Meet Our Families Looking To Adopt

Andy: I enjoy learning new things, building/tinkering in my shop/barn and listening to music. I find myself often daydreaming about my inventions being the next big thing.

Danielle: I enjoy antiquing, gardening and dancing. I take great pride being a therapy team with my partner Carrigain (the older of our pups) reading to the children at our local library.

As a couple we share a love for hiking, canoeing, cooking, skiing, animals, home renovations, travel, snuggling with our pups and spending time with family and friends during the holidays.

Andy: Danielle is persistent in what she believes in. She is friendly, caring, reliable, dedicated, compassionate, kind, cheerful and always puts those she cares for first. Danielle embodies all of the qualities of a mama bear.

Danielle: Andy is one of the most caring people I know. I feel the safest when I am by his side. He’s a true romantic. He’s sweet, smart, loyal, reliable, thrifty, brave, and funny (after all he was nominated class clown in HS). “Handy Andy” is always sticking his neck out for family and friends whether it’s to help them move, build a vegetable garden or run errands. Andy will be an amazing father. I can’t wait to watch him teach our child the importance of values and respect. He will encourage he/she to appreciate nature and to enjoy the little things in life.

Our family and friends (some adopted or connected to someone through adoption) have been unbelievably supportive in our decision to adopt. They’re excited to meet our newest family member!

We will encourage questions, playing outside in the dirt, jumping in every puddle, sing-along songs, and will love our child with every ounce of our being. We envision exploring the trails behind our house, collecting salamanders, making walking sticks, tending to our vegetable garden, picnics in the park, and collecting seashells at the beach. At the end of a long day, we can’t imagine anything better than winding down for the evening with a big warm snuggle under blankets while roasting marshmallows by the bonfire.

We live in traditional colonial/farmhouse with a barn. We abut 100+ acres of conservation land with trails and fields overlooking rolling pastures that are home to horses, cows, sheep, goats, llamas, and more. Our community shares in the desire to continuously improve and enrich the land for our families to enjoy for years to come.

I am an avid reader, amateur photographer and enjoy preparing “family dinners” to share with friends.  I keep active through running, yoga and hiking and began practicing meditation a few years ago.  During the warmer months, I enjoy camping, boating and the beach and during the colder months I’m a big hockey fan.  I love to travel and hope to visit more National Parks, creating memories with my future child.

My loved ones jokingly refer to me as “the planner.”  I’m the one preparing a list of items needed for a group dinner, planning flights and hotels for vacations and making sure we stick to time-honored traditions.  They would also describe me as patient, generous, supportive, forgiving and loyal.  My loved ones mean the world to me and there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do to help any of them out.

My family and friends have been very supportive during my adoption journey and they are all excited to meet my future child.  My mother is thrilled to have another grandchild to cuddle and I’m blessed that my grandmother (who was adopted as an infant) will become a great-grandmother for the 9^th time!  My friends are equally excited; there will be no shortage of “aunties” and “uncles” in my child’s life.

I am so very excited to start family traditions with my child, especially holiday dinners where I make my late grandfather’s favorite dessert.  Boston has many museums, music and cultural events that I want to share with my child.  I also look forward to going to the library, visiting the zoo, watching the 4^th of July fireworks and apple picking, complete with cider and doughnuts!

I live in a multi-family home in a diverse, residential neighborhood of Boston.  There are many families with young children and pets in my area and I can walk to the library, community pool and several parks and playgrounds.  Fantastic museums, beaches and the zoo are all a short drive away.

It is very important to me that my child hears of his/her adoption story from very early on.  He/she will know from the very start of the selfless act of love you made with your decision and you will forever be a part of their life story.

We love spending time with friends and family, traveling, cooking, reading, playing with our two dogs (Miles & Mischa), being outdoors, Harry Potter, and each other. We are both very curious people and never tire of learning new things or traveling to new places. We enjoy spending our downtime reading together, visiting museums and historic homes, attending concerts and shows, exploring new food at local restaurants, hiking with our dogs, or simply sharing an ice cream at the park.

Bobby about Graham: Graham is strong, kind, loyal, and is never afraid to try new things. People around him love his sense of humor and authenticity. He’s always up for adventures and makes life fun. He is smart and loves to read and create. Graham will be a perfect dad!

