Spaquena (pronounced SPA - KWay' - Nah) is an anglicized Russian word meaning "gentle."  In 2002, our daughter Mackenzie Vesennia Whitelaw  joined our family from a small town in the former Soviet Republic of Belarus, called Mogilev.  Although very young, Svetlana Vesennia (as she was known there) had developed her language skills in native Russian (or more accurately Belarussian).  To aid in her transition, the members of her new family learned a few Russian words and phrases.  After months of searching for a name for our new business and with our grand opening approaching, her older brother Conlon suggested we call it "Spaquena" and we did.