Today, my father-in-law, who I affectionately named "Pop", has a birthday to celebrate! After D and I were married I wanted to call his mom and dad something other than by their first or last names. I grew up where people called adult friends and neighbors by their last names like Mr. or Mrs. Smith (for example).
After we were married, I found that in D's community they called friends and neighbors Mr. or Mrs. and their first name. While I could pull that off for people that D had already named from his growing up years, for his parents it was a clean slate. I thought about it. A LOT.
Once we moved to D's home state, I remember calling his dad from work because I had just discovered what I wanted to call him and I wanted to ask him if it was okay. He liked it and I was thrilled.
Putting his name into use was harder because I had yet found something to call his mom. I did ask her and she said I could call her Mrs. and her first name like everyone else. That was really hard for me since she wasn't a neighbor or friend like everyone else. I was always on a quest to find something she would like though. I thought I would find a name for her but I didn't get to before she went to be with Jesus. I do still think about it though.
It had been a while since I had talked to D's dad about his name so he asked me if I was going to use it and I told him I wanted to so I put aside my plan of having names at the same time for his mom and dad and was able to call him Pop. Up until then, I really avoided calling them anything because I wanted it to be right the first time and not have to be undone. Tricky, I know. All those years. How did we even communicate? I would call, they would answer and I would just start talking. :) If we were in the same room, I just looked at them when I talked to them or needed to get their attention. It worked somehow.
Now, I have been calling him Pop for eight years and I am the only one who does. It is special and he is special to me.
After we were married, I found that in D's community they called friends and neighbors Mr. or Mrs. and their first name. While I could pull that off for people that D had already named from his growing up years, for his parents it was a clean slate. I thought about it. A LOT.
Once we moved to D's home state, I remember calling his dad from work because I had just discovered what I wanted to call him and I wanted to ask him if it was okay. He liked it and I was thrilled.
Putting his name into use was harder because I had yet found something to call his mom. I did ask her and she said I could call her Mrs. and her first name like everyone else. That was really hard for me since she wasn't a neighbor or friend like everyone else. I was always on a quest to find something she would like though. I thought I would find a name for her but I didn't get to before she went to be with Jesus. I do still think about it though.
It had been a while since I had talked to D's dad about his name so he asked me if I was going to use it and I told him I wanted to so I put aside my plan of having names at the same time for his mom and dad and was able to call him Pop. Up until then, I really avoided calling them anything because I wanted it to be right the first time and not have to be undone. Tricky, I know. All those years. How did we even communicate? I would call, they would answer and I would just start talking. :) If we were in the same room, I just looked at them when I talked to them or needed to get their attention. It worked somehow.
Now, I have been calling him Pop for eight years and I am the only one who does. It is special and he is special to me.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, POP! I love you ~ Sondra
