Rob & Linda
June 21, 2000

After many months of procrastinating, and numerous reqests (more like threats, LOL), I have decided to create a simple page about the mother and father of this family. Some of you know "our history" many of you don't. But I hope that after reading this page, you will all have a better understanding of how truly special our family is.

I guess I should start by saying that we live in Florida. I moved to Florida in 1993 after living in Syracuse, New York my whole life. While living in New York, I attended Syracuse University where I earned my Legal Assistant Degree in 1991. During the last 5 years that I lived in New York, I worked for a very large law firm until I packed up and moved to Florida to be close to my family.

Rob is originally from Garfield Heights, Ohio and moved to Florida in 1972. He also lived in California for a short time. Rob owns his own Landscaping and Irrigation Business. Rob started his business about 2 years ago, against my better judgment. I sure was wrong on that one. Rob's business is very successful and he is very committed to his work. I am more proud of him than I could ever even begin to describe.

When Rob and I met, I was almost 4 months pregnant with my youngest child, Alyssa. I was in a very unhappy relationship and wanted out! I guess you can say that Rob was more or less my knight in shining armor and we immediately fell in love!

I already had two children with another on the way and Rob had three from a previous marriage which lived with his ex-wife. Things went very well. My children adjusted and his children adjusted. We had Rob's children quite often, much more than he was supposed to, but that's another story....or more like a book. I grew more and more pregnant and finally it came time to go to the hospital and have a baby.

Rob was wonderful during my labor and delivery, you would have never known that he was not the biological father. Even though I yelled and screamed, he stayed right by my side and he watched little Alyssa come into this world. Rob was the first to hold Alyssa. To this day, Rob has never treated Alyssa, or any of my children, any different than he would treat his own. And for that, I will be forever thankful.

As I was recovering from Alyssa's birth, we gained custody of Rob's 3 children. To make a long story short, their mother basically did not want them anymore. It was a very sad experience and I still wonder to this day how a mother could give up her children the way she did. But I cannot put myself in her mind and I suppose I will never understand. But one thing I do know is that the children are much better cared for with us. They have a "real home" now and I am so happy to have all of them as a part of our family.

When I came home from the hospital, I suffered a extreme case of postpartum depression. I was so overwhealmed from going from 2 children to 6, one being a newborn, basically overnight! I was miserable, crying constantly, staring into space like a zombie and having terrifying nightmares. Any man would have ran as fast as he could, but not Rob. He stuck right by me! Well, thankfully, with some medication and under my doctor's care, I am feeling good again. Keep checking back for my own page dedicated to depression and my feelings about it.

It's been over 3 years now that Rob and I have been together and while we have our ups and downs, my love for him grows stronger every day! I sometimes wonder how I ever lived without him and I thank God everyday for sending him to me to make my life complete!