Graham about Bobby: Bobby is caring, thoughtful, and has a heart for people. He’s a good listener and people come to him often for counsel. Bobby brings humor and enthusiasm to everything he does to show his loved ones just how much he cares. Bobby will be a wonderful papa!

We grew up on opposite ends of the country, Bobby in Louisiana and Graham in Connecticut, and we both have large extended families that are very supportive and loving. We both grew up with one sibling each and have 17 cousins. We have one nephew and four nieces who all mean the world to us and bring so much joy to our lives! Whenever we’re together, it’s like we’re all the same age, although their ages range from two to 17 years old; we spend hours playing and laughing together. Our parents are amazing role models to us, and they’re amazing grandparents to our nieces and nephews. We talk to our families regularly and have a very supportive, loving relationship with our immediate and extended family members.

It’s a family tradition to spend every holiday and special occasion, including birthdays, with family. When we get together with family, we tell stories, share memories, and play with all the kids. Everyone gets involved, and there’s so much love shared!

Building a family through adoption was what initially attracted us to one another. We have wanted a child for as long as we both can remember. Being a same-sex couple, adoption is the natural choice and in our hearts we know raising a child is the best thing that could happen to us. We are very blessed to have strong and supportive family and friends to help us throughout this next chapter in our lives. We are confident we can provide a child with a loving, healthy, and happy home.

We look forward to sharing our passions and pleasures with our child. Firstly, we love traveling to and exploring new places near and far. We cannot wait to bring our child to Nana’s pool, on road trips to the beach and the mountains, and on planes to visit Bobby’s family in New Orleans, Mickey and friends, and to discover new places together. In addition, we’re eager to go on walks with our dogs and entertain family and friends at our home; everyone will be so pleased to have a new addition to the mix! Finally, we cannot wait to just stay local. We plan to check local websites for community events and attend them together with our child. We will also make sure to make time to read to our child or watch our favorite TV show together before bed every single night.

We love our open concept ranch home located in the heart of our town. Our neighborhood is filled with friendly neighbors with children and pets. Being in the real estate industry in multiple capacities, Graham is constantly updating the decor and landscaping of our home, as it’s something he really enjoys. Recently, we added a large bedroom and a family room in our basement to allow for extra living space when one of the rooms upstairs turns into the nursery! Blocks away is a lovely park where our child will play, an elementary school, a middle school, and our dogs’ favorite walking trail!

My friends and family would call me, “the planner.” From surprise birthday parties, to packing the beach cooler with snacks, to figuring out how to decorate a living room, I’ve got a plan. I love the responsibility and the result of the joy it brings people I love. My friends have told me that I am a good sounding board; they know I will be an unbiased and supportive friend in their time of need. They’d also describe me as “the creative one.” My friends tease me for sending handwritten notes to them out of the blue but I think they like getting snail mail that isn’t junk! I’ve already started writing letters to my little one and can’t wait to creatively capture his or her milestone moments in life to share with you if that is your wish.

I enjoy sending handwritten cards to those I love, I also enjoy giving gifts of experiences instead of things you can buy in a store. A few years ago, I decided to try something new every week for a year. It lead me to trying new foods, visiting new cities, learning to ski, paddleboard, and waterski. The most fun part about this challenge was recruiting friends to do it with me. Most of my hobbies are done with the support of friends and family. I started running a few years back and went from 5K to half marathons. I am aiming to travel to all 50 States and I dream of bringing my little one with me to experience new things with me. I’ll be sure to add a running stroller to our baby registry so we can go for jogs together!

My whole family cannot wait to meet my little one! I am blessed to have the example of my parents loving marriage, two sisters, a brother and now the love of two brother in laws, two nieces and two nephews. A group of twelve now, our immediate family has grown to share in the traditions that make our family unique. My grandmothers both in their 90s, godparents, aunts, uncles cousins and friends make up the generational circle of love and are eager to welcome and bond with my future child. The big question on everyone’s minds is “Girl” or “Boy” for the cousins tie breaker.

The gift of motherhood through adoption is built on love and I want my child to feel that as well. It is incredibly important to me that my child hears his or her adoption story from day one. I promise to always refer to my child’s birth parents with gratitude, love and respect. I hope to create a supportive environment that will allow a future relationship to develop between my child and his/her birth parents as I’d be grateful that there are many people in our baby’s life to love him or her. Should you prefer privacy, I respect that as well.

