Lilly River,
When you were born I named you success and strength. Lilly was success because I wanted you to be beautiful like the flower that is your namesake, as I know this can be a key to achieving whatever success you desire. River was your strength because like the water that tore the rock from the wall to form the grand canyon and other such landmarks, I wanted you to have this strength of spirit.
You have become exactly as I knew you would and have lived up to the gifts I prayed God grant you before you were even born. You have gone by Lilly since you were born though our original intent was that you be River, as this name encompasses so much more of who you can be than a simple flower. You are River. You are gentle and nourishing. You can be transparent or opaque. You are beautiful and fierce. You are gentle and strong. You will nourish and cleanse, you can build and destroy. You can become whatever you choose to be. I of course, hope you will always choose the high road toward all that is good, but I know one thing for certain about water. It is always changing with the weather or the seasons or with whatever is stirring it around. Rivers are not stagnant.
You are my River.
I love you sweetheart.
-mommy
Mary Rose,
It was the day your sister took her first steps that I got your name. We were visiting your dad’s Uncle Jack and Aunt Rose in Del Rio. It was sunny and hot and as I walked across the lawn with your father I thought of Aunt Rose. She radiated beauty that had nothing to do with her aged, cancer ridden body. She was falling apart physically but was still the most beautiful woman I had even met. I thought of her and Nic’s grandmother Mary and the rest of his family who reflected this same beauty and I understood more what it was I saw in your father. I decided then that if I ever had another daughter that I wanted her to be like them. That the inner beauty I saw represented in them would also be in you. I asked your father as we walked across the lawn that day if it would be ok if we ever had another daughter that we name her Mary Rose, after this quality that ran so strong in your dads family. Oddly he said yes without even thinking and I had to laugh at the simplicity of it all after all the months we had haggled over Lilly’s name.
It was only three months later that I found out I was pregnant and the instant I did, I knew you would be a girl and that your name would be Mary Rose. We never doubted, but the final surprise came when we found out you had strawberry blond hair. Out of 11 grandchildren of Mary, you were the only one that had her distinctive red hair. But when I look at you today the thing I see that resembles her most is that same beautiful spirit. You are beautiful and kind and sweet, and joyful and all the things I knew you would be.
I am so proud of you.
Love,
mommy