The Naming of Flowers and Children

Latin has always fascinated me. My study of Latin in college was a delight. My college major was 'Letters' which brought more than a few chuckles and "Oh, are you learning your ABCs?" Digressing. Letters required me to undergo a thorough study of Latin.

As I have headed into adulthood and the early autumn of my life, I've found myself more and more enthralled with the Latin names given to flowers and other plants. Somehow Althea rosea rolls from the tongue in a way that the common name, Hollyhock, just does not. And what about Soapwort. Doesn't Saponaria ocymoides sound much more lovely?

Latin is considered a dead language by most. Dead because it is not spoken and therefore, useless. Not to me. In fact, one gift I plan to give our children is Latin.

Budding Author found a pillbug (a.k.a. doodlebug) yesterday. We looked it up in our Gardener's Bug Book and found out something very interesting. The pillbug's Latin name is Armadillidum vulgare. Like an armadillo (of all things), the pillbug curls up under a hard shell when threatened. Fascinating!

Where is this going, you ask? And how in the world does it relate to foster care and adoption?

In light of the privacy concerns of the children which CPS places in our home and in conjunction with my love of Latin flower names, I've decided to give each child a beautiful Latin flower name that describes their particular personality. Odd, I know. Yet, somehow beautiful to me.