Six

The number 6 seems so harmless. 

We have been 6 Regusci's for 2 years now.

It is simply 1 more then 5.

It is half a dozen.

Harmless right?

Unless it is 6 kids.

That all belong to you.

The other day after church Matt and I decide to walk to downtown with our 6 kids and have lunch.  We quickly learned that we were the highlight of many people.  It started with us crossing the crosswalk and man walking towards us was verbally, as in out loud, counting "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6!"  As we passed Sam said "He just counted us!"  Yes yes he did.

Then as we were sitting eating our lunch, in which the kids were well behaved, every body in the store was literally staring at us.  And not the we are trying not to stare at you stare but blatantly staring.  As if having 6 kids gives other the right to watch you.  Matt even caught the eyes of a few people who smiled, "yeah were staring at you smiles" It seriously cracked me up to no end. 

Their kids people. 

Kids in stair step birth order.

Not sextuplets just bothers and sisters with parents.

Small Humans.

I guess it is official we are the family with ALL those kids. 

Haha

What? You Adopted?

The phrase we have heard the most since adopting the boys is:

"I didn't know you were looking to adopted!"

To which I respond:

"Neither did I"

We were not looking to adopt.   But God had other plans and through a bunch of random coincidences in life we found ourselves once again heading down the road of adoption.

The short story of how this came to be: Three years ago we change churches.  I decided to take the nursery job at our church. Though the church and my job I become good friends with others who foster and adopt.  We decided to form an adoption/foster support group. (my eldest is adopted).  One day someone mentioned that they heard a set of twins in need of a home, just a passing comment in the middle of a conversation about foster care.

But that comment sat with me and sat with me.  And I prayed and talked with Matt and prayed and then....

I sent an e-mail

.....to the adoption agency and two weeks later we were chosen by the birth parents to adopt their babies.   

So in away I feel like adoption choose us.   Matt and I have always been open to growing our family in what ever way God presents and it is amazing what He will do.

It really was all so fast it is kind of a blur. 

The babies were born at 25wk and through a variety of unfortunate circumstances the birth parents who love the boys dearly made the best decision for the babies and that was adoption.  The rest of that story is for my boys. 

But by this point the boys were 2 months and the NICU was desperate to get a family in their holding the babies, loving on them and learning how to care for them before they were discharged.   And that's were we came in.

Matt holding Jonathan for the first time

Within days we went from no thought of adoption to daily visits to the NICU, filling out an incredible amount of paper work, scraping together the finances and preparing our house not only for bring home twins but also to be certified as a foster home for the in term between the babies being released and our adoption paperwork being filled out and filed (totally complicated since we didn't have a home study or anything).

Nana holding both boys for the first time (until now she had only held one at a time)

 

 

 

Aunt Karlee came along to hospital to help hold babies too!

 

Mama holding Jonathan with no tubes or oxygen for the first time.  Still had monitors but this was a big day!!!

There were so many sleepless nights I am surprised we survived, but we did get the house ready and the paper work done in time for David's release from the hospital.  Which then presented a whole new set of problems.  With one twin home and one twin at the NICU I was now having to leave one to go see the other.  And not just anyone could or wanted to watch my little 5lb baby that seemed more breakable then he was.   

Since the kids are not allowed in the NICU this was the first time they got to meet David.

But God is good and two weeks later we brought Jonathan home and with that started our "private" life as a family of 8.  Because we were under foster care laws we couldn't share the babies with the world yet. 

David and  Jonathan together at home!!

And that was the beginning of our 5 months on the roller coaster that is adoption.

The Birds, the Bees... and the Seeds?

Today I was running errands with Serafina and Matteo... The two of them got into a discussion about where babies come from.  Serafina, with all of the knowledge and authority of a seven-year-old, informed Matteo: “If you are a girl you have tiny seeds inside of you.  As you grow, the seeds grow.  Then one day the seed cracks open and a baby is born!  We were all seeds in Mommy’s tummy. I was the first one to crack open, then you, then AJ.”  “Oh, I see,” exclaimed Matteo.  Then he asked, “Are there any more seeds in Mommy?” Serafina responded, “Only God knows that,” then looked at me with an expression asking for affirmation.  What can a Nana do with that conversation? Just smile knowing that Serafina’s answer is perfect for their concrete minds – out of the mouths of babes!

Nana

All Aboard! for Matteo's Birthday

Serafina was the first to point out, in a rather disgusted tone, that this was the 5th year in a row of celebrating Matteo's birthday riding trains. Smart cookie, that Matteo!

All the photos: http://JF2.com/121103/

Our Secret Revealed

We've been keeping a secret.

(From the world-wide-web.)

Don't worry, it's a good secret.  (Are there good secrets?!?)

Some of you have all ready clued into it.

It's awesome news.

And we can share it today!

Them, not it. 

They're two little boys. 

Two sweet sweet little twin boys whom Matt and I started to visit in the NICU 7 months ago.  We fell in love and brought them home.   It's been a long, crazy, exciting, heart wrenching journey up to this point, which we will share with you over the next few months, but today we signed the official adoption papers in front of the judge so we can officially share the boys with you. Finally.

Without further ado, the newest members of the Regusci Clan:

Jonathan and David Regusci

2/9/12

1lb 12oz and 2lbs

12inch long

(pictured at age 6 months)

First trip to the pumpkin patch

Tracy with the boys in the NICU the boys are 3 months here.

Serafina holding David for the first time.

Jonathan tube free in the NICU for the first time! 

He came home a few weeks later.



All the kids on the 4th of July.

All the kids at the pumpkin patch.

Our happy "little" family.

Halloween in the Village

Halloween is quite the event in the Village of Arroyo Grande. The street is closed off, and hordes of trick-or-treaters descend upon the merchants who are all too willing to deposit some goodies in their bags. We showed up in force. Not just the Compound crew, oh no. Trev and Jen came with their lady bug and lion, and Jeanette and Andy came with the Star Wars family. What a hoot!

All the photos are here: http://JF2.com/121031/

AJ on a Roll

He was in a mood to make faces. Unfortunately, we didn't catch the best ones, but still...