Shannon and I met at Brookhurst Junior High in the 7th grade back when we still wore braces and needed our moms to drop us off at the movie theater. 23 years later, we have been friends through high school, college, relationships, moves, marriages, births, and death. I knew her husband Justin was a keeper when I watched him immediately jump up to help one of my kids clean up a spill in the distraught hours after my husband's funeral. They are the kind of people who show up when you need them. 

Shannon and Justin welcomed their rainbow baby on May 15th, 2017 at only 25 weeks pregnant...that's 15 weeks early! 

Clara Aurora Waggoner was born at 1 lb. 8 oz. and measured just 12" in length.


Baby Clara is a fighter so far, but she has a long journey ahead of her with a lot of unknowns about her health. Already she is starting light treatment for jaundice,  taking insulin for high blood sugar, and will be having multiple blood transfusions. The family will have to face new issues day-by-day and hope for the best. 

Having a micro preemie is a physically, mentally, and financially grueling experience. Shannon has weeks to months of her own recovery with preeclampsia, and since Clara was born so early, the family will be spending a significant amount of time in the NICU before she can come home.


The baby is currently at a hospital an hour away from their home. Maternity leave and any bonding time given is never enough in the most "normal" of circumstances, but for a family that is looking at potentially up to 3 months in the NICU, it will not come close to covering the baby's time in the hospital and the time when Clara comes home and will need her mother's care. In addition, Shannon has a 12 year old daughter and the family was just about to move. The family depends on Shannon's income. 

Many people keep asking what they can do for the family now that they are the ones in need. Anything would go a long ways in helping them stay afloat with the costs and demands of bringing home a healthy baby. 

If you would like to donate your good will in other ways, the Red Cross is an excellent place to donate blood. We really appreciate that organizations like them are around to help babies like Clara survive.