10 Things Right Now about Us

1. We're 10 days away from leaving for Disney! We're all getting very excited and I love that Robby has started to understand the countdown chart I made -- he looks forward to moving "Mickey Robby" and "Mickey Joey" every day now.
2. Robby is wanting to know how to spell everything lately. I've had to spell words like: in, out, wizard, Professor McGonagall, yes -- your typical starter words and totally random Robby words. He's trying to read things now too. He can spell: no, stop, out, Robby, Joey, Mommy, Daddy, Nana, big.
3. Joey is doing great with his vocabulary, pronunciation and expanding sentences and putting sentences together. He gets most talkative at night when he's tired. It's like he winds down by talking up a storm. Very funny.
4. We had a broken valve on our furnace last night and had to get a plumber over here at 9:30 p.m. Fortunately it was a relatively minor expense ($190) -- we had feared some really big expense that would be hitting right before Disney.
5. Joey likes to request "For Boston" as a lullabye lately. He'll even sing it himself. It goes something like this: Hmm. For Boston. Hmm. For Boston. Hmmmm. Sing. Hmm. For Boston College. Robby on the other hand actually knows the whole song, which is more than I can say for myself, though some of his words are a little mispronounced. But that just makes it cuter.
6. I still can't get them (or more specifically Robby) to narrow down a Halloween costume decision.
7. I'm already starting to feel the holidays/end-of-year panic and stress. With this Disney trip in the middle of October, we'll be returning and getting ready for Halloween, and before you know it, it'll be Thanksgiving and Christmas. Aside from the baking, shopping and cleaning, there's all the projects to wrap up for the end of the year at work. Every year I promise myself I'll be organized and prepared but every year I'm running into the last minute on everything. Maybe this year will be different - haha.
8. We had a wonderful time at Devon and Derek's graduation party on Sunday, even if Bob was slightly hung over the wedding the night before. The DeMios are a very friendly bunch. It's still amazing to see Bob around people who really look like him. In a glance, I often mistake him for Doug or Richard. Doug and Bob agreed that the boys would call Doug "Grandpa Doug." Finally a big question answered and it takes some awkwardness away. It's fairly simple on the surface, but I think it represents a more clear definition of the whole relationship. It's clear Doug wants us to be part of his family and that Bob is comfortable with it. At the party, he was pointing out the boys to his friends/family as "my grandkids" and introduced Bob as his oldest. No more uncertainly about is he okay with us being part of his life now or is this was just a little get to know you, send a card at Christmas thing. I can't stop marveling at this whole story. I feel we are so very fortunate to have been readily accepted and welcomed. Fortunate that there is another group of people out there to love Bob and the boys. I have trouble even putting together the words to explain this. I can not look at this whole experience without seeing the hand of God in it someplace. We are truly blessed. The best way I can describe it is in the saying that when God closes a door, He always opens a window. I am very thankful for this window.
   
9. Planes, and specifically Doug's plane, are a big topic of conversation around here lately now that they boys had their first plane ride with Doug the other weekend. Joey says things like: Me pilot. Me ride plane. Me drive plane. Robby wants to know if he can ride in the front seat next time, if he can drive the plane (because he's "really good at driving") and is also interested in Doug's motor home.
10. Hmm... #10.... Did I mention Disney? It probably deserves 2 items -- there's the whole excitement and anticipation aspect and then the packing, lists and shopping that has to get done. We're driving (yes, I've been on Doug's plane too and the boys think they're mini-pilots, but I'm still not flying to FL yet), so I have to clean out the car, figure out how to fit everything, pack assorted entertainment for the boys and refreshments for all of us. Still, I think the excitement side wins. :)