Hi there - We're Jenna & Andy from San Anselmo, CA! We're honored to introduce ourselves to you and look forward to getting to know you and embarking on this journey together.

From the minute we me met almost fourteen years ago, almost immediately, we began to dream and plan for the family we would create one day. We can’t wait to welcome a child into our home in California, to nurture their goals, strengths, and identity, and to raise a confident, kind, and passionate human being.

From the very first day we met in Phoenix, Arizona in 2010, we knew we would spend our lives together and have been best friends ever since. Jenna was a kindergarten teacher in our early courtship and some of our first shared memories are of Andy volunteering in her classroom. The students loved Andy, but never guessed that we were dating! After several years in Arizona, we married in 2017 and then moved to Chicago before finally settling in California four years ago. Along the way, we adopted a large, orange cat named Julio who is never more than a few feet from us (usually sleeping!) at all times.

We now live in a small town just north of San Francisco called San Anselmo and enjoy walking downtown to get ice cream and hiking together in the nearby mountains.

After several years of navigating infertility, we entered into the adoption process without hesitation. We have both always believed that family is rooted in the connection and love shared with another human being. When we realized that we wouldn’t be able to conceive naturally, we still deeply knew that we wanted to be parents. We’re excited about this process, to meet you, and to provide our future child with a life rich in love, hugs, adventure, and community.

I grew up in a small town in New England and was raised by my mom and dad, with whom I’m still incredibly close. My fondest memories of growing up were of my parents reading to me, learning to ski and garden with my dad, and the joy that filled my house at Christmas (my mom has more decorations than anyone I know!). Subsequently, I’ve lived in places like Tijuana, Mexico and West Africa and spent the first decade of my career as a kindergarten teacher and school principal in Arizona.

In 2018, I decided to obtain my Master of Business Administration and now work as an executive coach and Human Resources Director where I spend my days supporting leaders in being the best they can be.

Outside of work, I love animals (Andy and I learned how to milk goats last year!), running, hiking, and volunteering (I recently traveled to Kenya to facilitate a leadership workshop for female leaders). I’m also a part of a weekly women’s writing circle and improv group.

I believe Jenna is best summed up by the quote, “There are no strangers here; Only friends you haven’t yet met.” Jenna brings joy and light wherever she goes. She effortlessly meets new friends on planes or while waiting in line at the grocery store. Her ability to connect with people regardless of language or background inspires me. There is never a dull moment when you are with her; she has led us on many adventures, from hiking the mountains of Morocco to whale watching in Costa Rica. Jenna is one of the bravest, warmest, and most compassionate people I have ever met, and she inspires me to be a better person on a daily basis.

Watching her interact with children, particularly those she taught, was my first glimpse into her unwavering support and encouragement of others. She believes in me even when I doubt myself, and I know she will be a beautiful cheerleader and confidante to our future child. I feel incredibly lucky to have found her and am so excited for this next chapter of our lives together.

I grew up in Pennsylvania and Michigan, surrounded by two loving parents and my older brother and sister. My dad was a college professor and some of my earliest memories are of visiting his science lab and interacting with the diverse group of international students he mentored. My dad’s curiosity and passion for helping others are values I hope to instill in our future child. My childhood was filled with fantasy books, swimming, and lots of sledding and slip-and-sliding. I am very close to my family and talk to my mom every day and my siblings every week.

I can usually be found listening to movie scores or audio books, (especially history, sci fi, and fantasy books) and can frequently be found hiking and practicing Brazilian jiu jitsu. I am an early bird who often wakes up early to feed our cat and enjoy the sunrise, something I’m excited to share with our future little one. I love to make others laugh (especially Jenna) and try to make sure to find time for my favorite meal of the day, breakfast, especially when pancakes with maple syrup are involved!

On my first date with Andy, two memories stand out. First, he ordered three different beverages (coffee, chocolate milk, and sparkling water!) and second, that he didn’t know what kind of flowers I liked, so he brought me multiple bouquets.

Since our first date, Andy’s thoughtfulness has continued to inspire me almost daily. He’s always thinking of little ways to take care of me (bringing me a blanket when he senses I’m cold or putting a glass of water next to my bed each night). He’s also incredibly funny and even in our hardest moments, has an ability to make me laugh out loud.

