A Girl Named Ted

I should have seen it coming . . .

. . . it has always been a topic of discussion between my sister and I, how we have painstakingly chosen the perfect names for our children, making sure that what we have named them is just right.  The right first name . . . the right middle name .  . . the right "shortened name" if case may be . . . the right initials when it's all put together . . . and of course making sure it all sounds good with the last name.  I know, I know . . . all good parents do that.  But .  . .

The topic of discussion is this--  Why do we go through all of that trouble only to turn around and call our children something else?  My Bryce was "Buddy", Taylor was "Birdie", Brayden is Brady, and has also been known as "Little" and just "B".   I have a nephew Thayne who became "Scooter", and my niece Taryn Lanae has the best second version of her name -- "Tuh-rin Luh-nin" or "Rynie" for short!  My nephew Landon Drew, as a baby was "Double D", because he looked just like his daddy, Dennis.  My nickname for Landon, is "Land that I love".   Short and sweet, right?  Nope, but I love it! Lest we not forget my littlest babes "Flit" and "Grinner".  I grimace inside when I admit this, but I sometimes call Brogie, "Bubba". . .  that is what living in Texas will do to a northern girl!

Nine years ago God gave me the name Theaodora, you can read the whole story here.  I immediately thought of the nickname Teddi . . . and that was that, no painstaking process.  Teddi had a name, and God had chosen it way before she was ever born!  Actually she's had many names, I am sure her birth mama painstakingly chose her very first name and I would love to know what it was.  When she was three days old she was given the name Zhu Fu Xiao.  Zhu for her city, Zhuhai. . . Fu, meaning fortune or blessing . . . and Xiao, which means smile.  So it is, that our daughter became Theadora Fu Xiao, or Teddi . . .

or Ted! Like I said, I should have seen it coming.  Our little Xiao Xiao worked her way up to Teddi Xiao Xiao, and then into Teddi-- and now her littlest big brother sweetly refers to her as, "Ted" and she doesn't mind a bit. . . and it's catching on.

I think it is a sign of true love and affection when we "rename" those who mean so very much to us.  Or it may just mean we're crazy . . .

If that's the case, then I'm crazy in love with a girl named Ted!  

Blessings from my nick-namin' nest ~

Tina