And then came Simon James Aprahamian, likely the last grandchild Fawn and I will be blessed with. Simon was born on May 24, 2025 at 10:35 AM. He’s perfect! He weighed in at 6 pounds, 14.8 ounces at birth, and was 18-1/2 inches long. We finally got to meet him this past weekend in Los Angeles, while we were there to help celebrate the 6th birthday of his older brother, Caleb.
I’ve learned much about the miracles of modern genetic testing, in-vitro fertilization and embryo cryopreservation, with what Angela and Jack have gone through during her last two pregnancies. She and Jack learned after Caleb’s birth that, between the two of them there is a statistical chance that Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) could be present in children they conceive. SMA is a mutation in a particular gene that affects the nervous system and voluntary muscle movement. It causes progressive muscle weakness and atrophy over time, due to the degeneration of motor neurons, or nerve cells. Because of that, they took great pains with extensive genetic testing, and utilized IVF and selective embryo storage in preparation for both Nora’s and Simon’s pregnancy,
I thank God for the scientific advancements and modern technology today that enable couples like Jack and Angela to realize their dreams of having healthy children, while hopefully avoiding the burdensome complications of genetic conditions like SMA. Without that technology, parents would either not be able to have their own healthy children, or would simply have to deal with the prospects of having a child with conditions such as SMA. Nora and Simon are both perfect examples of the value of this technology.
It was amazing to hold Simon this weekend and see how perfect he was. They say that newborn babies are the closest to God of all of us, having just left His creative hands to come into our world. Like my other grandkids, Margo, Nolan, Caleb and Nora, I love to think about how he has within him a little part of me and my family, as well as Fawn’s family and, of course, Jack’s Mom and Dad’s families. His heritage is unique…a blend of two very different cultures and lineages that have extended from two very distinct parts of the world and combined so tightly in just a few short generations.
Welcome to the world, Simon James! I can’t wait to see what great things are in store for you in your life!
Paul's Point of View 
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