Andy is insatiably curious. He’s constantly reading and I love that I can ask him almost any question because he knows a little bit about a lot of things! His empathy, passion for working hard, and care for others is what drew me to him. Our nieces and nephews adore their “Uncle Andy” and I could not think of a more patient, loving, or caring father for our future child.

We are lucky to share many of the same hobbies, and we also have a few of our own. We both love the outdoors, and we can be found hiking and running in the nearby mountains almost daily! We are avid travelers and love experiencing other cultures and landscapes. Some of our favorite places we’ve visited together have been Argentina, Morocco, Italy, Costa Rica, France, and England.

We both...

Read every day. Andy loves fantasy and history books while Jenna loves non-fiction books about leadership as well as fictional stories, often with female heroines.

Are passionate about music. We listen to artists like Marc Cohn, James Taylor, the Eagles, and Kygo together. We’re lucky to live in a town that is full of artists and musicians and often listen to live music nearby too.

Independently:

Jenna participates in a weekly improv group and women’s writing circle. She can be found gardening, volunteering, especially with non-profits supporting women and children, and petting any and every animal she can find!

Andy is particularly passionate about jiu jitsu and is a regular member at his local jiu jitsu gym where he’s built a wonderful community.

We are excited to share these hobbies with our future child and are already planning to buy a hiking backpack to carry our future child in as well as a list of activities (local festivals, museums, books, and countries to visit) to partake in with our future little one.

We live in a small town just north of San Francisco, nestled in the mountains, called San Anselmo. We have a large backyard and enjoy having our friends’ children over who run on the lawn and roll their trucks down our hill! Gardening is a passion for Jenna, and she enjoys spending time in the backyard with her plants every day. We’re a five-minute walk from the local elementary school, which is highly rated and has a lovely playground that we can’t wait to take our future child to.

Our downtown, also within walking distance, has many kid-friendly festivals and live music. Nearby, we’re surrounded by redwood tree groves, state parks, and the ocean. We also love to take weekend trips to places like Lake Tahoe, Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks, and the oceanside town of Mendocino. We are lucky to have neighbors and friends that live nearby who create a wonderful sense of community here. Both of our families are planning frequent trips to visit and spend time with their grandchild as well!

Julio is a constant loyal companion in our household. He greets us at the door when we arrive home and enjoys daily belly rubs as we read, watch television, or fall asleep at night. His passions in life are sunbeams, sitting in shoe boxes, and watching the birds outside. His favorite hobby is eating and he can occasionally be found trying to sneak pita bread or tortilla chips from our plates if we’re not looking! Julio spends his days napping alongside us and we know he’ll be an immediate best friend to our future child.

We were both raised in incredible, loving families who cannot wait to meet our future child!

Jenna's parents are based in New England, and spend half the year in Arizona. They’re planning monthly visits to California to spend time with their grandchild and can’t wait for their grandchild to play in the pool at their condo in Arizona, to look for seashells with them on the beaches of New Hampshire in the summer, and to host us for Christmas each year in snow-filled New England.

Andy's mom lives in Arizona and also can’t wait to visit us and our little one frequently. Andy’s siblings live in Indiana and Tennessee. We try to plan at least one family reunion a year, usually at Thanksgiving. Our 3 nieces and 2 nephews are especially thrilled at the idea of adding a new cousin to the family.

Both of our families are very excited to dote upon, nurture, and share our family traditions with our future child.

We travel to New England every year to celebrate Christmas with Jenna’s family. Her mom takes several weeks to decorate so the house is a winter wonderland by the time we arrive! Every ornament on the tree is unique and often homemade. The house is full of cookies, holiday music, Christmas books, and movies like The Muppet Christmas Carol. We spend Christmas Eve walking through our town which is decorated with luminaries and lights. On Christmas Day, we spend the whole day in our pajamas unwrapping presents. We can’t wait to share our traditions with our future child, and even make new ones!

We were both raised in loving homes and still remain very close to our families. For a long time, we’ve dreamed of creating our own family, one that prioritizes our future child and helps them to be the best human that they can be. We believe in the beauty of an open adoption and hope to connect our future child with their history and the values you believe are important.

Our home will constantly be a place of humor, joy, and laughter.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read our profile and learn about our family. We deeply respect the decision you are making in this process and promise to provide a happy, loving, and supportive home for your child.

We can't wait to meet you and to share in this important journey together.

With love,
Jenna & Andy