Day 255...18 years

Oct 11

Today, is 18 years since my dad Dave Goins, passed away.

It's still strange for me to think about. That was such a long time ago, and now more than half my life ago....about 2/3 my life actually.

Dad would have loved Martyn. He always was the favorite uncle to all his nieces and nephews, and all the kids always loved him. Out of the now 9 grand kids, and two great grand kids he has, he only met the first two before he died....and he loved them both. I often wonder what he would think of my whole life now, if he could some how see it. I don't know if he would like my lifestyle choices that brought me to where I am today....but I know he would have loved Martyn. He would have enjoyed him a lot, had he had the chance to meet him.

When I was pregnant with Martyn, Eli and I decided we would not name the baby's first name after either of our parents. Martyn does have Eli's dads middle name though (Lyle). Out of my siblings, I'm the first one who did not name my first son after my dad some how. Both of my first male nephews have part of my dads name....My oldest nephew, Ezekiel Lamar, my sister's son, has my dads middle name. My second oldest nephew David Isaac, my brother's oldest son, has my dads first name.

I thought about naming Martyn with both my dad and Eli's dads middle name....but Eli was insistent on only one middle name (since he himself has two middle names and it caused much confusion in his life). I was ok with that too, because Martyn Lyle Lamar Loehrke, or Martyn Lamar Lyle Loehrke, is just WAY too many L's.

Even still, I'm kind of proud of the fact that my first son is not named after my father.....I feel like that name has already been used. I don't think for any future sons I may have, I'll want to name them after my dad either. Not that I'm not proud to be his daughter, but it's just a different time now I guess.

p.s. My mom just pointed out that it was actually 19 years, not 18. What the heck am I thinking? Ha!