Namesake

Kathleen was named after Brian's sister. Today, we marked the one-year anniversary of Auntie Kathleen, or Auntie K. It's hard to believe it has been a year.

We announced my pregnancy with Kathleen early, much earlier than I would have. But we knew Kathleen was dying, and Brian wanted to give the news to his sister, to let her enjoy that news for as long as possible. After we shared the news, Kathleen told Brian's mom that she already knew we were pregnant, that she had had a dream in which the Virgin Mary told her that we were going to have a little girl and that her name would be Avery.

A couple of months later, Kathleen died, and Brian and I agreed we would name the baby Kathleen if it was a girl, and to fulfill Auntie K's dream we would use Avery as a middle name. And of course we did have a girl, and we named her Kathleen Avery.

Our Kathleen's namesake lived with a wonderful grace and enthusiasm and humor. I hope our Kathleen will share these qualities. I wish she would have a chance to know her aunt, just as I wish she would have the chance to grow up with her brother.

Tonight, as I do most nights, as I rocked Kathleen to sleep, I sang to her of the story of her name and of the aunt who dreamed of her before she was born, the aunt she will know only in pictures and stories and song.

To Auntie K, we miss you.