We enjoy spending time together. Whether that be eating breakfast together, going to swim lessons, hanging out with friends, or traveling to see family – we enjoy all the moments we have together. In the summer, we love riding our bikes to nearby beaches, hanging out on the back patio, and having BBQ’s with friends.

Dan loves skiing, crossfit and playing board and video games. Grandy enjoys traveling, running, and going to concerts. Sloane loves arts and crafts, swimming, and playing with her friends.

We can’t wait to introduce our new baby to our friends and family. They will be welcomed with open arms and will get quickly introduced to all the things we enjoy as a family. It will also be wonderful to take maternity/parental leave and spend quality time together in the first months.

Grandy About Dan: Dan is an amazing father and husband. He is patient, kind and brings humor and laughter to our lives daily. He makes life fun with his wit and is so warm and welcoming to people, that he can easily befriend just about anyone. And most of all, he’s an extremely supportive partner and parent, and I am so happy to see him so excited to become a father again.

Dan About Grandy: Grandy is a wonderful mom and wife. She’s thoughtful, engaging, and always on the lookout for fun new things to do as a family. She cares deeply about the well-being of others which shows in everyday life at home and professionally. Grandy has a big heart and so much more love to give.

We are lucky to have family in many places, even internationally, making it easy to find fun places to travel to. We are also very fortunate that both sides of the family make it a point to spend family vacations and holidays together regularly. Dan and Grandy’s parents are retired so we get extra time with them several times a year. When Sloane was born, we had lots of helping hands and look forward to that again with our new little one.

We learned that Dan had a medical condition which significantly reduced his fertility. In mid-2015 we began in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and were lucky to get pregnant with Sloane. We decided to try IVF again, even a minor surgery for Dan, however we weren’t as lucky. Knowing we still have more love to give, we knew it was time to move onto other options to expand our family and adoption would be the best way for us. We welcome an open adoption and respect the birthparents decision on what that means to them.

We live in a seaside town just north of Boston in a single family home. It’s an idyllic town to raise a family with excellent schools and our home is within walking distance to a small downtown district. There are several families on our street with young children and its common for the parents to hang out while the kids play together.

We love to goof around and have fun.  We spend most of the spring, summer, and fall outdoors.  We like to go out on our boat, bike ride, play ball, spend time with family, go to the beach, paddle board, play, swim in the pool and have BBQ’s.  The winters we like to take trips to warm destinations.  We have a membership with the Disney vacation club and go often.  Kate enjoys spending time with family, shopping, & going out with her friends.  Doug enjoys family time, snow skiing, camping, and water sports.  Since the arrival of Claire & Lucy we love to play, read stories, and watch them grow and learn new things all day long!

We look forward to being there through every milestone, the first steps and first word to graduations and marriage the list goes on and on.  Kate looks forward to everything from fun family vacations to volunteering at their school.  Doug looks forward to teaching them how to ski and surf to driving a car!  We will be there every step of the way through our kids’ lives to love, support, provide safety and security.  We will show our children that with a little hard work, you can do whatever you set your mind to.  We will support them 100% no matter what the situation.  Most importantly teach them to love & laugh.

We live in a Colonial 3 Bedroom home with a fenced in yard.  We live in a coastal town; our house is a block from the ocean and two blocks from the bay.  We have an in-law apartment in which Kate’s Mom lives; she will always be there for the baby!  We love taking daily walks on the beach with Claire & Lucy as well as playing in the sand all summer long.

Our adoption story will always be told to our baby from the start.  There will be no surprises along the way.  Our child will always know what a loving selfless sacrifice you made in order to give us the greatest gift of our lives.  You will always be a huge part of their story, and we are willing to be as open with this adoption as you are.  Claire & Lucy call their adoption stories “The Story of Love.”  They love hearing it and know exactly where they came from.  We always end the story by thanking their birth parents for making us a family!

Sunita loves cooking and baking, arts and crafts and gardening. She also likes sports – tennis, golf, running and biking. Erik likes outdoor activities like camping, hiking, biking and running. We both enjoy reading and traveling to explore new places.

Sunita is smart, strong, loving and full of fun. She makes life fun for all those around her, giving her time and energy to make others feel included and loved. These attributes make Sunita a great mom. She is creative and inspires our daughter to draw, paint, build and read.

Erik is everything you could want in a husband and dad. He is adventurous, smart and energetic. He is also kind and caring. He strives to make connections with people and most importantly, he loves to teach, nurture, and have fun with our daughter.

