What's in a Name?

I never really thought about how odd my married last name is.........at one time, many years ago, I discovered there were only 33 people in the USA with that last name. All from my father-in-law's side of the family in Pennsylvania.

Fast forward to yesterday. I got a call from someone who had been trying to find my daughter, Jennifer. He did and discovered her passing in 2004. He then became consumed with tracking me down to talk with. He wanted to find out what had happened. I think they dated over twenty years ago. He said, "With your unusual last name, it wasn't difficult". Hmm, I had never thought about that. Now with Facebook and Google, if a name is slightly unusual, it is easier.

So, I went on Google to see how many people there are with our last name and there was another woman with Jennifer's first and middle name. And, of course her last name. How strange is that? More with our last name also.

It is weird in a way because my husband's stepfather was a man who we had nothing to do with. The last name was irrelevant, other in the fact that no one could say or spell it. My kids grew up saying and automatically spelling their last name. Knowing full well that no one would remember it. Heck I dated my husband for a couple of months before I would introduce him to anyone because I couldn't remember it.

But, that weird name came in handy yesterday. I had a lovely conversation with this man and he shared with me wonderful memories of my daughter. What a gift! All because of a name I never really liked.