Maybe now is not the time to share a laugh my husband and I had on our way home from the ultrasound—but it is sticking to my ribs and it is making me smile. Under my new circumstances as a thrice-miscarrying woman, I have the ability to approach this storm in my life by looking it straight in the eye. Call me the Miscarriage Whisperer. I won’t be beat in the end.
As we drove home, I talked about how I will always link this baby with summer, our trip to the beach. Heat and light, strawberries and snapdragons. The calendar flipped from June to July and now to August. I told him I had been calling the baby Summer. He said it was a better name than Remmus—which is summer spelled backward. Earlier, in the waiting room, I read a little article about the iffy trend of naming babies things like Nevaeh, which is Heaven spelled backward.
Except I misheard him. I thought he said Summer was a better name than Grimace.
Yes. Grimace is a tragic name, reserved for purple piles of googly doofy goo. Summer is far superior. I am not a big fan of naming babies after times and places but in this case I will make an exception. She was Summer, breezy and intense and gone too soon.
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning. ~Psalm 30:5
There is more summer ahead, on our calendar and in my heart forever.
(regarding how hilarious we found “Grimace”…you probably had to be there)
I always loved the names Summer and Autumn for girls. Isn’t God good at giving us laughter, the best medicine, at just the right times?
~TaunaLen
Beautiful.
Steph
Ah Summer. It invokes so many emotions and memories. I’d hoped this one would be different. Summer brings a smile to my face, and I hope it always will for you too.
You are so strong to weather this with such grace. My thoughts are with you.
One of Valerie’s best friends is named Summer. My Grandmother threatened to name my Spring (born March 20th) if she didn’t like what my mom came up with.
I am sorry, Gretchen. Your words are beautiful as usual, though.
I once worked with a woman named Autumn. She had three sisters named Winter, Spring, and Summer.
No kidding.
I think Summer would be a wonderfull name.
Lovely, even when not there 🙂
I am sorry, and glad for you, too, that you have this kind of strength in your faith and in your marriage. One day you will find little Summer and the others… I have been holding on to this lately, too.
I’m so sorry, Gretchen. I see how hearing Grimace would have made you laugh. Hugs.
We were driving in the van, and I was counting seats, imagining the kids who will not sit in those seats, since we are officially done. I started wondering what my daughter would have been like had she been born, and I began to wonder if I would ever not miss her. Which led me to thinking about your recent posts, which led to a feeling of deepening sadness . . . then suddenly I pictured you having this conversation, and I got the giggles right there on the freeway. I hadn’t laughed when I read it, but maybe it’s one of those things–you have to be walking the edge to appreciate both sides.