“I'm so
in love with you, it just keeps getting better
I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side
Forever and ever
Every little thing that you do
Baby I'm amazed by you.”
“Amazed” Lyrics by Lonestar
The story of our family begins on a rainy evening in July of
2004. After our initial pairing on E-harmony, an exchange of
e-mails and telephone calls led to our first date on a Monday
evening. Tricia swears it was ‘love at first sight’; Erik is
taken aback by Tricia’s grace and charm. In any case, both
agreed that their lives would never be the same again.
Our relationship progressed, and on May 7th, 2005, we were
married on Amelia Island, Florida. While our elopement surprised
some, we both realized on our first date that our marriage was
inevitable.
The last few years have been eventful ones for us. Shortly after
our marriage, construction of our new home was complete. Our
‘boys’, Boston Terriers Rocky and Wingo, joined our family that
spring and have kept us active ever since.
Since doctors had given us little chance of conceiving a child
on our own, our thoughts turned toward adoption during the
winter of 2006. Our research led us to China and “Living Hope”,
our adoption agency location in Ft. Washington, PA. After six
months of collecting documentation, undergoing background checks
and completing our home study, our dossier was completed and
logged in to the Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs (CCAA) on
October 20, 2006.
The most difficult part of adoption is the wait. We tried our
best to keep ourselves preoccupied, but it seemed as if the day
we would meet our daughter would never arrive. Diaper
commercials, mothers with strollers, baby showers; they all
reminded us of what we didn’t have - a child to call our own.
Christmas 2006 was especially difficult as we struggled to
adjust to the reality that our children were a dream of the
distant future.
But in this world, miracles do sometimes happen. Our miracle is
named Graham Henry Hostert and he was born on September 1st,
2007. Disbelief of our good fortune quickly led to nausea,
heartburn, expanding waistlines, ice cream cravings and -
finally - our little boy. Now, at 4 months, it is difficult to
imagine not having our ‘little man’ in our lives. Sure, he cries
a lot. But when he smiles, it is with a peace and joy that
reminds us of the love that binds our growing family together.
Now our family is growing even more with the addition of our
daughter, Sophia Ameila. |
Our wedding day 5-7-05
Our wedding day dinner
The place we were married -
Ash Street Inn, Amelia Island Florida
Mommy and Graham (September 07)
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