What's in a Name?

Dear Baby Lackey,

I want to tell you about your name.

Long before we became pregnant with you, your Dad and I had discussed what we would name future children. There are many options.

First, we could give you a popular name. But as you'll soon find out we're not really "trendy" so that didn't seem like a good fit.

Second, we could give you a biblical name. However, we couldn't agree. I like unusual names like Shadrach or Hezekiah. But your Dad likes the more traditional biblical names.

Third, we could give you a cool Greek or Hebrew name. Your Dad and I both took Greek and Hebrew at seminary and there are some awesome words with wonderful meanings that make pretty cool names. But if you inherit my poor spelling skills, we didn't want to make life more difficult for you by giving you a transliterated name.

Finally, we decided we wanted your name to honor people whose lives we admired.

Your first name is Hudson. It's after this guy below - Hudson Taylor.

Hudson Taylor was a missionary to China. He has an amazing testimony of overcoming health issues and opposition to go to China. While we pray you have no health issues like he had (he had a bad heart) we do know that you will face opposition in this life, particularly if you are to follow Jesus which we pray everyday that you will do. For his time, he was unconventional and controversial in a lot of his methods to share Christ with the Chinese, but he was willing to do what it took. We pray you have that same determination. Plus, he had a pretty impressive beard.

Your middle name is Andrew. Andrew is a biblical name. He was one of Jesus' followers. When he met Jesus he went and found his brother Peter and brought him to meet Jesus. We hope you are like Andrew - bringing others to meet Jesus.

The name Andrew is also firmly planted in both your Dad and my's family. Andrew is your Dad's middle name. He loves me more than anybody else and he loves you with all his heart! Plus he is one of the most giving, generous people I know. I hope you are that loving and giving.

Andrew is also your Great-Grandaddy Proctor's middle name. You can see him below dancing with your Great-Grandma Proctor.

Your Great-Grandaddy and Great-Grandma Proctor were married 62 years before he died. We hope you find a wife one day and have a marriage just as long, if not longer.

Your Great-Grandaddy Ball's first name was Andrew.

In this picture, your Great-Grandaddy Ball was 40 years old. He was leaving Paris, France on his way back home after serving in World War II. He was very brave and even hang-glided out of airplanes in the war. We hope you are as brave as him. He and your Great-Grandma Ball lived with your Daddy as he grew up. Your Great-Grandaddy Ball meant a lot to your Dad and taught him many things.

Your Grandaddy Proctor's middle name is Andrew too! (See the trend?) Here is one of my favorite pictures of your Grandaddy Proctor, my Daddy!

That's me, your Mama, grinning on the couch with him long before he was a Grandaddy, but just a Daddy to your Aunt Sharon and me. Your Grandaddy Proctor is a man you should admire as well. He is very smart and a very hard worker who always took care of and loved me. Plus he has awesome thick, black, curly hair and amazing blue eyes we hope you get from him.

Lastly, your first cousin is named Andrew.

He's probably the smartest teen I know. If you're wondering why he looks so goofy in this picture it is because he just got accepted to Notre Dame University. That's a pretty prestigious school. Not only is his smart, but a great athlete. You would do well to emulate him.

So, Hudson Andrew Lackey - I hope you grow up to do as well if not better than these men after whom you were named.

Love,

Mama