What's in a Name

This website’s name and logo are inspired by my grandmother, who has been a consistent source of inspiration in my life. I believe much of my creativity is a gift passed down from her. The way she lived—with strength, humor, and resilience—motivates me to face my own challenges in the same way. Since this site reflects my creativity, achievements, and growth, naming it in her honor feels both meaningful and fitting.

Even though it’s blurry, I cherish this photo of my grandmother and me meeting for the first time.

My grandmother moved frequently while raising ten children, including my mother and aunt, who were twins. She was a skilled problem-solver, always finding solutions to problems using what she had available to her. If they didn’t have something they needed, she figured out how to make it. When they didn’t have beds after one of their many moves, my mom recalls her figuring out how to make their beds with wood found on their property. What is even more impressive is that despite all the hardships they faced, she still maintained a wonderful sense of humor. I am amused by some of the stories she writes in her family history.

Showing her humor, my grandmother writes, “The brakes failed on the truck and we ran into the back end of a farm truck... Our truck had...spilled canned fruits and vegetables in the road... The cars were backed up... One lady said ‘Oh, somebody got hurt. Look at all the blood.’ It was canned beet juice!! We all laughed and I guess they thought we were all nuts.”

The logo on this website is taken directly from my grandmother’s handwriting. Seeing her unique penmanship is incredibly special to me and feels like a window into her world. The name “With What She Had” came to me during a speed-writing exercise I use when I can’t get ideas out of my head. After settling on the name, I searched through a family history book she’d written for each of her ten children. Luckily, the words for this name are common, and I was able to find each of them several times throughout the book.

I found where my grandmother had written the words “with,” “what,” “she,” and “had,” and traced them with tracing paper. After scanning the tracings, I decided which version of each word worked best for the logo.

I created the logo design using the first letter of each word. I struggled with it at first, but eventually, it came together, and the final result gave me chills, which had never happened to me before while creating something. I felt as if it were my grandmother telling me, “Yes, that’s it, Becky! That’s the one.” Instead of scanning her handwriting directly, I decided to trace it, making it feel like we were collaborating, her hand from long ago and mine now.

I appreciate that the phrase “with what she had” can refer to both physical and mental resources, encompassing the skills and knowledge a person has, and can apply to anyone. It’s a mindset that encourages us to take action, even if we aren’t sure how and don’t have all the resources. It means not letting our disadvantages or the fear of the unknown hold us back. If we work with what we have, in time, we will progress because our skills and knowledge will continue to grow, expanding what we have.

My older brother, Mike, and I with our grandmother.

There have been times when I’ve felt stuck, thinking, “I don’t know how,” or “I don’t have the right resources.” However, when I think about how my grandmother worked through her challenges, I realize those phrases must have never entered her mind. If they did, she didn’t let them hold her back and instead focused on what she did have.

I marvel at her mindset, where she writes, “In fact, nothing worried us.”

My grandmother passed away when I was very young, and I never really got to know her. My young memories have faded, making the few photos of us together even more cherished. One of my favorites is a picture of us squished together in a chair. My expression shows how much I adored her. Since my family lived in Arizona and she lived in Colorado, I didn’t have many opportunities to be around her. I was very shy as a child, so the fact that I felt comfortable with her says a lot about the deep connection we shared.

My favorite photo of the two of us.

At first, I wanted to name this website after my grandmother, Harriet Jane. However, after researching, I discovered that a clothing company in Australia already owned the name. In all honesty, I appreciate how it evolved into its current form. The name feels much more meaningful this way, as it reflects not just her but her mindset and the way she chose to live her life. I can’t be her, but I can live by her principles and honor her memory by using what I have to meet challenges head-on, as my grandmother did with what she had.