I went to Atlanta last weekend to see my new nephew, Elijah. I am posting a few pics here, but the rest can be found on my facebook page.
It was a pleasant trip. In addition to the "little guy", with his perma-frown and cute button nose, I got to see much of Sarah & Preston, who I am not often able to see, and even Bonnie & Coventry for a bit, whom I've seen even less of. I was glad for that, and glad to be away from the editing of papers and studying for my qualifying exam.
Atlanta, by the way, is a beautiful city. It has lots of new buildings for its size, and feels rather clean. The roads slope gently up & down and are often lined with many trees. It has some diverse restaurants and midtown/downtown is a good experience. The warm climate is also quite welcome.
More importantly, the hospitals in Atlanta are very good, which is why my nephew is there for his heart treatments at Egleston. (Can we say "hypoplastic left-heart syndrome"? Yeah, didn't think so.)
Incidentally, Atlanta also has a number of good places for research, specifically in "bioinformatics", which just happens to be my speciality and area of research. Other bioinformatics centers exist around the country, but the best alternatives are probably west coast, IMHO. I could see myself enjoying living in Atlanta someday, perhaps doing my post-doc or getting a job doing professorship or research, but God will lead. I look forward to perhaps doing my internship there late next summer at GA Tech.
In any case, I'm very proud of Sarah & Preston. Each day for them holds both the possibility for the excitement of progress or for the disappointment of set-backs. However, they are doing their best to stay strong trusting God, and I very much admire that. Elijah is doing better, thanks to good doctors and LOTS of prayer. Praise Jesus! :) He is finally now breathing on his own and may soon be in the step-down unit where Preston and Sarah can care for him more personally without having to be in the ICU.
I'm glad for Sarah & Preston's love for my nephew, and the love of many more who have heard their story. It makes me look fondly on the prospect of being a dad myself someday. I should hope to be so lucky as to be as good a parent as these two. And what does that look like anyway? Much love for your child I think, and much trust in the Lord despite the difficulties that life inevitably brings. What more can one do?
