Who would think that someone so tiny and cute could pee and poop sooo much?! As much as I wanted to take those adorable photos of him in his birthday suit, he literally soils his diaper within 30 seconds of cleaning him…every time. I think he must be a modest fellow and it’s his protection mechanism from a photographer mama with a blog. And did I mention how often I’ve been peed on since he’s come along??? Too many times to count. I felt so bad the time he peed all over himself, including his face (!) (which my oldest son thought was hilarious)…and so I learned to take the diaper changing thing slow after that one…being very aware of subtle signs, if you know what I mean.
Well, on to more exciting things…for those waiting to find out his name…are you ready? It’s a long name, but we believe that the name a person carries, if chosen carefully can help develop beautiful qualities in the person…especially when you name a child after someone who has lived a remarkable life (our last child, Isa, is named after Jesus…). So without further ado, his full (long) name is Amadou Bamba Abdallahi Nural Deen Scherer. He’ll be affectionately known as Amadou.
Amadou is derived from the name Ahmad which means highly praised, implying one who constantly thinks of God. But there’s more…Amadou Bamba was a spiritual leader, mystic, poet, and monk from Senegal who led a pacifist struggle against French colonialism. His teachings, which emphasized the virtues of pacifism and hard work, were so universal, transformative, and full of peace that ultimately he was awarded the French Legion of Honor. Abdallahi means servant of God, and Nural Deen means Light of the Way of Life, referring to one who leads the way to God.
I know the topic of religion is taboo these days, and people are either fascinated with it or usually completely uncomfortable with it. For me, my relationship with God is imperative to my life and also a primary influence for how we raise our children…trying to instill in them a sense of goodness, compassion, community and an awareness and trust in God. So with the birth of little Amadou, I wanted to offer some small prayer for all children.
I pray that all our children grow up with a strong sense of who they really are, and a strong connection to ALL the people of the world…seeing each other as brothers and sisters and friends in the journey of life. And, I pray that our children develop the qualities and strength to live their lives courageously, making decisions based on love and truth…living life fully and presently, and going further with their ambitions than we’ve been able to. I pray that our children grow up as adults that are filled with love…so so much love.
Please feel free to add your own prayers in the comments section below. I’m off now to change a diaper!
