Hi! We are Alison & Aaron from Claremont, California. Thank you for taking the time to get to know us and consider us as adoptive parents. Words can’t express the gratitude and respect we feel towards you.

You are considering something so loving and courageous that we will always admire. Our 15 year relationship has been filled with devotion, happiness, and fun. We love to travel, and have been planning for our biggest adventure yet for years, starting a family. We can’t wait to share amazing experiences, our home, our family, and most importantly, our hearts, with your beautiful child. Thank you again for getting to know us, and for considering us as partners in your child’s life.

From the very beginning of our relationship, we always saw adoption as an amazing opportunity that aligned with our core beliefs.

Growing up in close-knit families, with Aaron’s mom as a social worker, and adoption in Alison’s family, we’ve always valued community, and even prioritized it in our careers in K-12 and health education. When we did experience infertility, it was confirmation that adoption is the right path for us to start a family. We find so much peace and strength in the community that adoption is and thrives on. Pursuing adoption is a reflection of our values and we look forward to providing a welcoming, safe, and enriching home for a child with the love and community that adoption brings. We’re not just excited about the adoption process, we are ecstatic!

Despite growing up only 12 minutes away from each other, we first met as freshmen in college, introduced by our roommates who thought we were super similar. They were right, and we bonded immediately over our near identical senses of humor, and oddly enough, raisins. We haven’t stopped laughing together since!

Through our 15 year relationship we have experienced so much of our lives together and are truly each other’s best friends.

Our similar personalities and ability to see the humor in everything, even the obstacles we overcome, is what makes our marriage so strong and daily life so fun. We are always looking for new experiences, from big adventures, like traveling to new countries, to the small things, like cooking a new dish at home, and are overjoyed to continue our fun, joy-filled, adventurous life as a family.

We are a very active couple and believe that it is important to explore and experience the world around us. Traveling is our biggest passion and we have been fortunate to visit dozens of cities and countries together.

While traveling, we immerse ourselves as much as we can from biking in the Austrian countryside to street food tours in Italy, and staying with local tribes in the Amazon. We were both very fortunate to travel widely as children and know the positive impact it had on our character and development. We truly believe that travel enriches our lives, and we have many plans to travel as a family with our future child.

When not traveling, we spend our time at concerts, galleries, museums, the theater, and attending events in Los Angeles.

One of Aaron’s biggest passions is music, so he is always finding live shows and festivals to attend, while Alison enjoys seeing theater productions, especially in Hollywood.

Los Angeles offers so many different cultural areas from Chinatown, Little Ethiopia, and museum row that there is always something fun to explore, especially as a family. Our future child will grow up immersed in Los Angeles’ rich cultural diversity, learning about the beautiful community we live in.

At home, we frequently entertain our family and friends. From BBQs to pool parties, and just sitting around the firepit, Aaron will cook delicious dishes that everybody enjoys. To relax, you’ll find Alison reading, gardening, baking, and attending bootcamp classes while Aaron likes to paint, work on home projects, cook, kayak, and practice jiu-jitsu.

My friends and family would describe myself as curious, outgoing, and adventurous. I have always been a “people person” and love interacting with others, which is why it’s no surprise that I’m a teacher. My career as a junior high history teacher has had a profound impact on my life. Through teaching, I have become more patient, understanding, and empathetic. As a parent, I am looking forward to expanding on my skills as a teacher to build a relationship with my future child where they always feel safe, supported, and respected. Plus, I’m excited to share the same schedule as my future child and be able to spend the entire summer and all breaks with them! In my interests, I have always sought activities and experiences that enrich my life emotionally, intellectually, and physically. I have spent many years envisioning my life as a mother and am so excited to share my love of reading, gardening, baking, traveling, animals, the theater, and being outdoors with my child. Just as I am looking forward to sharing my passions with my future child, I cannot wait to help them explore their interests and support them with every dream and goal they have.

Alison truly has the brightest spirit I know and is always a beam of happiness to everybody she meets. She embodies caring, kindness, empathy, and strength.

Her unwavering compassion touches the hearts of everyone in her life as she consistently goes above and beyond to support and uplift those in her life. Alison’s genuine concern for others, paired with her innate warmth, makes everyone she meets feel truly understood and valued. Her perseverance and tenacity are truly remarkable, as she’s been able to overcome life’s obstacles with grace, determination, and a smile on her face. Alison is also outgoing, very witty, and can make genuine, lasting connections with anyone she meets. Her natural affinity with children is evident in the joy and comfort she brings to their lives, both inside and outside the classroom. Alison’s nurturing character, resilience, adventurous spirit, and sense of humor make me excited to see her become a mother. I know without a doubt Alison will be an outstanding mother who will always parent with love, compassion, and understanding.

My family and friends would describe me as funny, clever, and active. I have always had an interest in the arts and from a young age have enjoyed music, painting, and cooking. Music and painting are how I express my creativity. I always have music playing and enjoy finding new artists and genres. I’ve painted everything from still lifes to portraits, but I always make my paintings unique using really bright colors or different techniques. Cooking is more than a necessity or hobby, it is a connection to my heritage. My Afghan and Mexican culture, passed on from my parents and family, is extremely important to me. From speaking both languages, participating in cultural events, learning how to cook both cuisines, and honoring traditions, my culture is an integral part of my daily life. As a parent, I am looking forward to passing on family traditions and teaching the importance of cultural pride to my future child. Just as I was fortunate to grow up surrounded by my culture, I will ensure my future child will always feel connected to their heritage.

