When Savannah Smiles...

Bill recently got back from another trip to Savannah, GA. Over the last few years he has had to travel there quite a bit. His company has a big gas facility there and when they need to speak to the press, Bill is their guy. It always cracks me up to see Bill on the Savannah evening news.

Here’s what is so funny/sweet/ironic about his travels there…

Bill resisted, through many years and 2 girls, the name Savannah. It was my most favorite girl name since the 4th grade when I saw the movie “When Savannah Smiles.” The theme song goes….“when Savannah smiles, the whole world smiles along…”. Which I think is true.

I loved the little girl in the movie. She was the Governor’s daughter and was so cute. She had a great room, her clothes were cool and she was full of spunk. If you’ve never seen it, I own it…you’re welcome to watch.

But when I married my Minnesota man, he would not hear of having a daughter named Savannah. He said it would be like me naming a child Fargo or Deluth. A Northern man doesn’t name his child after a Southern city. And besides, he said the Northern kids would make fun of her name when she visited her grandparents. Or so he thought.

We decided to find out with baby #3 if it was going to be a boy or a girl. When we found out it was baby GIRL #3, I again thought…here’s my chance. Savannah.

When I finally had my opportunity…the big moment I had been waiting for - to nervously ask Bill, “this time? Savannah? He said, without a moments hesitation “yes, let’s name her Savannah. We’re going to keep having girls until you get a Savannah.” (Which ironically is what happened - 2 years and 10 months after Savannah arrived, Jacob was born.)

And then this feisty little redhead wrapped herself around his heart.

And Bill began traveling to Savannah. And with each trip he’d say…“this shirt I picked up just looked like her.” Or, “this was so cute.” Or, “I thought she might be outgrowing those other shirts.”

I finally said…“Bill, I think she might have enough Savannah shirts.” To which he responded…“well, this is just so much cheaper than monogramming.” Well, there is that.

But yet still…the shirts continued to appear. After one trip he came home with a shorts set. His comment? “I know she has enough clothes, but I thought she could wear these as pajamas.” And she did…proudly.

She has a glow in the dark Savannah shirt, a butterfly Savannah shirt, long sleeve, short sleeve…you name it.

And when he came home this last time, yet again there was a new Savannah shirt. Said he saw it in a window and knew she “had to have it.” This time it was a long sleeve one that said “Love” with a peace symbol…and just below, you guessed it…her name.

And I just smiled.

Because I know that he is awfully glad he has a little girl named Savannah.

And I also know that when this Savannah smiles, her Daddy, for sure, is going to smile along.