Wednesday, July 6, 2011

The Amazing Iron Will

Names have been a thing we thought about for years.  With a last name like Diefenbaugh, we knew our kids would need strong names with short spellings or they may never leave Kindergarten.  As we were choosing for the boys, it was important to keep family roots at the heart of what we chose.  My Father was James Dennis, his father James Heinz, hence Cody James.  For William it was even simpler: a girl would be Elizabeth Emma after our beloved aunts who had passed and if he was a boy William Jack after Chad's father, grandfather, great grandfather & Jack from his beloved step father who passed away shortly after we were married.  When our beautiful little man arrived in the big world I would have never dreamed how the meaning of his name would actually fit so beautifully with his personality. 

William comes from the German Will or Desire and Helm meaning helmet & protection.  I can't think of a more appropriate name for our little brave warrior.  His nickname Iron Will goes back pre-kids.  Chad and I were stationed in Norfolk Virginia shortly after we were married.  We lived in the Navy lodge while Chad was in school.  With a very small space and extremely cold temps in the winter we watched a ton of movies.  We were big fans of some Disney movies the first: Yellow Dog the Journey home which is where we were determined to get our beloved Yellow Lab Hunter once we were settled in a permanent home and the second and favorite was a movie called Iron Will.  In 1917, Will Stoneman's  father is killed in a mushing accident leaving Will to care for his family. Needing money for college and to save the family farm in South Dakota, Will decides to travel to Winnipeg, Manitoba to take part in a dog-sled race from Winnipeg to Saint Paul, Minnesota. The young man prepares both physically and mentally for the harsh weather and terrain throughout the race. During the race, Will becomes popular with the newspaper media as reporter Harry Kingsley tells about Will's strong courage in what he must do. Will beats all odds and through integrity and spirit wins the race. 

When William was diagnosed with Infantile Scoliosis, all I could think was my sweet Iron Will, so young to face so much.  My feelings of poor Will have since changed to complete awe and admiration.  He is no longer the little helpless baby, rather the true spirit of his nickname, Iron Will.  He has an amazing comprehension of what he is going through and an incredible spirit.  I am so proud of my little Wilhelm.  I am blessed to have been given the honor to spend my life with such amazing boys and to learn from our little spitfire.  He gives me hope and strength when it is somehow diminished.  He is my Amazing Iron Will.  Looking forward to spending a week in a place away from reality, a place of peace, somewhere only we know. 



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