Sunita’s immediate family lives in her hometown in Pennsylvania. The whole family gets together a few times a year and it is so fun to watch the kids having good times together. Erik’s family lives in Portland, Oregon. We travel there or to Montana, where Erik grew up, to spend time with his family at a family cabin in the woods. Sunita’s mom and Erik’s parents visit us often as they love to play with our daughter. We frequently FaceTime to stay connected.

After several years of trying to have a child, we decided on adoption. It was an easy choice since we knew we wanted a family. We are thrilled to have our daughter in our lives. We have an open relationship with her birth mother and will continue to help her understand and know her birth family. We also know how much more love we have to give and so we’ve again turned to adoption to expand our family. We are excited to welcome another child into our home.

We look forward to including our child in all the fun things we typically do – trips to the beach in the summer, walks to neighborhood playgrounds, cheering on Boston sports teams and going to museums. Our child will also share in the small things we do everyday- doing puzzles by the fireplace, reading books before bedtime, playing catch in the backyard, weekend mornings cuddling in mom & dad’s bed with our two cats, and giving and getting hugs and I love you.

Our holidays are always special times. There is always a lot of food, as Sunita loves to cook, especially with her mom and daughter. We spend holidays with family as much as possible, either having them visit us or traveling to visit them. It is always a great time to reconnect and fun to see how much the kids have grown and what their new interests are.

We live in a three-level four bedroom home in a family-friendly neighborhood. We have a large backyard with plenty of space to play. We enjoy spending time on our deck and patio. There are several great playgrounds and parks we walk to, including one by the school our daughter will attend. We do bike rides on the local bike path and there is a small town beach that we frequent in the summer.

Last summer Greg and Edi were told by their doctor that they had a very low chance of having children naturally. It was a devastating day for the both of them and a long sad drive home. But they decided to drive straight to their favorite ice cream shop to cheer up. It was never really a question what the next step was for them and after a couple scoops of ice cream they were on their path toward adoption.

Edi’s hobbies: volunteering, traveling the world, keeping a clean house, her faith, reading, watching the tv show Friends, family parties, playing with nieces and nephews, hiking, socializing, exercising, relaxing at the beach, and movie nights. Edi is also extremely passionate about child development, which is what she studied in college. She will make an amazing mother.

Greg’s hobbies: fishing, hunting, hiking, traveling (22 countries and 44 states so far), reading, cafes, keeping an immaculate yard, wine making, wood working, antique cars (owner of a restored 1979 Pontiac Trans Am), building things, fixing things, member of the Big Brother Association since 2009, exercising, starting new hobbies!

Shared hobbies: church every Sunday, 6am gym on the weekdays, socializing with friends and family, volunteering, hanging out with Greg’s Little Brother (big brother association), making wine to share with friends and family!

They look forward to doing many different activities with their child, including traveling, fishing, playing with cousins, going to the beach, and outdoor movies by the fire pit in the backyard, and teaching Portuguese!

Greg and Edi’s strong point in their relationship is their faith. They have a strong commitment to the Christian faith and it has made them a better couple because of it. They also share the same core values about life. Their morals are on track with each other, as well as their family lifestyle. They also support each other through their struggles. They care about each others hobbies as well and do almost everything together.

Edi sees Greg as determined, detail oriented, honest, faithful, caring, outgoing, handy, and silly.

Greg sees Edi as one in a million, loving, generous, completely selfless, funny, having good morals, and having a strong faith in God.

Greg and Edi are both very close with their extended family. Edi has 39 aunts and uncles and 55 first cousins! Even though almost all her family is in Brazil she still speaks with them through social media and Facetime daily. They plan to go to Brazil at least once every two years.  Greg’s family is almost all local to where they live, so they see them regularly. There are many family birthday parties and barbeques. Edi and Greg have six nieces and nephews and they love to babysit them.

Greg and Edi live in a small suburban town on a quiet cul-de-sac street in a house that Greg and his brothers built in 2013. It is a two family home and Greg’s brother, sister in law and two children live in the other unit. The interior is kept exceptionally clean (thanks to Edi!) and the yard is kept beautifully manicured (thanks to Greg and his brother!). There are over 200 rose bushes, a large vegetable garden, imported alpine geraniums in window flower boxes, as well as an enormous pergola and 20’ dining table for backyard barbeques. Also, attached to the pergola is a fire pit for roasting marshmallows. On summer nights Greg and Edi will set up a 20’x9’ projection screen that Greg built for outdoor movies and invite over all of our friends and their children. Also near the home is a brand new park next to a reservoir which is perfect for fishing.

