Write about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc.

This was my grandmother’s name. She was an American Indian woman my dad always said she was a medicine woman. I barely knew her, she lived in California and we were in Texas so we met her twice I think.

Anyway from what I hear she was very good at knitting and I knit all the time. She also grew a very large squash in her garden once, we have a picture somewhere.

When I was younger I hated my name. People always said it was an old lady name, and of course as kids do, they made up all kinds of versions of my first name. There was a time when I tried to go by Mae, but it didn’t stick.

Now that I am older all of that makes me laugh. I had a phone interview once and when I met the guy in person I remember him saying I wasn’t what he expected. I asked what were you expecting? He said honestly a small woman with gray hair 🙂 There was also the year I turned 40 and I kept getting phone calls trying to sign me up for Medicare. I kept telling them I know I have an old name but I’m only 40. Then someone showed up at my door one day to sign me up and when she saw me she laughed, I let her come in for awhile it was so cold out. We had a nice conversation and she was able to warm up.

I have looked up the meaning of my name but none of those are as good as being named after my grandmother. That’s the only meaning I need.