When you're from the country, it doesn't matter what your folks name you...

Because people will call you whatever they want to anyway. This is what I have learned over the 10 years (yes it will be 10 years on June 22nd) that Jeff and I have been a couple. I remember the very first time I met Jeff's parents and siblings and heard them call him Jackie. I was like, "Where do they get Jackie from when your name is Jeff?". The answer is cause they can call you whatever they want in the country. If their faces are pointed toward you and a name comes from their lips, then it's you that their talking to and you best answer. That's the same reason why Jeff's brother, Edsel, is Ekkey and his brother, Melvin, is Chet. Just cause I said so - that's why. Even these nicknames don't compare with the fact that he has an Uncle Babydoll and a Cousin Sweetie. Trust me, folks, these are NOT their real names but they identify with them and will wonder what's wrong if you call them by anything else.

Now on to what brought this realization home... Tonight we were visiting Jeff's uncle (named Silas, called Uncle Si - fairly reasonable) in the hospital and we met a family member that is not blood related to Jeff...he is on the other side of the family. The crew was hooting and hollering about fishing and growing tomatoes (things they do in the country) when the distant cousin started talking about his family members... Are you ready? He has a Cousin Fat Gal!! The bad part is that he said, "Yeah...Fat Gal has two kids...I forget what her real name is." So forever in time this poor woman from the country is Fat Gal, sister of Skeet and Buster...with no remembrance of what her parents put on her birth certificate.

While I find lots of humor in all of this, it is part of the culture of our lives that I can't wait to bring to our baby girl. But, trust me on this one, she will be Lily Faith through and through. No Big Booty Girl or Raven Hair nicknames for our sweetheart please :).

P.S. Please, God, do not let Jeff's family ever read this blog post and, if they do, make sure they know how much I love them ;).