Myra - The Fragrant, Quiet Song

Day 16

I am "oohing" and "ahhing" over my new niece,

Myra Jasmine Case!

Welcome to the family! I’m thrilled to post this blog entry about my new niece, Myra Jasmine Case. She was born on June 18th 2010 at 7:44 pm. Weight: 6 pounds 15 ounces; Features: beautiful, healthy, precious, adorable, breathtaking, awe-inspiring, pure, tender…and I could just go on and on!

Myra is just a little bit sensitive to the bright lights

of the paparazzi!

It was such a treat to be able to see Myra last night, surrounded by her family in a circle of love and sanctuary. I’m always nervous about holding a newborn child, as I often feel like I am holding a cloud or the most fragile fragment on the face of the earth; something so tiny, so vulnerable, so valuable! But what an honor to be able to hold a newborn child, to be able to touch and witness a miracle. I have the same reaction with the birth of every one of my nephews and nieces which amounts to a swirling myriad of sensations linked together by one word: admiration.

I admire the miracle of birth, I admire the “life-builders”--the fathers and mothers (especially the mothers and their sacrifice of bringing life into this world). I admire the brothers and sisters of a newborn child and their immediate connection to their new sibling, their automatic devotion and sense of protection.

One of the most memorable moments of last night at the hospital was when Josh Jr. started to cry; not tears of sadness, but tears of joy and relief! And later in the car coming back here to the house, Ben commented that he felt like he wanted to cry, but not because he was sad: he was happy. Something else for me to admire: the depth, purity and wisdom of children!

I did a quick search on-line to find out the background and meaning of the name “Myra” and I found out some interesting information. There are two different origins and meanings: it has a Latin origin and means “a sweet-smelling, fragrant, scented oil”; and it has a French origin and means “quiet song.” Both are beautiful, perceptive and accurate descriptions of Myra.

My congratulations to Josh, Karen, Josh Jr., Ben, Brooklyn, Savannah and Catalina on the newest addition to their family, the sixth child. May she always be fragrant and like a quiet song!