She's Getting My Name

 

   My adopted niece, Lissa, is pregnant again. It wasn't intentional. Little Daniel has just turned one year old. Being pregnant with him was difficult as it was a high risk pregnancy. 

   Once they determined that she was going to carry to full term, (She's miscarried a couple of times.) they told C and I the news. A few weeks ago they found out the baby's gender. Later that day, they told us what they were planning to name the baby. Her name will be Alyse Sophie Ann. 

  C and I had joked about whether they would use one of my names. I didn't expect them to. Kurt, Lissa's husband, comes from a large family. It would make sense that they would give their daughter the name of one of his female relatives. I would have expected Lissa use the name Mary, after her favourite aunt or to give the baby one her her mother's names. Instead, they chose to give her my name.

  I was honored and nervous. What would my friend, Micki, who is Lissa's mother, think? Would she feel left out or snubbed? I wasn't sure. A few days after Lissa told us, I screwed up my courage and asked rather tentatively, how she liked the name. Micki was very positive. She loved it and was pleased that Lissa had chosen to give the baby one of my names. I breathed a sigh of relief. Micki and I have been friends our entire lives. I wouldn't want her feelings to be hurt.

   This is not the first time a baby has been given one of my names.  I found out a few years ago that a friend of mine from high school named her first child Sophia, after me. When I was in college a pregnant acquaintance was looking for a good middle name to with the French first name that she had chosen. She didn't like the names that others had suggested. I suggested my middle name which is Genevieve. She said the two names together and liked how they sounded.

   This is different. There were so many other people they could have chosen to honor, people that have helped them and members of their immediate families. They chose me. I know that Lissa and Kurt put a lot of though into the names they give their children. It's an honor, but also humbling.

   Little Alyse will get a knitted towel and some washcloths from her  Aunt Sophie. While I'm knitting I'll think of her and wonder what kind of girl she'll be. And what kind of role model I'll be for her.....