Crystal about James:

James is one of the most balanced people I know. He is silly, yet focused. He can be spontaneous, yet practical. He loves a good adventure, but is also structured and stable. James is genuine and kind and, without a doubt, the most generous person I know. I love our silly banter and, having known each other since middle school, we really “get” one another. He’s my rock during the tough times and the one who makes the good times great. He’s a natural caregiver and a compassionate person.

James about Crystal:

Crystal inspires me to stand up for what I believe in every single day. I have never met anyone with a stronger conviction in doing the right thing or someone who would fight harder to right a wrong than Crystal. Through the years, I have seen her in so many roles with kids, a toddler teacher, guidance counselor, tutor, aunt, and in every single one she holds their best interest at heart.

Adoption has always been in the plan for us; it was definitely more of a “when” than an “if”. After moving back home from living abroad, gaining stability in our careers, and purchasing a new home, we decided we were ready to start building our family. While having biological children has not worked out for us, it has only fast forwarded our plans to build our family through adoption.

We can’t wait to share holidays and traditions, introduce them to Santa, go apple picking, carve pumpkins and dress up for Halloween, bring them to amusement parks, ­­snuggle up for movie night, build forts in the living room, and go to the park. Going to Disney World has been an annual tradition and we are excited to give our child the same experience. James grew up going to a Lake every Summer with his cousins who have continued the tradition with their kids (50+ people) and can’t wait to bring ours. Mostly, we are excited to teach them something new at every turn and give them opportunities to explore and grow.

We recently purchased a sunlit condo in a family and pet friendly neighborhood of Boston where we live with our cat. Our neighborhood is full of families with young children, a waterfront playground across the street with several schools just a few minutes walk from our home. Our small community within the larger city often hosts family events for the holidays including parades and celebrations throughout the year. We are minutes from some of the best medical facilities and educational institutions in the country. We also have museums, an aquarium, an ice rink, and several sports fields within minutes from our home.

Matt has a passion for filmmaking that even took him to Paramount Studios in Los Angeles to work for a producer. He is currently the technical director of a local film festival and working on a documentary film on local charities. He enjoys film, travel, and giving back.

Jamie enjoys snorkeling, gardening, and spending time outdoors. She loves being Auntie Jamie to her brother’s three children. She enjoys cooking and hosting at our home, especially in the nice weather when the pool is open.

Jamie: “What drew me to Matt was his sweet soul and huge smile. He has a very uplifting effect on people and is always kind to others. What he values most is making people happy and leaving the world a better place.”

Matt: “What drew me to Jamie was her beautiful smile, nurturing spirit and her incredibly optimistic outlook when faced with adversity. Her loyalty to her family is unwavering and her love for all animals is touching. She is grateful for everyone in her life and values family and friends over material things.”

We look forward to sharing the experiences that we enjoyed as kids; hunting for treasures on the beach, roasting s’mores on camping trips, and apple picking, to name a few. We are excited to share our holidays with a child, as we cherish that time with our friends and family. Most importantly, we look forward to helping our child explore who he or she is, and provide the love, guidance, and support needed to create a meaningful and fulfilling life.

Jamie is the younger of two children. Her older brother has three children, Colby, Bella, and Vivian. Jamie’s mother is very excited about our adoption plans and our efforts to start a family. Jamie herself has over 30 first cousins, and over 17-second cousins.

Matt’s mother and father are both retired and could not be happier to someday greet their first grandchild. Matt is the youngest of two children, his sister was just married and is hoping to start a family soon.

We also include our friends in the category of family. Over the past few years, we have helped them welcome over a dozen babies that are looking forward to a new friend. All of our friends are supportive of our decision; several of them were adopted themselves.

The holidays are for spending time with family and friends and we both enjoy the holiday spirit. In the fall, we carve pumpkins, go apple picking and decorate the exterior of the house for Halloween. Our neighborhood has a Halloween costume party each year. Thanksgiving we spend with immediate family, as well as a Friendsgiving with friends and their children. Christmas Eve is on a rotating schedule with immediate and extended family. We enjoy hosting Christmas Day with immediate family.

