Laurel

My mother is an avid reader and stumbled across the name "Laurel' in a book. She loved it so much that it became my name. I, of course, hated it. I have a strong personality, yet all I wanted as a child was to fit in. Having a different name really irritated me, since I was so different already. And when they made that book into a movie, they changed the character's name to "Jennifer," which pretty much summed it all up for me (I was born in 1981, so being a Jennifer or Amy was basically my dream). As I got older, even though I still respond to both 'Laura" and "Lauren" and do get tired of correcting people, I do like my name and the gentle uniqueness of it.

I struggled with infertility, but always longed for a baby girl. I had wanted to name a baby girl Adeline Leah, after a song I loved and my beloved Aunt Leah... And then the baby would have mirrored my initials (my full name is Laurel Amanda). Alas, my sweet baby was made. Since we'd had so much trouble both conceiving and maintaining a pregnancy, I thought this may be my only baby (though he does have a little brother now)... So he has my initials -- Lucas Aaron. I also have a weird hang up about names that have a childish sounding nickname... Like when a child is named Robert they are Bobby within their family like forever. Lucas is a good one because it can't really be an "y"-ified name. Though we do call him Lukie as sort of a goof. :)

-Laurel, Centennial, CO, USA