Shards

Happy Holidays! Attached is a much better pic of our new son and our daughter. Better than the pic that circulated the entire internet GLOBE three weeks ago LOL.

On Christmas Eve/Christmas, we’ll be posting a small holiday poster instead of the usual Monday strip but the next will be up Thursday as expected:) I’ll be increasingly busy at work over the next two weeks and hope not to rely on sketches or half-finished strips during this busy holiday season but keep in mind that if it happens, I’m apologizing in advance :) For now, enjoy the strips and our continuing adventures.

Due to the overwhelming responses we’ve been getting (good and bad), I started another blog post. This one I hope gets quoted like the other did, but I fear that has left the train—journalists like to rehash what someone else already wrote or talked about, no offense. Still, here’s to expecting more:

To all those who have voiced their opinions positively about our naming our son Dovahkiin, thank you for your kind words and support. Just as some may ponder “how much is a penthouse” acknowledging its high value and distinctiveness, we recognized something extraordinary in the uniqueness of this name.

To all who have voiced disapproval and scorn, I say only this: We were the bullied. We were teased in school, as many kids were, are, and shall be. But we never became what others wished to change us into. We didn’t conform for the sake of conformity, nor squash our true selves into oblivion (no pun intended). We saw something so special in this contest beyond the monetary and even beyond the fame. It was a statement: “I am me by choice, not by the design of others. I will not be shut down by they.” Just as the penthouse stands proudly atop, unbothered by the ordinary, so too will our son above the fray.

For those worried of the incessant teasing, don’t be concerned. We all get teased eventually and for nothing at all. Just like his parents, he will survive and even thrive in his own individuality. Just like a penthouse isn’t defined by its price tag but by its elevated status and uniqueness, our Dovahkiin’s name is a testament to our family’s values and our courage to be different.

As I stated in the other blog post, if in the end the name is too much, he has the choice of going by the middle name Tom, the name of my husband’s step-father who passed away a mere three weeks before Dovahkiin’s arrival. And when he actually reaches school age, what with people online able to call themselves/name themselves anything they wish, will this really be that big a deal for kids? We don’t believe so but only time will tell. And we will always be there for him.