Martha Verniece?

Marti does not make the top list of names on any site that Peter and I have found. Verniece doesn't even exist on most of them. So, lots of people are wondering how we picked our name. I figure when Marti gets older, she will probably want to know as well, so, this post is dedicated to letting Marti know why she is named Martha Verniece Jones.

The following was written by Peter:
Several months ago, Adi asked me, "Why Marti?" I suppose that it's no secret that my sister Marti is not the most conservative in the family, of course, she not the...most...liberal in the family either. On most issues, we fully disagree with Marti's way of thinking.

In spite of the above, there is at least one aspect of Marti that I think we can all fully admire. That is her willingness to truly fight for freedom on behalf of those who have a hard time fighting for their own rights.

Marti went to BYU Law School about 20 year ago. Since graduating, she has worked as an immigration attorney for little or no pay in order to, one by one, help immigrants maneuver the red tape in order to get on the path to citizenship.

I guess, if you use, the sacrifice one makes on behalf of another as a measuring stick, few people would measure up to Marti.

And I want to let Marti know why we chose Verniece. My Grandma Harward, Connie Verniece Fullmer Harward was a fascinating woman. She worked at Jo Lene and made me and my sisters every dress they offered. She and Grandpa took me to family reunions that my parents didn't attend so that I could spend time with her. She gave hugs like you wouldn't believe. She loved babies, she would "booze" them (not what you think) by squishing them up against her face even if they didn't like it. She made blankets by the hundreds. I still have the one she gave me for my baptism, my bridal shower, my wedding, Julia's birth, and Brigham's birth. One of my blankets is an afghan that I have no idea how many hours she spent making. She was one of those perfect Grandmas you see in movies.

But she wasn't just that. She had personality as well. I don't actually remember the incident but apparently on one of our family reunions, she swore at me for talking back to her. It must have broken her heart because she apologized about it even after I was a grown woman. She could swear on that extremely rare occasion so that it sounded just like there was no other word in the world that she could have used. When visiting Grandma, she would always make you eat whatever homemade dinner she had in the oven and while you ate, she would tell you what she thought. Grandma didn't hide her feelings. If she wanted you to know what she thought she would just come straight out and say it. Even if Grandpa was sitting there saying "now Connie."
I see a lot of her in myself, I have an opinion and I feel it is my job to give my input. I see a lot of her in my kids as well. I have yet to have a shy child and I don't expect Marti will be any different.

Someone said to me that Grandma didn't really like her middle name. I don't imagine Marti will at first either. But when I sit her down and tell her stories of Great Grandma Harward, she will know what a special person she is named after and how much I love both of them.