What's in a name?

Several people have asked what we are going to name “Little G”.  I tell them and decided I might just as well make the big “reveal” here on the blog.  So without any further adieu…  Drum roll, please………………. Presenting……..

            Guillermo Franklin WenLian Gonzalez

………applause, applause!! 

So, why did we choose this name?  Several reasons: 

When we first got Little G’s information and picture we were trying to think of a name that starts with “G” and even a middle name that starts with “G”… then his daddy would be G^2 and he would be G^3!  (G-squared and G-cubed for the not-so-scientific mind! wink-wink)  One day we were reading through the info again and when we read the sentence that says “At the age of 5-6 months he can roll over, began to pay attention to the surroundings, always wanted to look around, can stretch his hands to touch the toys hung beside the bed, pull the quilt of the kid in the neighboring bed”,  we were hooked.  And at that point we set the name.  We decided then to name him Guillermo for a couple of reasons:

1)      He’s a natural “observer”. He pays attention to the surroundings and always wants to look around.  Anyone who has spent time with Guillermo (G^2) knows that as soon as he leaves a building at night he’s looking around—or UP and paying attention to the sky. 

2)      He’s a bit ornery! (like his daddy!!)  The poor kid in the neighboring bed kept having his blanket stolen—nah, borrowed! 

3)      Something about his little picture reminds me of Guillermo.  Maybe it’s the hairline, maybe it’s that he’s just as cute as can be.  I don’t know… but other people have said that he looks like Guillermo too. 

4)      What a wonderful way of carrying on family tradition of naming the first son after his daddy.  Guillermo’s dad was Guillermo too.

So, we had the first name.  What would his middle name be???  Well, since his first name is after his Grandpa, then why not have his middle name after his other Grandpa?  Guillermo Franklin… has a nice ring to it, don’t you think??

 

So… what’s in a name???  I looked up the meaning of Guillermo and Franklin online and both names are so fitting of the men they represent. 

Guillermo = will, desire + helmet, protection

I never had the privilege of meeting my father-in-law.  But from what I’ve heard of him, the name fit him well.  He was a man who had a strong will.  He started his own business as a young man in Cuba (b.C. – before Castro).  He was a provider for his family of a dear wife, a lovely daughter and handsome son.  When Castro’s regime took over and forced him from his business and home, he protected his family as they fled Cuba and flew to the US in 1967.  (G^2 was only 3 years old and doesn’t remember anything from the days in Cuba so I’ve tried to learn some of the history from his mom & sister.    When they arrived in the US, their sponsor took them to the court house to get their papers in line.  My father-in-law worked several jobs to provide for his family.  He worked several job as a mechanic, not just auto mechanic, but other machinery as well.  He also cut lawns, raised birds, etc. to bring in the money necessary to provide for his family.  He didn’t just come to the US to let other people take care of his family.  He came to protect his family and to provide for them.  They started out in a small apartment and he worked to move them to a better place and finally to the house where his widow and daughter still reside.  I wish I could have met him, but sometimes I feel as though I have.  His family loved him so much and it’s clear to see why. 

 

Franklin = honest, free, free man

 

I am very privileged to have a dad who is honest and free!  He is one of the most honest people I know and has always taught his kids and grandkids (and multitudes of students) that honesty is the only way to go.  Don’t tell a lie, don’t talk back.  He taught us respect, to respect those around us, to respect authority, to respect the things that we have and the things that belong to other people.  Free—when everyone else was snowed in due to bad weather, he’d bundle us up and we’d go on an outing.  I remember summer vacations when we’d go traveling in our big bus-camper.  He would drive long hours so we could see many things along the way.  He drove that bus in places where other people said, “You’ll never make it in that bus.”—but he pressed on and drove uphill, downhill, around sharp curves and even through the “needle” on “needles highway” in South Dakota.  I love that sense of adventure!  I know now that he could have said, “we don’t have the money to go there”, or “I need to work so we can pay the bills”, or made some other excuse not to spend time with the family.  But he was dedicated to us and the values that he instilled in us are priceless.  I could go on about my dad.  I love him so much and am thankful that he is still with us.  I’m very glad that little Guillermo Franklin will have the privilege of climbing up on his lap and hugging his neck and exchanging those loving glances that my dad has for each and every one of his grandchildren—and one great-granddaughter! 

So, now you know the meaning of our dads' names.  We pray that Little G will reflect those traits in his life, that he would come to know Jesus early on and that others would see in him that he is a protector, honest, strong willed, free man! 

What are we going to CALL him???  Now, that’s a good question!!  Probably “Guille”, maybe “Little G”. My sister proudly says she’s calling him “Frankie”—which I have no objections to.  One of the names will stick.  Whatever we call him, we’ll call him our son, and we’ll love him forever.