Matilda,
Over the past 10 months you have gone by many names, plain baby, namaste, lentil,
and mostly, cletus (the fetus). But now that you are here, we can only see that
you are clearly Matilda Grace. As soon as you came into this world (and we knew
you were a girl) we could not think of a more fitting name – beautiful,
timeless, original, and one of a kind – just like you.
You are named in loving memory of two very special women. Matilda is after
your great grandmother Marjorie Schafer, better known as Mama Marge. We know
that she is here with us today and that she will always be with you. Mama Marge
was loving and kind, honest and giving. Matilda, among so many things, we wish
for you to grow up with Mama Marge’s thirst for knowledge and her ability
to “tell it like it is.” Mama Marge embraced her Jewish faith, opening
up her home to people all over the community, offering them the chance to experience
a Passover seder or Hanukkah celebration. As you grow up in the Jewish faith,
we hope that you will embrace it with the same passion as Mama Marge, sharing
and celebrating your Jewish roots with your family and community. A strong and
loving woman, we know that her memory will be reflected in the graceful and
loveable little girl that you already are.
Your middle name is in memory of your great grandmother, Grace Mountain, who
truly lived up to her name. She was a woman who had great grace and a love for
her family and family history. She also loved to travel. We wish for you to
grow up knowing just how loved you are by your family and while we always want
you near us, we want you to experience all that the world has to offer. Your
great grandma Grace was a woman of great faith and was active in her church,
yet very interested and open to all religions. She would be proud to watch you
grow up with a strong belief in Judaism while accepting people from all backgrounds.
As first time parents, all we can do is try our best and listen to our instincts.
We know that we are not perfect and hope that you know this too. We can only
ask of you that which our parents asked of us, that you try your best, whether
at breastfeeding or in applying to the class of 2030 at U of M. We know that
you will do anything and everything that you put your mind to.
We are going to raise you in the Jewish faith, and have given you a Hebrew
name, Miriam Gabriela, that honors the memories of those same two great grandmothers.
We hope that you will embrace your faith and find comfort in its teachings and
customs (don’t worry you won’t have to fast this yom kippur).
If there’s one (ok, four) things that we want you to always remember it
is these four rules:
1. You are special
2. Always try your best
3. Be kind to other people
4. Mommy and Daddy always love you.
We could not feel more blessed that you are a part of our lives. We can only hope that we can show you the same happiness and joy that you have shown us in just seven short days. May you live a long, full, healthy and happy life, embracing the attributes and memories of the two women for whom you have been named, as you become your own amazing person, our Matilda Grace.