Help Abby, Zak & baby Canyon!!

Yes, our dear friends Abby and Zak have officially made a baby!!

On May 4th—about ten weeks before we had all planned to party—Canyon Michael Romuald made his grand entrance, earthside :) Thankfully, everyone is happy and healthy (and Mama was an absolute rockstar!), but the journey here for this beautiful little trio definitely hasn’t come without its fair share of challenges…

An eager little babe, indeed, Canyon decided a few weeks earlier that it was time to shake things up just a bit—give Mom and Dad a little preview of the wild ride they were getting ready to embark upon… So Abby, just four days into her final trimester, suddenly finds herself confined to a hospital room—placed under constant medical care for what turned out to be a preterm premature rupture of the membranes (simply put: her water had just broken a good three months ahead of schedule).

Because of the increased risks involved here, Abby was now looking at indefinite hospitalization—or so long as life was still growing inside her belly, that is. And speaking of our sweet little troublemaker—Canyon’s hospital stay was expected to last even longer, as his in-utero shenanigans had basically just guaranteed him a front-row seat in the NICU, immediately following delivery.

(Welcome to parenthood, Abby and Zak!)

Yes, life has been a bit stressful for our favorite new parents lately—physically, emotionally, and now of course, financially…

As overjoyed as we all are to celebrate Canyon’s safe arrival here, there’s still a long (and expensive) road ahead for Mom and Dad. And we’re not just talking about the slew of unforeseen medical bills, either. Navigating the chaos of this recent little detour has also meant having to make some serious adjustments to typical work life—not to mention a necessary extension to Abby’s (already unpaid) maternity leave… In short: “Significant loss-of-income” now tops the growing list of financial burdens for these two. And this isn’t even the hardest part…

For the next two months, Abby and Zak will be limited to visiting their adorable (but oh-so-tiny) newborn in the comfort of his NICU room—only getting to hold him every so often, as his growth progress now requires a great deal of medical supervision, pre-homecoming. Not to worry, though—he’s already proven what a tough little babe he is ;)

As someone who’s known (and adored) this amazing couple for quite some time now, I can’t think of a better way to honor their friendship—not to mention the incredible love and care they have for each other (and now for this beautiful child, as well)—than to reach out and ask for your support.

Any donation—whatever you may be able to contribute—would be so very appreciated in this time of need!

“From a tiny spark may burst a mighty flame.” (Dante)