Today...

my youngest child legally changed his name to that of my husband's surname. It was the end of a six and a half year process. When he was adopted, he wanted to keep his biological mother's name. We let him. About two years later, he told us he wanted to legally hyphenate his name. We let him. About a year ago, he started telling us he wanted to just use my husband's surname and finally that he wanted to change it legally to just that name.

Those of you who read the blog must know how powerful this moment is in our family. When he arrived, he had lost so much, the very last thing we could do was also take his name away.

Welcome home, little one. Welcome home.

© Bright Nepenthe, 2010