Her long awaited name

I know there are people out there thinking that we are never going to pick a name for Baby Girl Heck.  I'm not really sure if that is because people are impatient, or that they weren't in the know (I get the question DAILY from my students), or that they really just are genuinely interested.  The truth of the matter is that chosing a name for our children has always been a very private matter between Brian and me. 

With this being the 3rd baby, we have come to understand with each other that it is a very informal process where we "table" certain names for quite a while + try and combine them with middle names that "flow."  There are some weeks where we suggest all kinds of names (some with positive remarks; some with negative comments tossed out).  Then there are weeks that go by where baby names are not even mentioned.  Either way, there have been a small (very small) number of names that we keep coming back to.

The other thing that we keep going back to is this:

This napkin is 7 years old.  I have kept it very close to my heart for all of these years.  One night in early 2004 (while with my sister), Brian and I brainstormed names that we might like to one day name our unborn children.  As you can see, it really was a smattering of names.  The important thing is that we both liked them.  Fast forward to early 2011 and Brian and I are once again faced with naming another Baby Heck.  Both of our childrens' names have been on this list (at least in part), so it was no surprise to us when we final decided on a name that at least part of her name would come from this list.

Her first name, means "Star of the Sea"... very fitting given that Brian & I love the ocean so much.
Her middle name, means "Grace of God"... very fitting also because this baby is quite the blessing.

Her first name is a reflection of both of our mothers' names.
Her middle name is taken from my mom's name.

Her name will be Marilyn Jane Heck.