What's in a Name

We have known our little dudes name for quite some time now and have been debating whether or not to share it.  Me being the kind of person I am likes to share things but this name has a lot of meaning behind it so I wrote this up to try and explain it all a little.  

The first time I went to visit Matt's family in New Hampshire was Thanksgiving of 2009.  That was also the first time I was really introduced to the story of Matt's uncle George.  He was the oldest of seven Riordan children, but at the age of 19 was killed in Vietnam.  He was a medic in the Navy and his last date of service was March 14, 1968. That is a pretty common story for many families, but there was something about George that struck me as amazing.  Not only did I learn that he was killed while attempting to save someone else, but I was blown away by the amount of people that seemed to be effected by his life and seven months of service in Vietnam .   Matt's Gram is 92, and to this day, 45 years after his death, she receives letters and visits from people who served with and knew George.  She has photo albums and trunks full of letters and pictures.  I had the pleasure of being able to look through some of what she had received and was moved to tears every time, although I am sure we didn't even scratch the surface of what she has collected over the years.  It didn't take long after that first visit before I told Matt that if and when we had a baby boy, his name should be George.   I have always wanted to have a little boy and, not that we have any control over it, but Matt is the last Riordan man on his side, so I very much wanted to have a little boy to carry on the last name.  Not worried about the Boshart side, the odds are in our favor with quite a few guys left. 

Close to a year after that visit in November, we moved up to New Hampshire.  Because I was still getting to know the wonderful family that I had married into, I loved being close enough to go visit as much as we could!  We tried to visit Gram every time we made the trip to Somersworth from Concord and almost every time George was brought up.  She loves sharing his story and the letters and books she had collected over the years, and we are always eager to hear more.  Matt looks a lot like him, especially in a few pictures, so the topic often came up easily.  Being a military brat and always having a heart for what the men, women and families in the military go through, I never tired of looking through the pictures and letters.  It was like being able to get to know George all of these years later, even though we would never meet him while here on earth.  He is remembered by so many and we are honored to pass on his name.  With every visit, our desire to pass on his name became stronger.  

I always wanted to ask Gram if it would be okay if we passed on George's name to our little one, but with no baby on the way and none in sight, it's an odd conversation to bring up!!  When Matt graduated and we were able to go back to New Hampshire for his ceremony, something in me knew that we needed to ask then.  I wanted to do it in person before we started having children and it seemed like perfect timing.  We asked and she gave us her blessing, although we made it clear that we weren't sure when baby Riordan would be on the way.  Two months later we found out we were pregnant.  I can't say that it was immediate, but something in me knew it was a boy.   

On October 22nd we found out we indeed are having a boy.  We are so excited and I am very much looking forward to the day that we get to sit down and explain to our son the meaning behind his first name.

George Tucker Riordan

Due March 14th, 2014 

Now some of you will probably ask where the name Tucker came from so I thought I'd throw that in here.  It does not hold nearly as much meaning but the story is fun. When Jana found out she was pregnant with Thomas she was unsure on names so my mom and I took it upon ourselves to send her name ideas all the time.  One day while sitting at Brewster's Pizza/Wimberley Brewing Company (if you haven't been...go) we were texting her names of beers.  Samuel Adams being the most popular name to pass on to the new baby.  That got us talking about favorite beers and Matt's is out of Tuckerman Brewing Company up in NH, named after one of his favorite hikes Tuckerman's Ravine.  It started out as a joke but since the name George was already a plan, the name George Tucker came up.  With my favorite book being Tuck Everlasting I was an immediate fan but the more we said it, the more we all loved it, so I did not share that one with Jana!  Now one year later we get to use it.  We've already begun calling him by the name Tucker so that is most likely what he will go by until he tells us otherwise :) 

Equality

First I am going to start this off with my opinion on the recent subject matter.

I believe marriage is between a man and a woman.  I was reading through Genesis 2 this morning because that's what I am drawn to when it comes to this subject.  God is amazing here.  He created Adam and knew that this would not be good enough.  He tried to give him a companion, a helper.  He created the animals who roam the earth and fill the sky, nothing was suitable.  He then created a woman.  Someone who could be the perfect balance.  Carefully formed out of man's rib.  One flesh.  Immediately it was good, they felt no shame standing naked in front of one another.

Anyone who knows the story knows what happens next.  Eve eats fruit from the wrong tree and the world is never the same.

