Michael and Tony
Thank you!
Michael & Tony:
We have been married now for 9 years after a beautiful wedding ceremony in Connecticut where the rain was plentiful on our special day. With soggy shoes and damp hair, we made our promises to each other while family stood by…without umbrellas. Oops! Our story began on Christmas Eve in 2008 when we met for a coffee date. We spoke about our families, how we were raised and our dreams of one day wanting a family of our own. And of course, there was much laughter on our date. Michael, a bit gassy, kept burping over his shoulder! It might have been the nerves. After 2012 when we were married, we moved into our cozy house that is in walking distance to the local elementary school. Having a family was definitely on our minds. Our dream is to fill the house with children and to sit on the back porch and say, “no and stop that!” – a Steel Magnolias reference.
About Tony by Michael:
Tony is a great Dad! Growing up in a big Italian family, I knew he would be a great family man. His five brothers and sisters help to mold him into a strong, loyal, loving, and protective person. Tony’s strengths are his ability to teach, with a loving attitude and his love of FOOD. If Tony is not in the kitchen, then something is wrong. His happy place is making everyone else feel happy, loved, and full. A full tummy makes Tony (aka Papa) proud. One thing I know for certain, like his own Father, Tony was born to be a parent. Family is always first, food is second and laughter is third. He does boost a big personality so get ready for a big heart, a big imagination, and an even bigger hug. With him, you’re always the most important person in the room. A true girl Dad, Tony enjoys dressing up “Z,” painting her nails and fixing her boo-boos. He is also great with cartwheels and soccer. Watching him be a dad is the greatest gift.
About Michael by Tony:
Michael is my perfect half. Where I am spontaneous, Michael is well-planned. Where I am raucous, he is calming. If I am cooking, he is always hungry. Michael has a talent for seeking out family adventures. He loves the beach the park and traveling. Dad (Michael) glows when he is enjoying life’s offerings with his family around him. Dad is musical and very funny. There is always singing in the house and Dad creates big characters to embellish it with. Dad can balance an epic love of play with the passion for organization. He loves a good laugh almost as much as a good surprise. He has been known to shriek/scream when being surprised, then cry in laughter. Michael has the largest heart in creation for love. He shares it with all he encounters and makes his family feel like the luckiest pack of people. Michael showers his loved ones in joy and fun unreservedly. As Dads we bring nature and nurture to the next level. We celebrate each father’s skills, encourage our misses and dream for our family’s days together.
Interests and Hobbies:
We like to stay active! Whether we are visiting the local Zoo or Aquarium; or taking a hike in the beautiful California hills; or simply taking our dog Annie on a stroll around the neighborhood water basin. Traveling is also a must for us. Mostly we travel back East to see our family and take in a vacation with them. When we can though, we like to plan special trips just the three of us. We’ll rent a place by the beach for a few days so that we make some fun memories, lay in the sun, and build endless sandcastles. A lot of our time is also spent doing arts and crafts. “Z” is a consummate painter! For Holidays like Valentine’s Day or Halloween, you can catch her in the backyard painting figurines for the festivities. We also love a good movie night. Our neighbors created an outdoor movie screening spot where we all gather to stream the latest kid friendly movie. Papa makes popcorn while Dad packs the blankets. We love to road trip, pack us all in car (dog too) and drive. Dad loves camping and building fires; and one day hopes to share this love with the family. Reading and eating make us happy, because they rhyme. And we can do both as a family. We bake and cook together so we can laugh and learn and share. Making food is special because it is a team project that everyone benefits from. New recipes are tried and if they don’t work out, at least we gave it a fair chance. We eat a very healthy and colorful diet with plenty of vegetables and fruit. But that does not mean we won’t get down with a pizza party sometimes. Bedtime is better when Daddy and Papa do funny voices from the books. Zanna Lu must see every picture. We like to go to story time at the town bookstore.
Extended family:
As previously mentioned, Tony comes from a BIG Italian family. He has 4 sisters and one brother: all with children and spouses alike. Luckily for us, his one sister lives in Portland, OR with her family. They make frequent trips to visit and spend time with us. Otherwise, we are fortunate enough to visit with the rest of his siblings on our family vacations back East in Cape Cod. Michael has a much smaller family unit. He has one brother and one sister, both of which are married. However, Michael is the only sibling with a child – so Zanna Lu gets a lot of attention from her Uncle and Aunt. While Tony’s parents have sadly enough already passed; Michael’s parents are loving being first time Grandparents and they can’t wait to share and spread the love with more. Together with Tony’s 14 niece and nephews, Michael’s cousins, and his parents we are the luckiest dudes ever! Family time is our time, and we love every second of it together.
To You:
We thank you for reading about who we are and what we believe in. Our life is greater in what we achieve together. It is greater in doing this every day. Our love for children is also greater in the blessing of adoption. Having adoption on both Michael’s side (his mother is adopted) and Tony’s (two nieces are adopted) reminds all what it creates for many that are involved in it. We wish you great health, peace, and love as you make this journey. Our very best regards to you, God bless.
