What's in a Name?

     So with the baby's arrival soon approaching we find ourselves going through the litany of names that we may be using. Like every parent, we want to get this just right because, after all, isn't your name important to molding who you will become or is it as meaningless as what you ate for breakfast twelve years ago? I think of my name. Sylvia (of the forest) Esther (star) Villate (of the sea). This name (in Spanish, at least) always sounded lovely to me. I liked to tell people my name and felt pleased that there weren't too many folks with my moniker around. And as for the meaning of my name, I feel that my love of travel and general laid back attitude comes from the fact that I belong "everywhere"- earth, water, and stars. But wouldn't I have felt the same way if my name was Seymour Butts or Ivana Tinkle as long as I had the same upbringing? 

     The first person I was in charge of naming was my first born son. As most of you know, we named him Golden Nathanael. The name was burned into my core before I even dated Mike. I knew the second I heard it that this was the name I would give my first child who, of course, would be a son. Call it receiving revelation. I must tell you that Mike fought this to the bitter end but pregnancy hormones and tears won out and I was allowed to give him his first name but Mike prayed diligently and came up with his middle name. Almost twelve years later, I can look back at this boy's life and say he has lived up to his name thoroughly. 

Golden: golden 

Nathanael: having no guile

He too loves his name and I think this makes for a happy child. 

We have named six, beautiful children of Heavenly Father and hope, if all goes well, we will name our last child tomorrow. 

My wish is that all my children know that what their father and I want most for them is a life filled with love, magic, the Spirit, and eternal family memories. We will start by trying to give them a name that can help them feel confident enough to move through this world un afraid to experience all the wonderful joys it has for them and to help them endure the hardships. 

Is that too much to ask?

I hope not. And even though naming seven children has seemed daunting, I think of Heavenly Father who named each and every one of us in the pre mortal existence. He created me and knew me. How I hope to see Him again and hear my name roll from his lips as He greets me. I suppose I wouldn't care what He named me because I'd know that what matters is that He loved me enough to call me His daughter. 

I suppose that is what I want my children to know too. That I love them, dreamed and prayed for them to come to me and that my greatest joy is and will always be when I can call their names and wrap them in a warm embrace. 

So, whenever they hear their names called they will remember that the first time they heard it was when it came off my lips followed immediately with a kiss and a prayer thanking Heavenly Father for allowing me the great honor of being their mother.

Now I just hope there is a name that can sum all that up.