What's In a Name?

Whoops. I've tried really hard not to succumb to the temptation of ignoring milestones and decisions for the second child that were so important to me with the first child. But, I realized that I never wrote about Cecilia's name, even though that was a blog during my third trimester for Evelyn. Oh well!

So, since high school I had picked out the name of Victoria, nickname Tori, for a girl. Somehow Evelyn didn't end up being a Victoria, but that was our first pick for this one, when we found out she was a girl. We narrowed it down to Victoria, Juliet, and Cora. So where did Cecilia come from? I have no idea! It just popped into my head one day and soon became the front-runner. The name Cecilia is of Latin origin and means, "way for the blind." I liked the idea behind that-of guiding and helping those in need. Cecilia is the patron saint of music and was martyred for her faith. Of course the lineage of a strong woman appealed to me and so did the musical aspect, as apparently it did to Simon and Garfunkel because I started singing that song as soon as the name Cecilia popped into my head! That drives Bard crazy, because the woman in that song is not really one we would want our daughter to be like, but come on, who doesn't love that song, I bet you're singing it right now!It took a while for us to settle on Cecilia for sure, she was almost named Cora, but I just kept calling her Cecilia in my mind, so that decided it.

The middle name, however, was decided long ago. For those of you who know me well, it probably comes as no surprise that I gave my daughter the name of the woman who has been one of the most influential people in my life. I first met Miss Lynn when I was just 11 years old; she was my dance teacher. But she did more than just teach me proper technique and how to perform; she invested in my life. Sometimes instead of class, we would end up just talking, her with a group of middle school students. We talked about boys, life choices, and school work. I don't remember the conversations, just that she cared enough to have them. Later, when I showed an interest in helping with the younger students, she trained me as an assistant and then hired me as a teacher when I was in high school, developing my teaching skills and starting me on a life-long path of dance instruction. I honestly can't imagine not teaching little girls to dance. And Lynn helped me see that it's more than just instruction on dance steps, it's sharing a passion, developing self esteem, and being a part of children's lives as they grow into men and women who value the art of life. And those little three year olds with their pot bellies in little tutus are absolutely adorable and make me smile!

What's in name? Cecilia Lynn-a love for music and a guide for those in need, coupled with a woman full of integrity, grace, and beauty. My little girl has some big shoes to fill with her name, and I can't wait to see her do it!