Everyday I feel immensely fortunate to have Aaron in my life. He is the funniest person I know, effortlessly making me laugh dozens of times a day.

While Aaron is always a lot of fun, he also has an unparalleled caring nature. His love and care for his family and friends is what I love most about him. Throughout our relationship I’ve seen Aaron’s unwavering devotion and support for all of his loved ones. Without a doubt, Aaron is someone you can always rely on for anything because in addition to his compassion, he’s also very talented and creative. Our home is beautiful because of his artwork and handiwork, from paintings, to a hand built fence, and painted table. And our home is so comforting because of his amazing cooking, making Afghan and Mexican dishes that ensure nobody is ever hungry in our home. Aaron’s diverse talents, profound empathy, and sense of humor undoubtedly show how exceptional of a father he will be, providing abundant love and support. I cannot wait to see him share his passions and teach valuable lessons to our future child.

Everyday we consider ourselves fortunate to live in beautiful, safe Claremont, California. There is so much to love about Claremont, from its natural beauty, cultural richness, and close-knit community, but it is extra special because it is the perfect place to raise a child. We know this because it is Aaron’s hometown! We’re already looking forward to the memories we’ll create with our future child at Aaron’s family restaurant in Claremont’s downtown village, attending events at the Claremont colleges, and spending time outdoors at Claremont’s numerous parks, trails, and botanical garden. While we enjoy spending time in our community, we have a beautiful home that we absolutely love. We live in a four bedroom, single-story house with 2 living rooms, a fireplace, and a spacious backyard, which is where we spend the majority of our time. In our backyard we have a firepit, multiple patios perfect for hosting family and friends, and a saltwater pool. While we have everything we need in Claremont, we are a short drive away from the mountains, beaches, and desert. We also enjoy spending time at Alison’s parent’s beach house in San Clemente, just minutes away from the ocean.

Community is an important value to us and is apparent in both of our careers. Alison worked as a middle school teacher before taking a promotion where she now works with students of all ages. She chooses her work hours and has over 180 days off a year. Aaron works as a health educator for the Department of Public Health where he educates communities on how to stay safe and healthy. He works from home two days a week. Our careers require skills that will help us parent, such as patience, communication, and empathy.

We have an adorable and loving 3-year old terrier mix, Banjan. Banjan, which means eggplant in Farsi, is named after one of Aaron’s favorite Afghan dishes. He is a very gentle, silly, personable dog who gives every person he meets, especially children, the opportunity to rub his belly. Banjan is a great companion and often accompanies us to local restaurants, the beach, and the mountains, where he makes new friends with everybody he encounters. His curly tail never stops wagging, and he knows several tricks, including how to high-five and twirl.

We are fortunate to have a very large, tight-knit family that all live within minutes of Claremont. Aaron has dozens of aunts and uncles and even more cousins. Alison’s family is smaller, but just as close! We speak with our families daily, see them weekly, and enjoy vacationing together. Our love of children was instilled in us by our parents. Alison’s parents are both retired educators and Aaron’s mother is a social worker. They are overjoyed to share their love and time with a grandchild, and will play an active role in their daily life. Our large family has many children and we cannot wait for our future child to grow up playing with family members who become lifelong friends, just like we did with our cousins! Every family gathering is full of laughter, tradition, family recipes, and joy. Aaron benefited greatly from his culturally rich upbringing and we are looking forward to celebrating and honoring the heritage of our future child, ensuring they are always connected to their background. We know with certainty that our future child will grow up with joyful, fond memories of their large, loving family, just like the ones we cherish. When not with family, we enjoy spending time with our friends, many of which we’ve known for decades. The majority of them have children, and are ecstatic to welcome a new member into our weekly adventures and playdates. We really do have a village!

Aaron was fortunate to be born into two beautiful cultures with his Afghan-Mexican heritage. We honored both sides of his heritage at our wedding including having mariachis, a lasso ceremony, and a henna ceremony performed by 10 of Aaron’s aunts and uncles. We also celebrate Afghan and Mexican traditions for the holidays. Each spring we celebrate Nowruz, with Afghan treats, but our favorite tradition is making tamales for Christmas Eve. We invite our family and friends over to make dozens of tamales to share.

We want to express our deepest gratitude for taking the time to get to know us, our lives, and for considering us as potential adoptive parents in this beautiful journey together.

Your decision is one of tremendous courage and we have the utmost respect for your selfless act of love. It is an incredible responsibility to raise a child, but the unwavering devotion and support we’ve built over our 15 year relationship will provide a nurturing home filled with joy, love, and stability. Our commitment to the well-being and happiness of your child is our lifelong promise. Your child will always know how much they were dreamed of and loved, and will grow up surrounded by family who will unconditionally support them and their goals. We believe strongly in the strength of community, understanding that a child benefits from knowing all of the love that surrounds them. We are committed to creating a space where you feel comfortable and welcome in your child’s life. Again, with heartfelt sincerity, thank you. - Alison & Aaron