what's in a (utah) name?

Sometime during college at BYU I was introduced (pretty sure by an ex-boyfriend) to this most hilarious website: Utah Baby Namer Anyone who has ever spent any significant amount of time in Utah will understand just how hilariously true these names are. And for those who haven't lived in Utah, believe me, you'll think it's funny too. I find it vastly entertaining to just browse through the list of boys and girls names, but for a quick introduction to the absurdity of many of these names check out the "Cream of the Crop" link on the main page. And yes, the creators of the site have confirmed all of these names as legitimate.

Here is a sample of some of my personal favorites (please don't be offended if your name or that of a loved one shows up here):

Boys:

BeVan
Canteen
Denim Levi
Golden Noble
Helamans Warrior
Iron Rod
Kay C
LaRoyd
NaLa'DeLuhRay
Nephi Courage
Pontiac
Q
Slaughter
Stockton Malone
TrinityMichaelJosef
Welcome Exile
Zaragrunudgeyon

Girls:

Abcde
Allora LaLovi
Barbie-De
Celestial Starr
Christmas Contada
Cumorah Hill
DaLinda LaDale
Desdedididawn
Fawn-Dew
Heavenly Melanie
Hi-D
Jeopardee
Justa Cowgirl
Kaysional Tempest
LaDonnaJosephrania
Liahonna
Lovie Angel
Marandastarr
Miracles Precious One
Mormon Beauty
Nudity
Rhyan K'Ci
Serenity-Tabitha-Ann
Shamberlee
Sin'D
Thankful Flood
Utahana
Zion Anakin

So tell me.... what's your favorite Utah (or other crazy) baby name?

fourth festivities

We had a pretty fun and relaxing 4th of July. We all slept in and then went swimming after lunch, and then came home and had dinner. We watched the fireworks from the lawn in front of the Provo Temple. And with the exception of some impatient whining during the last 30 minutes before it began, good times were had by all.

Jared got a little lesson planning in.

Grace pretended to read my book.

Olivia wouldn't get in the picture with us...

so Jared took one of her by herself.
And of course...finally...fireworks!

(We tried out the fireworks feature on the camera, but I think I moved too much on some. Although I think they look cool.)

just another manic monday

I've decided to hate Mondays. Many of you may be thinking, "Duh! Everyone hates Mondays!" But I have never really had a pure hatred of Monday until yesterday. You see, in our quad of Wymount Terrace, Monday is the day the BYU grounds crew comes and mows the lawn and weed whacks the h-e-double-hockey-sticks out of this place. And they start at approximately 7:30 a.m.!!! To make matters worse, there is no air conditioning in this lovely cinder block palace, so to avoid heat stroke, the windows are left open all night to let in the cool desert breeze. Hence, the sound of the weed whacker outside my window at 7:40 in the morning is loud enough to rouse a hibernating bear.

Needless to say, yesterday did not start out well and only seemed to get worse. I just felt like I was in a funk all day long. I HATE super hot days and yesterday it was over 100 degrees. That's way too hot to go outside for me and the kids' few attempts didn't last long either, so pretty much we spent most of the day stuck inside (fortunately this cinder block palace does stay pretty cool, even in 100 degree weather).

One highlight of the day was the birthday package that arrived from my mother for Isaac. It was full of fun art supplies, camdy, and a snorkle! The art supplies kept the kids busy for much of the day. And in the afternoon, I didn't feel too guilty when I let them watch about two hours (!) of PBS.

But as for me, I felt bored and restless and irritable and by 5:00 the attack of the killer headache was upon me. I tried ignoring it, but by 6 I succumbed and took some Tylenol. Excedrin is my usual headache drug of choice, but I really didn't want to be up half the night due to it's caffeine content. So I took Tylenol and hoped for the best. After lying down I attempted to make dinner, but that ended with me in painful tears. Jared held me while I cried during which we overheard this conversation:

Isaac: "Mummy isn't feeling well." (Mummy is the new name we decided on.)
Grace: "I heard her crying and Daddy was protecting her."

How sweet is that?

Skipping ahead, I did manage to get up and eat dinner and even teach Family Home Evening. But soon the headache reared it's ugly head again and back to bed I went with more tears. Jared cleaned up the kitchen, did the laundry, and even had to go back to the store at 11:00 because we were out of toilet paper! And this whole time, I just felt guilty. I felt like a horrible wife and Mummy!

Plus, while Jared was at the store I heard Olivia say this to Isaac: "It used to be that Katrina was nicer than Daddy, but now Daddy is nicer than Katrina."

Oh dear! Yeah, that's because I'm with you ALL DAY LONG and have to do the majority of the disciplining right now. I didn't actually say that, and I didn't go out there again and tell them to be quiet and go to sleep for the fifth time. I let their Dad do that when he came home.

