a time there was a Dr, Samuel Bard, who happened to have a rather famous patient.  You may have heard of him, he was our first president.  His name and his story have been carried on through his family, right up to now and we will continue the tradition.  But I have to be honest (I cannot tell a lie) I do not give the name Bard to my son because of its cool background, even though as a historian, it thrills me to no end.  No, Max will carry the name to honor two far more important people, his grandmother and great grandmother.  Bard's grandmother Lisa "Lili" passed away not too long ago but in the short time I was privileged to know her, I was blessed.  Blessed to spend time with one of the most gracious people I have ever met. Blessed to bask in her generosity and always open arms welcome.  And blessed to sit at the feet of one of the greatest storytellers-she lived up to her middle name!  Bard's mom also has the middle name.  I should probably be disappointed that I will never be able to take  part in all the fun mother in law jokes, but I make the best of it ;)  I am constantly inspired by her grace and her heart, by her prayers, and by her compassion.  Max, feel free to grow up and be a doctor like your namesake, but if you take even a little of the heart of these two women, you will go far no matter what you do.  And you can do
anything.

As we were driving home from the orphanage (with three quick stops for passport photos and applications-and by quick I mean excruciatingly long), a wonderfully cheesy 80s song came over the radio.

Take my breath away

Take my breath away

My love, take my breath away

Cheesy or not I started to cry.  All the work, all the pain, all the stress, and now to sit in a car and look and my sleeping son, it takes my breath away.

First night meeting Max