E.L.C.K.

Dear Elzora Liisa Corazón Karlsson,
When we decided on your name we didn't even realize that your initials kind of spell the word "ELK." This is funny considering mommy's nickname was Moose when she was little. My grandmother, Norma Mac Killop, even had a customized book order for me titled "Moose Mac Killop's Adventure in Mother Goose Land." Maybe we will find it at your grandma's house, my mom, when we go to Michigan in August.
A guy named Bill Hale, gave me the name because my head was so big compared to the rest of my body.

One time Auntie Liisa told McKenna that she looked like a baby moose and McKenna started crying and didn't like Liisa for many years until she brought Uncle Jeremy over to the Channing house. Well, at least that's how the story goes.

Daddy has been talking about getting some new tattoos. I told him that it would be really cool to get a tattoo of your initials across his back with large protruding antlers coming out from the "E" and the "K." Today when I was looking up "corazón" images on Google, I found the image I have attached to this blog entry. It's titled "corazon y alce." I love that it incorporates both the corazón and the deer imagery. It's perfect.

I looked up "alce", because I didn't know what it meant. One source, THEOI Greek Mythology's Encylopedia of Greek Gods, Spirits and Monsters, says it means "The female personification of strength." Isn't that like the coolest?

BTW, your Auntie Christine came up with the name Corazón, because mommy's heart was beating so hard when I was pregnant with you. And mommy wanted to honor Christine, because she was so supportive during my pregnancy and even more supportive of my move to Sweden to be with daddy. The same is true for Auntie Liisa and that's why you have the name "Liisa."

As for the Elzora part of your name, my mother's mother's mother was named "Ione Elsora." I wanted you to have the same name, but I like the letter "Z" better than the letter "S" so I changed it. The name is Basque in origin and very, very beautiful to say.

Obviously you got the last name "Karlsson" from your papa, and I think that's a very beautiful name, too.

I love you.

Love,

Mommy

PS I've lived in Sweden for 1 year and 7 months and I have never seen a moose.