Fortunately, Monday ended. I went to sleep and when I woke up this morning my headache was gone. And today I get to go spend some time with a few of my fellow Iversons whom I haven't seen since my wedding or longer. Thank goodness for friends! And thank goodness for this blog that lets me vent. And to all of you who read it. I promise to have a happier post tomorrow!

i love my husband

to the mother of my children,

From: Jared

Sent: Fri 6/29/07 8:08 PM

To: Katrina

My precious partner,

I emailed you to this email because I know you check it. My heart is so full right now, after first reading your "m" word post and then talking to the kids about what to call you. Grace once again insisted she wants to call you "mommy," and I suggested "imma" (Hebrew) or "mummy" for Isaac and Olivia. You make a good point that with all you do for them, it is only fitting that you have a special name.

One funny little thing--Grace was saying something about us being here and added, "because Mommy doesn't belong here!" I am so grateful that we have created a space for these children, a space where we can nurture stability and boundaries saturated with love. You fulfill my dreams, my beautiful angel. Thank you for being that angel, that messenger of God who came into my life and made me whole--more complete than I have ever been.

I like the double meaning of the subject--the obvious, that we will have beautiful children together whom we will love and raise together, children who will weld us even more closely together, and the fact that you are becoming more and more of a mother to my children, my dear friends whom I love and care so much for. I have ached that we will have a complete family and they never will, but this summer has already shown me that they too can bask in the fullness of our love.

I love you more, my goddess.

Yours forever,

Jared


Isn't that a most lovely email? Last night I left right after Jared got home from work to go the temple with my friend Jennifer. After a long a session, we got dinner and I didn't get home until about 11 o'clock. And this is what was waiting for me! Besides Jared and the kids all still awake! This email totally got me all misty-eyed. My husband is so good with words. I have hundreds of beautiful emails from him, but after the past two weeks with the kids, this one meant so very much to me. I wanted to share. Thank you, Jared. I love you!

the 'm' word

Being a step-parent presents an interesting question: What do the kids call me? While Jared and I were dating and engaged, they called me appropriately "Katrina". I never thought much of it. That's my name, of course that is how they would address me. But now that Jared and I are married and the kids are living with us, the situation is a little different. I am more than just a friend. I am a parent. And every day our relationships as parent and children deepen and strengthen. So it seems, the name they call me should reflect that. But where does that leave us? They already have a mom whom they call "Mommy".

I have thought about this quite a bit, wondering how this would develop. A while ago I read an article by a step-mom who suggested coming up with a special name for the step-children to call you. This shows the uniqueness and significance of the relationship. Here's how they handled it.

"When [my step-son began calling me "Mommy"], emotions ran very high. My stepson's biological mother felt threatened and thought she was losing her son's affections. Steven, my stepson, sensed his mother's feelings and became very upset each time he "slipped" and referred to me as "Mommy" in front of her. So, I asked Steven to think of a name just for me. Being four-years-old at the time, he decided to add an "a" to the end of my name [Jann] and call me "Jana." It's been more that five years now, and Steven continues to use that special name for me. Every time I hear it, I'm reminded of the close relationship that Steven and I have. "

This issue came up in our house last week. The kids do occasionally slip and call me Mommy, but its more in the way I slip and sometimes call Grace "Olivia" or vice versa. One day, when Isaac did this, Olivia said, "Why don't you call her 'step-mom'." Jared and I kinda laughed at that and said, no that's not really a name you use that way. Later, I told Jared about the aforementioned article, but it wasn't until last night that we talked to the kids about it. We were in the car when it came up. I asked them if they'd like to think of a special name to call me since I'm their step-mom. There were lots of silly answers from Grace and Isaac, mostly the names of animals. Jared suggested "Kiki", a nickname Jared's brother came up with. But Olivia said no, since Uncle Mike already calls me that. Then Grace said, "I want to call you Mommy!" We told her if she really wants to she can.

At home, she asked again if she could call me "Mommy". Again, we told her if she wants to she can. After brushing her teeth, she gave me a hug and said, "Goodnight, Mommy." Isaac also said "I love you, Mommy" in a trying it out sorta way. Olivia didn't really say anything about this one way or the other.

I don't know how this will play out. I'm not expecting them to all call me "Mommy". In fact, I'll be surprised if they do. I could definitely see Grace getting used to and even Isaac, but I don't know about Olivia. And it seems unlikely that the other two would call me "Mom" if Olivia doesn't. But again, I have no idea. I'm not going to press the issue. I'll let them take the lead. And I have no idea how their mother would feel about this. But I admit, it does feel nice to be called "Mommy". There's just something magical in that name.

