A new generation of Rodriquezs joins the lost cause...

Back in 2003 when Seth was was finishing his ThM degree he had some difficulty with the binding process. What was the problem? They kept spelling his last name wrong on the cover/spine. As a result the "important copies" (the library copy, for one) were finally corrected, but the copy on our shelf boast the author: "Seth M. Rodriguez."

Last night, in attempt to again help the kids understand what it is that has been taking Daddy away from us so completely for the past few weeks, I retrieved Seth's thesis from the shelf in the bedroom and began to explain, "This is a book Daddy wrote. Right now he's working on writing another book just like this one."

I showed Benjamin the last name on the spine, knowing he has begun to recognize our last name when he sees it written out. "Benj, what does this say?"

He scrutinized the gold stamped letters with a furrowed brow and finally poked a tiny finger at the latter third of the name and said, "Mama, that a G. G-U-E-Z."

"You're right! What if it was a Q? Q-U-E-Z? What would it say then?," I pressed.

He was triumphant: "My last name! Rodriquez!"