NO LAST NAME was inspired by our own transforming family structure. When Elaine and I (Terry) were single, we each had our own last name. HAGEN for myself and CURTIS was her maiden name. When we joined in marriage (25 years ago now as I type this on November 7th 2017) Elaine exchanged her last name and got a new one. Then we started adding to our family.
First we had a boy (Lucas officially but Elaine prefers Luke). Then a couple of years later, Noah popped out. Both of them use HAGEN as their proper last name. It’s the only last name they know. Elaine being pregnant both those times, we could sort of plan and prepare for a new family member. We knew they both were coming and when they would arrive.
Then due to some personal circumstances, my wife and myself decided to expand our family through adoption instead of trying to get pregnant again. This process took a few years to complete but one day we didn’t have a third kid, and the next day we had a third kid. Sophia. Her last name is a little tricky and the details will be her story to tell if she feels okay with that. In general terms, as is often with adopted children, they sometimes grow up without knowing who their birth parents are and thus they have no knowledge of what their last name was. For Sophia though, HAGEN is the only last name she has known even though in a technical sense, she had another last name if only for a few days.
So a few years go by and guess what? More of life’s circumstances brought about a new last name into our lives. BATHGATE came into our home by the way of a six year old named Kayde. Our fourth child. She is our second daughter (and technically our niece) and as with Sophia, she has her own story to tell if she so chooses to do so. Generally speaking, one day Elaine and I had three kids and the next day we had four. Kayde came to us by the way of a court term called “guardianship”.
So guess what happened over the span of a few more years? Elaine’s mother had to move into our home (again due to some of life’s circumstances) and perhaps she has her own story to tell. Not sure at this point if she will but who knows. She has a good connection with Noah our second son and perhaps she will give him permission to tell some of her story. Oh yes, I almost forgot. Elaine’s mother Diane (Phyllis, she likes Phyllis) has a last name of CURTIS (my wife’s maiden name) but also BOWDISH (which is Diane’s maiden name).
Along the way over these last 25 years, we have had one dog Tiger Hulk HAGEN named by our oldest son Lucas I believe. Tiger passed in 2017 on the day of Noah’s Junior Prom. May 2017. He was a Toy Rat Terrier who was 14 years plus old when he passed. Both Sophia and Kayde were there in his last hour of life. In June we got a new dog. Chewie. Because he looks just like Chewbacca but hindsight has often told us he looks more like an Ewok. Too late though. Chewie it is. He is a Shih-Tzu. So far and I just realized this as I write this, we officially never titled him with our last name. I don’t recall anyone saying Chewie HAGEN and I find it very fitting that he has NO LAST NAME.