So I ask all of you.... Any ideas for alternative names? What are your thoughts on this? Do you know of anyone who has dealt with this issue?

good read: Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

During every Family Vacation there is an obligatory trip to the nearest bookstore. This most recent trip, we visited a little place in Brainerd, Minnesota. There I saw Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (author of The Virgin Suicides). My sister had heard good things about it and as you can see by the cover, it won the Pulitzer Prize, so I flipped it open and read the first sentence:

I was born twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably smogless Detroit day in January of 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Potoskey, Michigan, in August of 1974.

How's that for an attention grabber?! I was hooked and knew I had to keep reading.

Now, something you probably don't know about me is that I am pretty intrigued by gender identity issues. I have watched several documentaries and television shows on transgendered people (those who feel they were born into the wrong body) and read whatever articles I come across as well. Along these same lines, I'm also mildly fascinated with hermaphroditism. And that is what this book is actually about. The main character is a hermaphrodite, in this case, a genetic XY male who appears as a baby to have female genitalia. In fact, nobody knows Callie is actually a boy until she is 14.

The story really begins with Cal's grandparents--Greek immigrants who come to the US from Turkey in the 1920's. Their story, as well as Cal's parent's is very important to why Call is who he is. The author does an amazing job weaving the past and present together. The writing is descriptive without being boring. Eugenides is so good in fact that I wondered how he could write this without being a hermaphrodite himself. (He's not.) He takes the story of a girl who grows up to be a man and shows us how much Cal is like all of us. And how our family histories are part of who we are, whether we like it or not.

This book also happens to be Oprah's pick for the summer. I didn't realize that until after I read it, but I can definitely see why she chose it. It is at times heartbreaking, often funny, and full of poignant moments. This is a coming of age story like none I've ever read before. And totally deserving of the Pulitzer. I highly recommend it.

for the hell or heaven of it

I saw this quiz on another blog and thought I'd try it out. My results are below. It was relieving to see that I really am a Mormon. What I didn't know is that I am 90% Jehovah's Witness and 73% Baha'i Faith. Don't have a clue what that is or even how to pronounce it. Who knew I was so diverse?

The top score on the list below represents the faith that Belief-O-Matic, in its less than infinite wisdom, thinks most closely matches your beliefs. However, even a score of 100% does not mean that your views are all shared by this faith, or vice versa. Belief-O-Matic then lists another 26 faiths in order of how much they have in common with your professed beliefs. The higher a faith appears on this list, the more closely it aligns with your thinking.

1. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (100%) 2. Jehovah's Witness (90%) 3. Orthodox Judaism (75%) 4. Bahá'í Faith (73%) 5. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (72%) 6. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (72%) 7. Sikhism (71%) 8. Islam (62%) 9. Orthodox Quaker (52%) 10. Eastern Orthodox (51%) 11. Roman Catholic (51%) 12. Reform Judaism (51%) 13. Liberal Quakers (49%) 14. Hinduism (48%) 15. Jainism (48%) 16. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (45%) 17. Seventh Day Adventist (45%) 18. Mahayana Buddhism (42%) 19. Theravada Buddhism (41%) 20. Unitarian Universalism (41%) 21. Neo-Pagan (25%) 22. New Thought (25%) 23. New Age (23%) 24. Scientology (20%) 25. Taoism (20%) 26. Secular Humanism (16%) 27. Nontheist (12%)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ISAAC!

Isaac turned 6 years old yesterday! He is probably the sweetest boy I know. He is so willing to share whatever he has. He loves to give hugs. He has the most darling smile. And those big brown eyes! Oh my, they melt my heart! (And look just like his Daddy's.) Isaac is a middle child through and through. Stuck between two very loud and sassy sisters, little Mr. Isaac has learned more quiet tactics to be heard. Isaac is an amazing little artist. He has a great sense for color and composition without even realizing it. And he also loves to take pictures! You can see from yesterday's post that he's pretty darn good. As the shyest of the bunch, it's taken longer to get to know Isaac and really feel like we are buds. But this summer has been great so far. There is little sound sweeter than hearing Isaac's child voice say, "I love you." I feel very lucky to have this boy in my life! As I heard Grace say today, "He's a good man!"

dancing the night away

Last night during Family Home Evening we sang primary songs and danced around the living room. All three kids are quite the little interpretive dancers. We had a lot of fun. We also went around the room and said what we loved about each person. Unfortunately, I didn't write them down last night and so this afternoon I totally can't remember. Oh well...

I've also been having fun turning my photos black and white the last few days. It helps turn pictures taken at night inside with a flash into something respectable.

These photos were taken by Isaac (edited by me):

I LOVE this one! I did very little cropping.

Self-portrait by Isaac
Singing and dancing with Olivia.
And me. I was the only one who would hold still and smile for Isaac. (Check out the awesome messy hair!)

morning snuggles