Someone said, “If children are the rainbow of life, then grandchildren are the pot of gold.” We just had our pot of gold sweetened with the birth of our eighth grandchild, a boy born to my son Jonathan and his wife Amanda.
She was due March 1. Since she ran ten days past her due date with her first two boys, I (selfishly) prayed that the baby would come sometime early in the week of March 3rd. March 10 was a big anniversary celebration for our church and I couldn’t miss that Sunday morning if she delivered Saturday or, if she delivered earlier, I needed to be back for that special day.
On Tuesday, February 26, we were almost heading to bed when the phone rang at 10 p.m. and Jonathan told my wife they were on the way to the hospital. We were shocked that this one was early. We scrambled to make arrangements and left early Wednesday morning to drive to North Myrtle Beach to watch the two other grandsons and then bring them to the hospital to meet their little brother.
Jonathan and Amanda found out the gender in December, so we knew the baby was a boy. Around 2:40 Wednesday afternoon, February 27, Jonathan texted, “Baby is here! Any guesses?”
Ruth responded, “Ten pounds, three ounces.”
Rachel guessed, “Nine pounds, nine ounces.”
I guessed, “Eight pounds, eleven ounces.”
Amy offered, “Nine pounds, three ounces.”
My oldest daughter Rebecca was out of the country and not privy to these communications, so I used What’s App to keep her in the loop.
“Baby is here. Don’t know anything else. What’s your guess for weight?”
She replied, “I’ll guess eight pounds, fourteen ounces.”
Then a text came with a picture of the baby and the “Newborn Identification Card” with the stats and footprints.
I glanced without my glasses and relayed the stats: “Nine pounds, twelve ounces, 21.5 inches long, baby’s name is Caeptn.”
I meant to text “Caeton” but my fingers hit the wrong key and I typed “Caetpn.”
Rebecca asked, “How do you pronounce that? Like Captain?”
“Caeton.”
“OK, how do you pronounce that? Kay-ton? What’s middle name?”
“Yes” and “I don’t know.”
I attached the pictures and Rebecca responded, “The picture says the baby’s doctor is Caeton. Did they name the baby after the doctor? It just says Chancey for the baby’s name.”
I looked closer and realized, like a goofball, I misread it and sent the wrong info, so we were still in the dark about the name.
Soon Jonathan texted, “Easton Andrew Chancey.” Andrew was Amanda’s grandfather’s name but why Easton?
Jonathan texted, “Just a name we liked and it does happen to be a baseball name.”
They named their first son Cobb, Amanda’s maiden name, and, of course, a strong baseball name. Ty Cobb, the Georgia Peach, is a Hall of Famer who played for the Detroit Tigers.
Then came their second son, Nolan James. They like “Nolan,” who, of course, reminds baseball fans of Nolan Ryan, the Hall of Fame pitcher and eight-time All Star who holds the major league strikeout record.
So who is Easton? Baseball and softball players recognize the name from the company that manufactures bats, gloves and other equipment. One lady posted that she was watching her husband play softball and saw the name Easton on the softball bats, liked it and named her son “Easton.”
There have been baseball players named Easton. For example, Jack Easton played professional baseball for St. Louis and Pittsburg in the late 1800’s. John Easton signed with the Philadelphia Phillies after graduating from Princeton University and appeared in four Major League Baseball games in the 1950’s.
Relief pitcher Aaron Easton was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 29th round of the 2004 MLB June Amateur Draft from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
Brandon Easton played in Minnesota Twins minor league system in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Stephen Easton played in the Los Angeles Dodgers system in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Both were pitchers.
So Easton Andrew Chancey, this big good-looking fellow, has joined the fold and we’re thrilled to death. Maybe he’ll play some baseball one day.
(Dr. David L. Chancey is pastor, McDonough Road Baptist Church, Fayetteville, Georgia. The church family gathers at 352 McDonough Road, near McCurry Park, and invites you to join them each Sunday for Bible study at 9:45 a.m. and worship at 10:55 a.m. Visit them online at www.mcdonoughroad.org and like them on Facebook).
