The day our Klaus Fredrik was born, Nate was out of town. He had taken Nelson and Lars on a father-son retreat and hadn’t returned yet, when I realized I was in labor. Mary was on hand, excited to fill in as my delivery coach, but just as we were ready to drive the 45 minutes to the hospital, Nate and the boys drove in. Since he’d been part of birthing the three older children, it would have been a disappointment if he’d missed the fourth. We left Mary and the children at our house around 7 pm, and Klaus debuted in a photo finish at 8:07 pm.

Later, as Nate and I sat in my low-lit hospital room that evening, our prize cradled in Nate’s gowned arms, we tried to decide on a name. Nate loved the name Klaus, but I preferred the name Hans. “My choice means ‘gift of God’,” I said, in an effort to pull his vote my way. “What does yours mean?”

“I’m not sure,” he said, “but I recall it’s something very positive. I tell you what. When I get home tonight, I’ll look it up and call you. If it’s a really good meaning, can we name him Klaus?”

I was thrilled our new baby’s father was passionate about naming him, and agreed. In those days, the hospital switchboard didn’t allow calls to come to the maternity floor after 10:00 pm, so Nate arranged to call the nurse’s station. They promised to notify me then, after which I could phone him back from my room.

“Guess what!” he said, when we finally connected at midnight. “’Klaus’ is a great name to have! It originates from ‘Nicholas’, and if we spell it the Swedish way [which we’d been doing with our other children’s names], it’s spelled ‘Ni-klaus’. It means ‘victorious in battle.’ Isn’t that a great way to start life, knowing your name means victory?”

I had to hand it to him. Thinking of life’s inevitable battles, ‘Klaus’ would be a fabulous name to bear. And that was that.

Klaus was born with optimism on his face, finding something positive in every situation.  He expresses his joy in life through writing and singing music and in upbeat conversation focused on life’s blessings. A student of people, he looks for the good in everyone, making friends with ease.

 Children gravitate toward Klaus. He’s got that certain something kids love, and he knows just how to fascinate them. If there’s a child in the room, Klaus is in front of him or her, working hard to win a smile. If some day he is fortunate enough to be a father, his children will be greatly blessed to have him as their dad. Little ones know no greater joy than that their father genuinely loves to be with them and chooses them over other things he could do instead.

Good times follow Klaus, and he is skilled at dispelling inertia and organizing people. But even better than a happy evening are the times when he gains new insight through his growing relationship with the Lord, a friendship he is eagerly pursuing daily. And on his birthday, this brings immense joy to his mother, who in her heart is celebrating with him from across the Atlantic Ocean.

God was good to us on May 16, 1981!

“Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion. They will not be defeated but will endure forever. O Lord, do good to those who are good, whose hearts are in tune with you.” (Psalm 125:1,4)