Goodbye, Kate from Wisconsin

Charlotte, Natalie, Jillian, Maureen. These were just some of the names I considered for the daughter I would have some day. I love the name Kate. Maybe I would name my girl Kathryn Rose and call her Kate.

One day last spring, we were at Memorial Park in Appleton. I was playing with one of the boys when an adorable little girl about 4 years old approached. "Hello, my name is Kate, and I'm from Wisconsin," she said, adorably, of course. This little incident resonated with me. Briefly, irrationally, I thought maybe it was a sign that we should try one more time for a girl.

Yeah, at times I've been a little obsessed with the idea of having a daughter. I compulsively watch the gender patterns of other people's families. Maybe we could be like so-and-so - they had two boys and then a girl, I thought before Gus. Or maybe if we went for it again, we could be like my cousin and her husband - three boys and finally a girl, I'll think. Maybe.

Who knows what the fates would give us. I know that in reality, when it comes to a baby's sex, it's most likely a 50-50 shake, but that's not really the point. The point is what you do with what you get. I have three beautiful, healthy, creative, smart boys. I have been blessed richly. Yes, when I see someone else's little girl in her tights and Mary Janes, sometimes I still get jealous, and maybe that never will change. But when I think about, really think about, all I have, I am filled to the brim with a sense of well-being. I'm happy with where I am, with my trio of boys.

We saw Garrison Keillor last winter. He had this line that I thought was great. I won't be able to repeat it as eloquently as Mr. Keillor, but I'll try. He said in life you can wish and wish and wish for something and then suddenly one day you realize that what you want is exactly what you have. And so it is. Goodbye, Kate from Wisconsin.