Kyra

My BFF passed away less than three months before her first grandchild, Kyra, was born.  How she would have loved her five grandchildren and I think she just might have lavished special attention on Kyra, whose birthday is today.

Kyra is smart as a whip and I often think of her as an adult in a little body.  What 7 year old prefers a Japanese steakhouse over Chuck E. Cheese for her birthday dinner?  Watch what you say around Kyra, she understands what you're talking about!

When my BFF Sheryl passed away, Scott and Victoria (very pregnant) said they could not think of a middle name for Kyra that started with "S" that they liked.  They were going with Paige for her middle name. It is a Jewish custom to name a newborn after a departed loved one and I knew Sheryl would kvell in heaven if she had a namesake.  I lay up that night, running fashionable names that started with "S" through my mind - Savannah, Sierra, Serena, Shakira, Samantha, Summer, Skylar, Sophie etc. etc.  Not one grabbed me and I knew the kids would not like them either.
As I drifted off my thoughts turned to Sheryl and our vacation together in Arizona - she and Scott and us all together. How she loved Sedona and even thought their fabled vortex gave her a little more strength. She dared to dream of a retirement home amid the red rocks and sacred stones. It was one of the best times of our lives.

The next morning I cautiously made my suggestion to Scott and Victoria.  They loved it!
Happy Birthday Kyra Sedona!!

;-)