For Mothers and Daughters

Kate
You are my first baby. The moment you were born unleashed a euphoric surge of love inside me. I suddenly knew what the fuss was about. This baby, this wiggling, crying little thing, was our miracle. Tears of joy welled up in my eyes. I held you in my arms and loved you. I knew your name was Kate. Any attachment I had to other baby names left me once I saw you. Your name has such meaning to me. Grandma Blondie’s name is Kathrine, Grandma Kathy’s name is Kathleen, and Aunt Debbie’s middle name is Kate. Three incredible mothers have come before you. The love and admiration I hold for them surpasses anything I could express. They are mothers who love their charges fiercely. They are mothers who have reinvented the meanings of work and sacrifice. They are also mothers whose gentle touch can soothe any injury to the soul. Kate, you are their namesake. Be like these mothers.

Holly
Minutes after you were born, I declared, “I think her name is Anna.”
Dad said, “Are you sure?” He kept saying it.
The next morning, we thumbed through a name book, jotting down anything we fancied. You were Holly. It was the only name on the list that brought peace to our confusion. We were willing to change the first name, but not the middle. Your middle name had to be Joan. Joan is the name of your remarkable Grammy. She is steadfast. She greets challenge with a giggle and a smile. Give her a wheelbarrow and a shovel and she’ll move a mountain. She teaches by example. The well of love she holds spills onto her face and won’t let her age. She is a friend to all. Holly, you are her namesake. Be like this mother.

Emily
We named you minutes before an emergency c-section. It just felt right. Maybe I labored for 15 hours because you were waiting for your name. Finally, on the third girl, your daddy had his way with the middle name. Your middle name is Anne. I avoided naming the other girls Anne. Your sisters are named after amazing women of strength. Who are you named after? You are named after a mother who, like you, can be loud and soft and sweet and sour. A mother who belly laughs at the things her kids do. A mother who loves her children so much it hurts to be that vulnerable. A mother who tries and tries and desperately wonders if it is enough, wonders if she failed or succeeded that day. A mother whose every prayer asks for help to be worthy of her title. Emmy, you are my namesake. I will try to be a good mother to you.