I realize we have come a long where from there, but really it's still in the wrong direction.  We are consistently as a whole drifting away from God.  Little by little we try to make excuses for ourselves, we say the world is evolved, we say things need to change with the way that we believe to fit the world we live in.  Silly talk.  We can't alter our beliefs to fit the needs of the world.  It is not what we were called here to do.  I realize there are many Christians out there who use this as an excuse to spread hate.  They focus on specific groups of people and damn them to hell, as if it's at all up to us.  Ignorance.  That's what that is.  We as humans have fallen so far from what we were intended to be so whether or not you believe that people are born that way, or choose to be that way, we are all so very flawed.

So yes because of my faith, I believe marriage is defined as something that is between a man and a woman.  I believe a lot of things about marriage that have totally been pushed out of this world because we are falling, every day, away from God.  Goodness I am sooooo not perfect and I know that.  I mean really this morning was the first time I've picked up my bible in a long time.  Because of where my faith lies though, I know what to do to strive towards that perfection.  Never will I get there, but doesn't change the fact that it's my goal.

My feelings towards the laws that are in place about marriage are indifferent.  People make laws.  People are not perfect.  No matter what laws are in place, someone is going to be pissed off. The laws are not what is wrong with this world.  The fact that no matter how much love is spread through this world, there is still an unlimited amount of hate is what is wrong.  You may say that the laws are creating hate, that's not true at all.  The REACTION is creating hate.  I have read so many disgusting things on Facebook in the past 24 hours.  From both sides.  Because of social media we are all given a platform to stand on and we abuse it like crazy to fulfill our own needs.  Those who fight for gay marriage bash Christians and our beliefs, those who are against gay marriage throw hate wherever they can.  It's ridiculous. 

So all I ask is that before you spew your nonsense all over everyone, take a second to realize what your words are going to do.  Are you looking for a fight?  Are you really trying to help the cause?  Are you going to accept the free speech that comes back at you?

Love is defined for me in one simple way.  Love is God and God is love.  I will not let the world change that definition for me.  So I do believe everyone has equality, everyone has the ability to choose God, to choose that Love, to choose that God is good enough and the rest is just people.  Imperfect people. 

So Long 2012

2012 was such a huge year.  When I sit back and think about how much happened I am amazed.

My family started off the year with a huge blessing and also a huge sucker punch.

Let's start with the blessing, getting to meet my amazingly beautiful niece Embyrlen Jaide.  Her smile and personality won our hearts immediately.  She is such a firecracker and throughout the year I loved getting to spend time with her and allow her to be such a huge blessing in my life.  Although she doesn't live close, I love getting updates and keeping up with pictures.  She has changed so much in just the past year.  Wouldn't trade the many hours of Nemo watching, chasing around the house, going to the park, and snuggling for the world.  Now if only I could convince the airlines to lower ticket prices because having family spread out all over is just not easy!!  

Now the sucker punch.  My mom was diagnosed with lung cancer at the beginning of 2012.  I call it a sucker punch because it knocked us out...for maybe a minute.  But you know us Bosharts (even those who have changed our last name), we aren't knocked down for long, ESPECIALLY my mom.  I knew it before, but this year has proven once again that she is the strongest woman I know.  Treatments every three weeks, continuing shrinkage in those nasty tumors, and you can't even tell when you look at her.  We as a family have such a huge support system, and because Jodi Boshart is THE Jodi Boshart our support extends to everyone she comes into contact with.  God has blessed us continually through this and we are so very thankful.  I, above most things, am thankful that I am home.  With where Matt was at in school, we were able to get all of his clinicals in Texas and I have been here to go to treatments and offer my help, but mostly I can see first hand that my mom really is okay. 

Not only did those two huge events occur but I was able to witness and be a part of two of my most amazing friends weddings, one of which allowed me to hang out with my best friend for a whole week, which was wonderful since she was stationed in England!!  My brother in law came home from his deployment and about 24 hours later my sister got pregnant ;)  She announced it on my moms 50th birthday, it was perfect.  On December 19th the world was blessed with another little Roman boy.  Thomas James Roman is practically perfect in every way.  I have not yet had the chance to meet him, but I am hoping to make a trip in about a month and am already counting down the days.  I mean seriously...that face!!  Can't wait to squeeze it!  

Above all, this year has pushed me towards God in a crazy way.  We were at church the other day and they were talking about what kind of person you were the past year.  It got me thinking that although I didn't attend church as much as I would have liked, due to circumstances I think me and God talked more than we ever have before.  Hoping to continue to grow in my faith and spend time being so very thankful for all the blessings around me. I can not wait to see what 2013 has in store.  Matt will be graduating in February and hopefully soon after finding a job he can be happy with, and then who knows!!   Since 13 is a family favorite number I can only imagine that this year will be wonderful!