The First Thing You Know

A local radio station where I often win prizes from their contests occasionally asks the trivia question, “What’s the first thing you know?” After many guesses like “your mother’s voice,” “the doctor’s hand slapping you,” “your mother’s touch,” I call in with the correct answer: “The first thing you know, ol’ Jed’s a millionaire.”
Well, in our house, Jed is not a millionaire, but the newest member of our family. His full name is DarthJedi’s New Hope.

Darth, of course, because Robert and I both have an affinity for Darth Vader from Star Wars, and I often refer to him as DarthRobert, and my user name on Twitter, Ravelry, etc., is usually DarthKnitter. He’s New Hope, because that is part of his father’s name, and also because it’s been 8 years since I lost my beloved Jonah, so it’s a new hope for me to have finally bonded again with a puppy.

And Jed, which is short for Jedi, obviously, but also I’m a huge fan of the TV show “The West Wing” where the president’s name was Jed Bartlet. Although Jed’s paper name is DarthJedi’s New Hope, his family name is Josiah Wilson Eastburn. Josiah, because that is the fictional Jed Bartlet’s real name, and also because I always name my dogs after a biblical figure. Robert teases me that TWW’s Bartlet is my favorite president, so he wanted to name Jed after his favorite president as well. Ronald Reagan’s middle name was Wilson. And in another accidental homage, my friend Judy who passed away a while back was a lover of Shih Tzu’s, and her last name was Wilson.
My Jonah was 15 years old when he died, and that was 8 years ago, so it’s been 23 years since I’ve had a baby to care for. But I have a new hope that I’m finally ready. (And, he really is cute, but unfortunately, most of the photos so far look a lot like this one):