We plan to be open and honest about with our child about their adoption, but will respect the birth parents wishes if they want some discretion. We strongly believe that a child has the right to know who they are and where they come from and that being adopted is just great part of their story. We want our child to know that they are loved by us and by their birth parents. We will create an adoption book that tells their story. We believe that when our child is at the right age, it will be his or her choice to explore a relationship with the birth mother and father if they don’t have one already.

Our home is situated on a one way in, one way out neighborhood. It borders on conservation land and we frequently see deer and bunnies. Our backyard is separated into two sections by a small fence. One half is a grassy area with a swing set and gardens. The other half is an in ground pool with a small pool house. You will find grapes, asparagus, blackberries, basil, mint, oregano and peaches growing in our back yard. We have four bird feeders and a birdbath that attract a large variety of birds including blue jays, chickadees, and cardinals.

Our neighborhood is a collection of friendly and close families. There are children of all ages ranging from toddlers to teenagers. Most of our neighbors have lived in the neighborhood for over 20 years and as a result of being a tightly knit group, have no plans on leaving anytime soon. Our neighborhood provides the perfect destination for trick-or-treating, and we love to hand out candy.

Matt is a “jack of all trades” and likes to work on projects around the house and yard. He is also an excellent cook and loves to grill and smoke food all year round. His other favorite hobby is saltwater fishing.

Katie is a talented singer/song writer and has been in a band for over 15 years. She also loves animals, arts and crafts, baking, shopping and enjoys spending time with friends and family.

From Matt, of Katie: Katie’s qualities can’t be summed up in a few sentences. She is the kindest, selfless and most caring person that I know. She is very determined and excels at everything she does. She loves unconditionally and is quick to forgive. Katie has a very calm and collective nature about her and I have no doubt in my mind that all of her qualities are going to make her a fantastic mother.

From Katie, of Matt: I never believed in love at first sight or understood how easy a relationship could be until I met Matt. After just two dates, I knew in my heart that he was the one I had been waiting my whole life for. He is the most genuine, hard working, caring and honest person I know. He puts his family and friends before anything else but also goes out of his way to help anyone in need without the expectation of getting anything in return. He laughs with me during the good times and wipes my tears when I’m sad. He is also really funny and always makes me smile. He is truly one in a million. I am so blessed to have found my soulmate and know that he will be an amazing dad to a very lucky kid.

Our parents are overjoyed at the thought of welcoming their very first grandchild into the family! Many of our family members including our parents, several of our siblings, aunts/uncles and cousins live within a 20-mile radius. We have a very tight knit family so having everyone close by gives us a great support system when we have a child. Along with all major holidays, we host a number of family dinners and get togethers through out the year. Thanksgiving is one of our favorites because everyone comes over; parents, siblings, aunts/uncles and cousins.

Ever since we met, we have talked about starting a family. Due to medical reasons we have come to the decision that adoption is the best path for us to take. We are very excited to welcome a child into our home and start the next chapter of our life that we have been waiting so patiently for.

We want our child to be able to experience all that life has to offer. Some activities that have a strong meaning for us that we want to share with our child include fishing, playing music, going on trips and spending time with family and friends.

We live on a quiet cul-de-sac in a suburban town surrounded by friends and close to family. We custom built our dream home together right after we got married. We built our house with children in mind and included extra bedrooms, bathrooms and an extra-large room over the garage to be used as a child’s play room. We have an inground pool, fully fence in yard and a nice big area for kids to play. We are close with all of our neighbors and throw a big block party each year with activities for both kids and adults. We could not have picked a better neighborhood to raise our family.

We love being outdoors. Whether it is exploring a new hiking trail, spending a lazy day at the beach, or just enjoying a dinner out on the patio, we aim to spend as much time as possible out in the fresh air. Michael has a passion for growing flowers and vegetables. Most summer days you will find him in the yard digging a new flower bed or chasing the squirrels away from his vegetable plants. Jason enjoys being on the water, there is nothing better to him then spending a day paddling a kayak.

Michael about Jason: Jason is an honest, dependable, hardworking, and extremely caring man. I knew early on that he was the man I would spend my life with and one day start a family with. He is adventurous and active and always planning out weekend adventures for us or vacation trips to new and fun locations.

Jason about Michael: Michael has a loving and kind soul and is a total saint for being as supportive of my career path as he has been. He is also a great “from scratch” cook, my family and friends are envious of the meals Michael prepares for the two of us and request he cook for them every time we visit.

