Growing up, we lived next door to my Grandma Maggie. She quite likely is one of the greatest people to ever walk this Earth! I always liked to refer to myself as her birthday present because I was born the day after her birthday (although 60 years later). I remember all of the special things we got to do. I loved having lunch with her, she had the same thing every single day….buttered noodles and a hot dog. When I was a teenager, she took me to play bingo with her. I really wish I had some pictures to share, but I am not sure where they are all at.
I also remember when she was getting sicker. We knew she was going to leave us soon. I went to see her just about every day. We all did, even our friends were going to visit her in the nursing home. I remember as she was having trouble with her memory, she would think I was her son (my dad) and talk to me basically playing out a scene that had happened with her and my dad when he was a kid. Kind of cool, but kind of sad. We went to take her to bingo one day at the nursing home, and when we got there, she said, ooooh, we are going drinking and dancing!!!
I also remember the day she died. One of the saddest days of my life. She told me awhile before that she wanted to die between the ages of x and x ( I don’t remember exactly) and that’s exactly what she did. My cousin was at a fishing tournament and on his way home because we told him it was time. It was amazing. She waited and waited, just barely hanging on until he was there. Then we all had to let go. (wow! haven’t thought about this day in a long time and it’s making me cry)
I was standing there with one of my sisters and one of my cousins and said….you know, someday I will have a baby girl and I am going to name her Maggie.
In 2010, I found out I was pregnant. We didn’t find out the gender ahead of time, but we knew what her name would be if she was a girl. When I was in labor, my aunt said, “Look, there is a picture of an angel above the bed.” That’s when I realized we were having a girl and that was my grandma watching over us. We did have a girl. And we did name her Maggie after my grandma. It is too bad that they won’t get to meet but it will be a nice thing for my baby girl to know as she grows up.
Fast forward to the end of 2011, we found out we were pregnant again. Of course we didn’t find out the gender, not our thing. When we were pregnant the first time around, we had 3 names picked out if Maggie had been a boy, Charlie, Logan and Riley. This time, we narrowed down the boys name to Charlie, the only name for a boy we could agree on. There really wasn’t anything behind his name except that we like it. But……..to me, my grandpa was Wayne, but my grandma’s first husband was Charles, but he died long before I ever met him. I think that is pretty cool.
How did your kids get their names?
My grandmother was descended from Wadsworths. She was named Alberta, after her father, because she was supposed to be a boy (I suspect that he never quite got over the disappointment). She passed away several years ago and I named my daughter Evangeline, after the Wadsworth poem, to remember her. I think beautiful old names need some revival.
Melanie, my daughter’s name is Evangeline also!!! Although, I just loved it from the movie Princess and the Frog. Both of my girls middle names are after special people, my oldest is Elizabeth, after my grandmother, the younger is Teresa, the middle name of my last boss, who I love very much. She was there for me when my Grandfather passed away, and she has remained a part of my life even after we stopped working together. We’re not sure if we will have more kids, but if we ever have a boy his name will be Barrett Michael, my Grandfather’s last name and Michael after my best friend and some uncles. I think more traditional names or especially family names bring back a sense of connection that families used to have.
Beautiful story of how your daughter got her name!