The Name Change

So as you probably remember, Walker JEFFREY was supposed to be joining our family this December.  But as you probably noticed Walker HARRISON is here!  We had actually known about the name change for a few weeks, but had kept it a secret.

As I previously blogged about, my grandfather passed away just a few short weeks before Walker was born.  Both my grandfather and his wife, my "Mimi" were so important to me and have had a great deal in who I am today. Even though my grandmother passed away 15 years ago, it is still hard to separate the memories of the two of them in my mind.  To me, they will always be "Mimi and Poppy"...a duo...my grandparents.  I felt with the passing of my grandfather I knew I wanted to honor him through Walker's name, but I wasn't certain how.  Matt and I really thought and prayed about how we wanted to honor him.  We could have easily chosen his first or middle name as Walker's middle name, but again, we wanted to honor both my grandparents in some sort of way.

Well you know when some one says "it just came to me"...well, it did!  My grandparents have lived in their house basically their whole married life and it was the house my dad grew up in.  It was also the house we visited a million times growing up as their grandchild.  I have so many wonderful memories in their house with my cousins.  Well their house was on Harrison street.  So...we named Walker, Walker Harrison after the two of them, their home, and all our memories.

Like I said we kept it a big secret until the day he was born.  I asked if my parents could be the first to come back and meet Walker after he was born.  When my mom and dad walked in I said to them, "we would like for you to meet your second grandson, Walker Harrison. "  They both kind of looked at me and then we explained his name.  They both teared up and my mom just said how honored Poppy and Mimi would have been.  It meant a whole lot to my dad and that was worth it to me.  That is a moment I will never forget.

I hope Walker one day understands how important both his names are.  They were chosen very deliberately and have great meanings behind them.   I think Walker will serve these names well and grow into a boy and man that would make his Papa (where the Walker came from), his Poppy and Mimi and Pop Pop proud.

(My parents both had a cold...excuse the masks :)