On Acquiring a Namesake....

It was her fourth baby, so she was almost professional at this whole birthing thing. Three little girls, and this one was a surprise. She was hoping for a boy. They both were. But then, so was my Daddy and I surprised him.







She took a brief interlude from her pacing to lean on the counter as another contraction rippled across her belly. Her breathing normalized and she gave me a wry smile and stood upright. "Do you have a name for your baby?" I was trying to help her focus on the goal, rather than the present pain.

"Arnold" she stated. I lifted my eyebrows, silently asking if they had a reason for this name. "It is the name of my husband." Oh, of course. And if its a girl? "I don't know!" She laughed, shrugging her shoulders. "Oh, then you can name it after me if it's a girl, ok? Joke lang!" We both laughed this time, being silly together.

"Baby out!" I flipped the baby right onto her mother's belly. She had already started crying.... Good baby! Her mother and father held hands, looking adoringly into each other's eyes, awed by the tiny little life just given them. "Lalake or Babae?" I asked, re-positioning the baby so they could determine gender. "It's a girl!"



About an hour after the birth, when baby was breastfeeding and mother was all settled, I sat down with the family. I began to ask questions for the birth certificate. Religion, age, date of birth for the parents.... and finally, what is the name of your baby? The couple glanced at each other, and the mother quickly rattled off our little conversation at the counter. The father turned to me. "What is your name?"
Melissa. "Full name?" Melissa Lynn.
"Melissa Lynn" the father was testing the sound of it in his mouth. "Melissa Lynn" a grin grew across his face.  "Sigi" He indicated for me to write that down on the birth certificate form. Really? Are you sure? I was just joking. "Melissa Lynn" It's good. His statement was so final. The mother smiled at me and nodded her head. And in that moment, I acquired a namesake.

 The rest of the night, every time I stepped in to check on mommy and baby the dad would look at me and grin.... "Melissa Lynn". I made this sweet little girl a headband to wear. I prayed over her, that she will grow up to be a godly woman. I wonder if one day she too will catch babies. I thanked her parents for honoring me, by bestowing my name on their new little one. I even considered warning them that a "Melissa Lynn" might be a handful to raise. And I smiled a lot that night at all four of our new babies, but a little bit extra at my Melissa Lynn.