Hello from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania! We are Paul & Katie. Thank you for taking the time to review our profile. We hope that it gives you insight into who we are and how we would raise your child. We have always dreamed of building a family together in a loving and supportive home with our two dogs, Pepper & Maple. We have found that family is more than just genetics, but also includes those you love and surround yourself with as well. We appreciate the courage it took for you to make this difficult decision. We truly wish the best for you and your child.
Dear Birth Mother...
Why Adoption
We always knew that we wanted to build a family together, and believed that adoption would be part of that journey. After trying to conceive naturally and through fertility treatments for over four years, we realized that our path to parenthood was actually through adoption. We are thrilled to be in the adoption process and are tremendously excited at the prospect of becoming parents. We look forward to providing a safe, attentive, and loving environment for your child.
Our Story
Paul - "The knowledgeable lady above me is very correct." That was the comment Paul posted on a mutual friend’s Facebook in response to Katie. Paul lived in Tampa and was finishing his Bachelor’s degree at the time. Katie lived in Orlando and was starting her career. We formed an instant friendship. And the rest is history.
We officially started dating in March 2014. Paul moved to Pittsburgh for school in 2015. Less than a year later, Katie followed. We have been happily married since October 13, 2018. Our relationship began with us living in different cities and was strengthened across different states. We have overcome numerous hardships and shared so much laughter. Our undeniable bond is built on trust, communication, honesty, love, and a good sense of humor. We love experiencing life together!
About Katie, by Katie
Hi, I'm Katie. Those who know me best would describe me as a nurturer, very organized, self-motivated, patient, and loyal. I enjoy baking, stand-up comedy, hiking, and concerts. I am a die hard Pittsburgh Penguins and Steelers fan. I love hosting and entertaining in our home.
I was raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before moving to Orlando, Florida at the age of 10. I graduated high school a year early and went on to study Marketing at UCF. Today, I work as a real estate agent. I love that my job has flexibility and connects me with our community. As an agent, I get to help people, solve problems, be creative and make my own schedule every day.
While I take pride in my work, I have believed for many years that my purpose in life is to be a mother. I am grateful to have been raised by a strong single mother and a small, but supportive, extended family. I hope to share the many things that I learned from my family with our child. Caring for our child will be my number one priority.
More About Katie, by Paul
Katie is the most kind and understanding person I have ever met. She has a natural gift for caring and an extraordinary emotional intelligence which allows her to connect with everyone around her. She is the kind of person who will always go above and beyond for those she loves and cares about.
Katie loves to entertain and host, especially for Halloween and Thanksgiving, where everyone is welcome and included in the fun. She has a real passion for cooking and baking (much to my benefit). She loves to be creative and try new things.
Katie's positive energy, warmth, and unwavering commitment to her family leave no doubt in my mind that she will be a fantastic mother.
About Paul, by Paul
Hi, I'm Paul. I was born in New York and moved to Tampa, Florida when I was 14 years old. I met Katie while I was studying Criminology at USF. I acquired my Master's degree from the University of Cincinnati and currently attend LSU Online for my MBA.
I work as a property manager at a high rise building in downtown Pittsburgh. My job affords me the flexibility to work from home when needed. When I am not working my day job, I run my own online comic book store from home. Through my store I support a charity that provides comic books and toys to children in long-term hospital care. I also love to play Dungeons & Dragons, and am an avid New York sports fan.
Growing up, I was very close with my grandparents who helped shape me in to the person who I am today. I learned so much from them and can't wait to pass those values on to a child of my own. I truly want our child to experience all that this world has to offer.
More About Paul, by Katie
Paul is the smartest and funniest person I have ever known. He is charismatic, thoughtful, caring and even-tempered. Paul prides himself on doing the right thing and is respectful towards people from all walks of life. Paul naturally pivots between being gentle and protective towards those he loves. He’s very observant and is a good judge of character. He is humble and definitely does not take himself seriously.
Paul is always quick to offer a fun fact about any number of random topics. When asked a question, Paul's initial response will usually come in the form of a joke. He has a very good work ethic and is always striving to challenge himself. He loves to try new foods, board games, and visit new places.
Paul's laid back nature perfectly balances me. I believe in every sense of the term that he is my soulmate. Watching Paul become a father, and experiencing parenthood together, would truly be a dream come true.
List of Favorites!
Favorite Sports Team
Katie: Pittsburgh Penguins
Paul: New York Yankees
Favorite Food
Katie: Crab Legs
Paul: Ramen
Favorite Holiday
Katie: Thanksgiving
Paul: Christmas
Favorite Vacation
Katie: Italy
Paul: Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Favorite Movie
Katie: The Wedding Singer
Paul: Lord of the Rings
Favorite Children's Book
Katie: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Paul: Where the Sidewalk Ends
Favorite Actor
Katie: Johnny Depp
Paul: Karl Urban
Favorite TV Show
Katie: The Sopranos
Paul: Breaking Bad
Favorite Snack
Katie: Popcorn
Paul: Cool Ranch Doritos
Our Hobbies and Interests
Whether we are exploring something new or just hanging out, we genuinely enjoy each other's company.
