CHOSEN 

It's probably safe to say that 2018 was the single best year of my life and 2019 has some pretty big shoes to fill.  Despite a bittersweet start as I left a job I loved to challenge myself professionally, 2018's ending was nothing short of a fairytale as we welcomed sweet Cora Grace to our family on December 17th.   

In November, just before Thanksgiving, we were matched with Cora's birthmom and the weeks that followed feel like a dream come true.  For those that know me well, I'm not exactly comfortable with expressing emotion but all of those reservations and guardrails evaporated as we prepared anxiously for Cora's arrival.  It gives me chills to think about the instant connection that I felt when we met Cora's birthmom and grandmother for the first time.  The strength, grace, and wisdom this young woman and her family have shown me and Joe in the past 6 weeks has been both inspiring and humbling and brought me to tears on more than one occasion.  The bond that she and I share won't be understood by all, but runs deeper than I can accurately describe.  It is grounded in our love for Cora Grace and a mutual respect for one another.   I am forever grateful that she chose Joe and I to be Cora's parents.  

Thanks so much for visiting the blog again.  I hit the pause button on posting anything because it felt disingenuous to continue writing without sharing our big news.  That said,  I look forward to continuing to share our journey as we head into the new year.   I have a feeling 2019 is going to be the best year yet.  

**Special thanks to Annette Ferraro Photography for capturing these special memories.