Namesake

This blog is for Van. Hopefully one day (maybe not until he's 40) he'll want to know the stories of himself as a baby and our family as we navigated this foreign land that is parenthood. And if there is one thing I want him to know, it is the story of his name. Van, just like his mama, is named in honor of his Great Grandmother, Katharine Van Hoogen Sweeney. Van Hoogen was my grandma's maiden name and the nickname of her own father, my great grandfather. Words cannot describe what this woman meant to me and our entire family. She was the anchor - and in many ways, even after her death still is.

Yesterday, our family gathered as it was the one year anniversary of her passing. Seems completely surreal that a year had gone by and even more surreal to think of all that has happened since then, mainly the birth of Van. Even now, just thinking about the fact that she hasn't been here for his life leaves me with a giant lump in my throat. And yet, I was reminded yesterday by my Papa of what a gift the time we did have with her was. Six and a half years prior to her leaving us she was given a diagnosis that held little hope for her to survive even six months. Cancer. Cancer, that was so bad the doctors suggested she not fight it and just enjoy the little time she had left. However, being the woman of faith that she was (that is understatement) she fought. In return, God granted her (and us) not six months, but six years. Nothing short of a miracle. I say all this, because while I grieve daily for her and so often feel like we all got the raw end of a bad deal, loosing her so soon and just a few short months before the birth of her first great grandbaby, in reality we were given a true gift to have her for so many more years. For that I am eternally grateful.

There is no way for me to adequately describe the character of this amazing woman and the impact she made on everyone who was fortunate enough to know her. Yet, for as long as I have breath in me I will try to do justice to her life and ensure that Van knows of the incredible person for whom he is named.