We like ending our days by taking family walks around the neighborhood or playing fetch in the backyard with our dogs, Pepper and Maple. We frequently go to concerts, sports games, stand-up comedy shows, and the movies.
Paul: In my free time, I love to read, watch sports, and am a huge movie/TV buff. My biggest hobby is collecting - comic books, Funkos, and trading cards. My bucket list includes learning to speak Japanese, and travel. I would love to visit Japan, Egypt, and Scotland.
Katie: I am always keeping busy! I enjoy decorating our home with seasonal decor, trying new recipes from my many cookbooks, and getting manicures. At the end of the day, I like to unwind by reading non-fiction or watching reality TV (my guilty pleasure). I am always listening to something - podcasts, audio books, and music. My love of music spans many decades and genres including The Beatles, Metallica, Eminem, and Keith Urban.
Experiences We Hope to Share with Your Child
- Trips to Disney World
- Nightly bedtime stories
- Baseball games
- Karate lessons
- Trick-or-Treating
- Family movie nights
- Christmas tree decorating
Our Home
We live in a charming four bedroom home in the East end of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Our home has a great layout for hosting family and friends, a covered front porch, high ceilings and lots of natural light. We have a fully fenced backyard with plenty of room for a child to play and grow.
We are close to Kennywood (a local amusement park), the Children's Museum, the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium, the History and Science Centers, three professional sports stadiums, and much more. Pittsburgh is known for having world-class hospitals, food, and education. It is a vibrant city with many different seasonal/cultural festivals including Light Up Night, the St. Patrick's Day Parade, and the Picklesburgh Food Festival. We look forward to experiencing all of the kid-friendly and community activities that Pittsburgh has to offer with your child.
Meet Pepper & Maple
Pepper (age 5) and Maple (age 3) are Pembroke Welsh Corgis.
Pepper came to us through a local breeder when she was just a few weeks old. She is very food motivated, loves to be outside, and extremely social. Maple was adopted from a rescue at 7 months old. She loves to snuggle, squeak her toy penguin, and play fetch in our backyard. They are both gentle, happy, intelligent, and will make excellent fur sisters!
Our Village
We are blessed to be surrounded by a very tight knit group of people. Our biggest support will come from Katie's mom. She and Katie's sister live just two blocks away. We see them every week and celebrate holidays together. When they are unavailable to help with childcare, we are minutes away from a highly rated daycare. Paul's family still lives in New York. We take road trips each year to visit his grandma, aunt, uncles and cousins.
Our family is very supportive and can't wait to welcome the newest generation.
In addition to our families, we have a wonderful group of friends who are like family to us.
In fact, we are known as Aunt Katie and Uncle Paul to their kids, who we love dearly. Katie has known some of our friends for over 30 years. We spend our summers in each other's backyards grilling, swimming, and listening to music. We share holiday hosting for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas parties. Our village includes people who have been adopted and people who are step-parents. They are all extremely encouraging of our journey to parenthood. Everyone is very excited to be a part of the village that supports your child.
Favorite Traditions
- Summer vacations to new destinations
- Road trips to Long Island to visit family
- Cooking Thanksgiving dinner for our family & celebrating Friendsgiving with our friends
- Italian food for Christmas Eve dinner
- Hosting our annual Halloween party
- Going to see the Pittsburgh Penguins play the Tampa Bay Lightning each hockey season
Values We Hope to Teach Your Child
- Honesty
- Curiosity
- Resilience
- Humor
- Unconditional love
- Kindness
- Respect
We Promise To...
- Raise your child in a nurturing, supportive and loving environment
- Guide your child through life and raise them to be curious and independent thinkers
- Share our interests and passions while encouraging them to pursue their own
- Provide the consistency and structure that will allow them to develop important life skills
- Embrace their creativity by providing new experiences
- Teach your child to be true to themselves
- Be honest about your child's story and honor your love, courage and decision
- Teach your child that even though life isn't perfect we will listen to and love them unconditionally
In Closing - Thank You
We are humbled that you took the time to read our profile and learn a little about us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
We are excited to learn more about you, your goals, and your dreams as well. We want you to know that we will unconditionally love your child with all of our hearts. We will provide a safe and stable environment for them to thrive and grow in. We will always be grateful to you for making this difficult decision and giving us the opportunity to be parents. Your child will be the most important part of our lives.
Warmly,
Paul & Katie