What's in a Name?

...That which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet...

In this case, it meant my boy's identity and sense of belonging in this family. At twelve years old, he has known the Mister's love for three quarters of his life. He knows he is treated and cared for and loved just as much as everyone else in our family. He knows that although Louie didn't have a hand in bringing him into this world, that he did play a huge role in bringing him up in it. But nevertheless, whenever the time called for his documented name and he had to sign a surname unlike the rest of ours, I could see the annoyance and even a twinge of sadness in my dear boy's face.

Now, after years of reasoning with the idiot who was the sperm donor for this wonderful boy (he must have taken after me), the change has finally come.

DYLAN LOUIS OCHOA

He had the option to change his middle name, which was orginally after his two grandfathers. But Dylan wanted to honor the man who has loved him as much as any other father would love his son, if not more. And so the middle name was chosen by the bearer himself.

With the decline of traditional nuclear families, it is rare for such strong relationships to result from marriages with children already involved. But, to my surprise, I was relieved to witness such a special bond develop between the Mister and Dylan. Now, as the awkward years of teendom and puberty approach, I find myself on the sidelines observing my boy reach out to the Mister, smiling as the two close the door to have a talk about issues that "Mom would never understand."

What a way to end the year, to see my son's ultimate dream of gaining the legal right to hold his father's name.