We are lucky to be living close to Michael’s family. His parents and a gaggle of aunts/uncles/cousins all live within an hour drive of our home and have been waiting for years to meet our first child. Jason’s parents, brother, sister, and four nieces and nephews live in Florida and Mississippi. We make a point to get together at least once or twice a year with Jason’s family to celebrate special occasions or just for some quality family time.

Growing our family through adoption has always been the plan for us, it was just a matter of when. We are open to both open and closed adoptions, whichever is felt to be in the best interest of the child and respectful of your needs.

We look forward to traveling with our child and to pass on our love of the outdoors. We are also excited to just spend time at home and in the kitchen cooking family meals together. Most of all, we look forward to being able to take our child to countless family gatherings and fostering a relationship between them and all their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

We live in a small family-oriented neighborhood outside of Boston. We have a large backyard perfect for running and playing and there are several playgrounds and a national park within a short walk of our home. Our community is full of children of various ages. On a nice summer day it is a common sight to see kids outside playing together and a parade of strollers on the sidewalks. There are also several community events hosted throughout the year including an annual summer BBQ with live music, bounce houses, and firework show.

We enjoy boating and spending time at our beach home in Cape Cod. We love traveling to new places, trying new foods and experiencing new cultures. We also love just being home and spending time with our puppies. Patrick spends his free time golfing and Lauren enjoys cooking and taking new yoga/fitness classes.

We both come from large close families. We are lucky to be living close to Lauren’s parents, siblings, aunts & uncles. Patrick’s family also lives in the area and his parents are retired so we can spend a lot of time with them. Everyone is extremely helpful and supportive. He has two older sisters with their own children, and they can’t wait to have a new cousin to play with!

When we met, we knew we wanted to have a family. Due to medical reasons for Lauren, we felt the best option for us was through Adoption. Adoption has always been part of our plan to build our family. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome a child into our lives.

Growing up we both enjoyed many vacations with our families. We both were lucky enough to travel to Disney World annually, go camping, explore different beaches & visiting extended family. We plan to enjoy family vacations with our new family.

We look forward to attending baseball games, dance recitals and any new hobbies our child will be interested in. We are excited to dress them up for Halloween, go apple picking, learn about Santa and start new family traditions.

We love hosting family gatherings with both of our families. During Christmas time, we have a lot of fun with our nieces and nephews hiding their Christmas Elf and telling them stories on what he was doing while they were sleeping. We have a special tradition with our families and close friends to travel to New Hampshire after Thanksgiving dinner and spend time together while cutting down our Christmas tree.

We recently purchased a home in a small coastal town. We have a plenty of space to spread out and play. We have a large fenced in backyard and friendly neighbors. We are a five-minute drive from the beach and the park. Our town has big parades and celebrations for Christmas, Fourth of July and Halloween. We think it’s the perfect neighborhood to grow up in!

Caroline’s favorite qualities in Rob are his big bear hugs and his ability to pick up any new skill he tries.   Rob’s favorite qualities in Caroline are her compassion for others and her love of animals.   Most importantly, we love that we work well together and enjoy being a team for any adventure we take on.

We share a love for animals that has driven us to visit many zoos and aquariums over the years, especially watching the penguins. We enjoy traveling to new places and have been fortunate to travel throughout the U.S. and Europe. Everywhere we go, we enjoy finding new spots to hike, kayak and experience the local wildlife in their natural habitats. At home we enjoy planting a vegetable garden, hosting gatherings with friends and family, and taking our dog Scout for walks.

We cannot wait to include our future child in all these hobbies, and we also look forward to being our child’s biggest cheerleaders, helping them create their own sense of adventure with hobbies of their own.

We cherish family and the time we spend with them.  We are grateful to have much of our immediate and extended family close by.  Many of our cousins have children of their own so each holiday and get together (of which there are many) gets a little bit bigger every year.  Each summer we spend time on Cape Cod with Rob and Caroline’s family, including a week-long vacation with many of Caroline’s extended family. With cousins, and their kids in tow, we spend long days on the beach.  We look forward to creating memories with our own children as we continue these annual traditions.

We are so excited to start our family through adoption and our family and friends are eager to welcome the newest family member.   We believe that biology does not define family. Love and dedication are the core values of a strong family and parenting a child regardless of biology involves that same love and dedication.

