Happy Holidays!

I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving!

Today’s post is very special to me and my family. It is about the power of a name.

Kody and I put a lot of thought into Ellie’s name. We wanted her name to reflect how special she is.

Many people do not know this, but Kody has an older sister. Her name was Shannel. Shannel was the oldest sibling. She was born 33 years ago today. Shannel was a huge blessing in the Smith’s family. Shannel was the happiest little girl. She was known all over town for her big brown eyes, and outgoing personality. She had to be the the center of attention and brought a smile to everyone’s face.

Shannel was in a tragic accident and passed away when she was six years old. Even though she is not here in person, her sweet spirit still feels the Smith family home.

My Grandma Brotherson passed in an awful car accident years before I was born. She was 52 years young. My mother was six months pregnant with her first born (my brother Kalan). Even though I never knew my Grandma Clarasee in person, I feel like I know her by the stories that my mom, aunt, and uncle share. Clarasee was the life of the party. She had an outgoing personality that everyone loved. From her outrageous hairstyles to her amazing softball skills, Clarasee was a standout. Everyone adored her and her positive outlook on life.

Even though Kody and I never knew these two, we admire their legacy. They impacted many lives. We knew we had to name our daughter after these two extraordinary humans.

The name Ellie comes from her aunt Shannel. Shannel’s nick name was Nelly, so we decided to name her Ellie. Claire comes from her great grandma Clarasee.

I’ve never felt closer to these two spirits, as I did when I was pregnant with Ellie. I knew they were watching over and preparing her to enter this world.  Ellie has two guardian angels watching over her.

Both our families can already see pieces of Shannel and Grandma Clarasee in our sweet Ellie. Ellie is outgoing, fun, and has such a positive attitude. I’m so grateful for these two influential spirits, and the impact they have on our life.

(Ellie’s OshKosh overalls are her aunt Shannel’s. They are 32 years old and still cute as ever!)