avery

Rather than make lengthy posts on this new site, I'm going to stick mainly to posting pictures of Ben with short captions. As he gets bigger, I've got less time to make long entries - and I know people mostly want to see the pictures of him, anyway.

I added some links over to the right. One of the links is to the old site at chrisandliz.org/ben. Those archives will remain there.

The second and third links are sites for a baby girl named Avery. Ben's dad and I both graduated from Bucknell, and Avery's mom graduated the year after Chris. Neither Chris nor I knew Avery's mom Erin, but I heard about Avery through a friend and wanted to pass along her story.

Avery was born May 25, 2006, and was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on October 31, 2006. Avery is being treated on an inpatient and outpatient basis at CHOP here in Philadelphia. She'll be getting rounds of chemo for the next two years. She is such a cutie.

Reading Avery's story and her mom's blog entries has taken my breath away. I almost feel ashamed that I felt sorry for our situation at all during Ben's first days and weeks here. I teared up looking at the picture of Avery with her tubes in her hospital bed. I can't begin to imagine how her parents must feel, or the strength that it takes to get through the day-to-day.

So I just wanted to make Avery's story available to you.

The last link allows you to email me if you'd like. Some people sent Ben emails via my email address a few months ago, and it was really cool. In addition to the blog, he'll be able to look at those emails and see what people had to say to him when he was a little baby.

And of course, the comments are open after each post.

Have a nice day!