We value the importance of openness with our future child and therefore our child’s story will always begin with the selfless act of their birth parents.  We hope we can share with our child many details about their birth parents so that they always know the love they came from.

In addition to being close to family, we are located near great schools, ice cream shops, and playgrounds.  Our colonial home has a modern style with many personal touches. With Rob’s craftsmanship, Caroline is happy to boast some of his hand made pieces. We love collaborating and doing home projects together in order to create spaces we both enjoy. We chose our home because we knew it could grow with us as our family grows throughout the years. We look forward to making memories in our home and in this town.

Joey is Bima’s 8-year-old son that lives with us. He is extremely smart and continues to win awards for his academic performance. Joey is beyond excited that he’ll have a younger sibling. He has a huge heart and is kind and gentle. Joey loves to play board games and run around outside. Joey is looking forward to teaching his new sibling how to swim and play sports but most importantly he can’t wait to show them how much love that our family has to offer. One of the best days of his life will be when he can say “I’m a big brother now!”. Ryan and Bima have large extended families consisting of 20+ aunts and uncles and 50+ first and second cousins. We look forward to introducing our new child to our large and loving family.

Bima about Ryan: Ryan is my partner in life. I love him very much. I feel that he is one of the most generous, caring, loving, and thoughtful people I know. He makes me a better person and continuously motivates me through our life. More than my husband, Ryan is my best friend. I have no doubt he will be a great father as he already is to my son.

Ryan about Bima: Bima is a wonderful husband and partner. We work, play, and laugh together daily. He is my rock and he never ceases to amaze me. He is compassionate and strong. He’s loyal and honest. One of the qualities that I love about Bima is that he’s an amazing father.

Being a same-sex couple, adoption was our first choice. We are supportive of an open adoption and look forward to working together to create a plan that will honor and respect the level of openness you choose for yourself, your child, and your family. Above all else, our goal is to maintain a connection. The miracle of adoption helped grow Ryan’s immediate family as his sister was adopted into his family as an infant. He also has two adoptive cousins that are now in their thirties. Not only will your child have an enormous support system, it will be inclusive of family members that have been adopted themselves.

All our family members are ready to welcome another child into our family. We look forward to cutting down our Christmas tree, going apple picking, carving pumpkins, and going on our annual vacation. We’ve spent countless hours talking about details on how we plan to raise our child. We get excited about the many things we will be able to teach, the values we will instill, and the adventures we will share.

Our cozy three-bedroom raised ranch is located on a cul-de-sac in a quiet neighborhood. We are fortunate enough to have a large yard where there’s plenty of room to run around and play! During the summer you will find us outside planting flowers, kicking a soccer ball around, or picking home-grown vegetables from our garden. There’s also a town beach with a large playground, basketball court, and a biking path just a short distance away.

During the warm season, I spend a lot of time outside. I particularly enjoy being in, and on, the water, bicycling, gardening and reading on my balcony. I also visit farms during the summer, picking dozens of pounds of berries to can (I make all my own jam) and freeze for smoothies!

In recent years, I have started practicing yoga to learn self-care and kindness. And baking helps satisfy my creativity, as well as my sweet tooth!

The people closest to me see my desire to live an intentional and meaningful life. I am passionate about social justice and have focused my career on trying to increase equity and access to critical resources such as housing.

I am thoughtful, energetic and curious. While my friends know I am “introverted,” I am friendly and engaging, but tend to prefer smaller groups and deeper conversation.

Baking cookies, reading books, hiking, exploring parks, riding bikes and playing on a beach are all things I image doing with my child!

In time, I will learn the things my child would like to participate in that may be new to me. I look forward to learning through my child.

I own a condo in a six-unit building in a diverse neighborhood of Boston, just one block from a subway line. People from all over the world, speaking a number of different languages, are my neighbors. Within walking distance of my house is a library, parks, YMCA and summer Farmer’s Market. There is a river path and park system that runs along the edge of the neighborhood. Beaches are a short drive away.

Along with the extensive array of cultural institutions and activities in the city, my immediate neighborhood hosts events throughout the year, including a fall bike festival and holiday gatherings.

My neighborhood association participates in community clean ups and advocates for the neighborhood. We exchange pet care, share yard care equipment and plan neighborhood walks and cook outs, contributing to a rich and meaningful place to call home.