[ Afton Ruth ]*

These are the questions we hear every time someone meets our newest little one, Afton Ruth:

1. Where did she get all that hair?!

The first words that were said when I was born (documented in my baby book for all generations to see) were not, "She is beautiful" or even the generic "It's a girl!" Nope.  The first words anyone said: "Look at all that hair."

But, I am not the only one to blame. David was born with a full head of hair that looked like it had already had a grown-up hairstyle.  Much to my mother-in-law's chagrin, everyone called him "Little Man" or the rare, bold fellow who didn't quite understand the fierce mama bear-ness/ hormone surges that befit new mommies would call him Mr Magoo.

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2.  Does she have Native American heritage?

Yeah, way back somewhere we both have some Native American blood, but not enough to get her a college scholarship or anything.  

But if you have asked this question, we know what you are really getting at.  You want to know if David is her biological daddy, because you can't figure out how two total whiteys can make such a tan kid. I will level with you: It is a mystery to us too.

(And, yes, he is the daddy.)

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3.  Where did you get her name?

Sweet Afton.  Her first name comes from a lovely Robert Burns poem, "Flow Gently, Sweet Afton" about a stream in Scotland.

In 2000, the year that David and I met, and almost 300 years after it was first penned, one of our favorite groups did a lovely musical version of it that you can hear here:

Go ahead and have it playing while you read the rest of this post.  It will be magical, like an episode of Dawson's Creek.

Throughout my pregnancy, I prayed Psalm 1 over the baby girl in my belly:

that she would be blessed,

that she would delight in The Lord

and meditate on Him and His Word continually,

that she would be like a tree planted by streams of water,

yielding much fruit,

and that she would prosper in all that she does.

Because that Scripture was on my heart the whole pregnancy, I looked for names relating to water or trees.

But, let me tell you--the more I thought about it, I realized no girl wants a name that means big tree or strong tree or solid wood or anything manly like that.  (Could you imagine a self-conscious middle schooler having to say, "my name means thick trunk" while all the other girls names mean crowned one and dainty.  She would hate me.  I'd have to get counseling and then develop a shopping addiction.  We would lose our home and be forced to move into the woods.  This would be bad.)

And the only names that I could come up with that referenced water were, ironically enough, Native American names.  David vetoed most of those right out of the gate. (He conceded by telling me I can name our future dog Shenandoah.)

So we went a little abstract and named her after the poem and song that we loved so much.  Our sweet Afton, named after a beautiful stream flowing gently through the fields.

Her middle name also has significant meaning.

Ruth means, satisfied.  I love that.  It connotes a fullness.  What more could you want for your child than a full life with deep, true satisfaction.

And the biblical book of Ruth has such significance, clearly displaying God's sovereignty in all things.

Also, my lifelong best friend, who is considered family more than a friend, has the middle name of Ruth.  She is a blessing to everyone who has ever known her (seriously) and her quiet, yet powerful influence has shaped my life in greater ways than she will ever know.  For my daughter to have a heart like her Aunt Hilary's, would be a beautiful gift.

So, to our

Sweet Afton Ruth:

May you have a fruitful, prosperous life, finding deep satisfaction and delight in our sovereign God.  

(And, Afton, please note that if anyone calls you Mr Magoo, your mama's fist will be like a solid tree on their head.  Hormone surge.)