Today, we celebrate a special occasion in our home – Lorie’s name day.
Her full name is Dolores Amparo, a name rich with meaning, memory, and love.
Dolores comes from Our Lady of Sorrows (Mater Dolorosa / Sorrowful Mother). Providentially, her feast fell on September 15 – the very day we attended an adoption forum in 2023, already holding in our hearts the certainty that our child would be a girl. In naming her Dolores, we entrust her life to Our Lady, who remained faithfully close to the Cross of her Son. We pray that Lorie, too, may have the courage to stand firm in life’s sorrows, yet never without hope – because like Mary, she will also be close to the victory of the Risen Christ.
Amparo comes from the root word ampon (“to give shelter, to take care of”) – a word that carries the essence of adoption. It is also the name of Sam’s late mother, who herself was an adoptive mom. In honoring her name, we also honor her legacy of love and shelter.
Together, Dolores Amparo tells the story of who our daughter is and what we pray for her to become: someone who always knows she is chosen, sheltered, and deeply loved.
A Family Tradition
Celebrating name days has long been a Catholic tradition, but for us, it’s also becoming a family tradition – a way to remind Lorie that her name isn’t just a label, but a story and a prayer. Just as we’ll mark her birthdays with cake and candles, we’ll celebrate her feast day with flowers, stories, and small reminders of the grace behind her name.
In time, we hope Lorie will look back and see how these celebrations connected her to something bigger: to her family’s history, to her faith, and to the truth that she is, always, chosen and loved.
Happy Name Day, our Dolores Amparo!
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