Hello and Welcome! Thank you for considering us as adoptive parents for your baby. We appreciate you taking the time to read our profile and we respect the very difficult decision you have to make. Even before we were married, we both knew that adoption would be a part of our family story. As you read our profile, we hope that we can show you how much love, support and happiness we can share with your baby. We are ready to grow our family and are excited to adopt again! We know in our hearts that our adoption story continues as we grow our family from three to four.
Dear Birth Mother...
5 Things We Will Teach Our Children
- Our children are loved uncontitionally and it’s okay to make mistakes; however, we have to learn from them
- They have the potential, intelligence, and ability to be anything they choose to be
- To be thoughtful, loving, humble and always willing to help others
- Education is very important and will open many doors for them in the future
- We will teach them their birth story and the courage that there birth mother had
Our Story
Our story began in 2003. We were both college advisors in Los Angeles. Through our interactions at work and shared passion of guiding students to realize their college dreams, we instantly connected. As we worked and collaborated, we began to learn more about each other and became good friends. Even though Bryan left in November 2004 to become an admissions counselor at a prestigious college, we kept in touch. In May of 2006, Bryan took a risk and invited Vrisa to their first date. We started dating and on July 7, 2007, (7/7/7), Bryan proposed to Vrisa. On August 2, 2008, we exchanged our vows and became husband and wife. Fast forward to today, we are more in love than ever. Though we are in different roles with Bryan as an assistant principal and with Vrisa as a director of a college preparation program, we continue to serve students in Los Angeles. For fun, we love exploring new local food spots, hanging out with friends, or traveling throughout the state of California. Now that we are parents to Elena, our relationship and love for each other has grown stronger.
Things We Love to Do
- Going to new restaurants to try new food and delicacies
- Spending time with our daughter Elena and watching her grow
- Traveling around to other countries and throughout the state of California
- Taking care and playing with our dog, Bubbles
A Little About Vrisa, by Vrisa
I was born in Los Angeles, Ca., and I have one older sister who was diagnosed at birth with Down’s Syndrome. My parents are both of Mexican descent and my first language is Spanish. Growing up I remember practicing several cultural traditions including celebrating the “All Soul’s Day”, “Three Wise Men Day” and making Tamales and other traditional Mexican food during the holidays. I have many aunts, uncles and cousins and my sister and I grew up attending many family events. My parents always emphasized the importance of education growing up. When I attended college I found my passion in working within education and now I am a director of a program that guides and prepares students for higher education.
What Makes Vrisa Happy
- Spending time with Elena
- Supporting students to graduate high school and get into college
- Getting a massage or spa facial
- Looking for great restaurants for delicious culinary adventures
Vrisa Through Bryan’s Eyes
Vrisa is filled with love and patience. Every time I see her with family and friends, they naturally gravitate to her and want to be around her. When we were dating, it was pretty common for me to hear how lucky I was to find someone like her. Vrisa is an awesome mom! Watching how she takes care of Elena and the love she shows Elena is nothing short of amazing.
A Little About Bryan
Bryan is currently an assistant principal at a college prep high school located in the South Bay Area in California. For hobbies, he loves to run in the morning and he is a passionate cook. He loves cooking foods from many cultures ranging from Mexican cuisine to Italian Food to Asian delicacies. When he is resting, he loves watching TV or researching the next travel destination for Vrisa and him. He also loves hanging out with friends and loved ones. Bryan loves to make people laugh and feel loved.
What Makes Bryan Happy
- Seeing my wife smile
- Spending time with family
- Making other people laugh
- Cooking for people and watching them enjoy his food
- Reading with Elena
Bryan Through Vrisa’s Eyes
Bryan is an energetic, outgoing and funny individual. He loves cookies, especially white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. He also is very musically inclined and plays the piano in addition to singing along to songs. Bryan is a great father to Elena. He looks forward to playing with her, taking the time to read her, and is always there to take care of her.
Elena Through Bryan and Vrisa’s Eyes
Elena is an amazing and beautiful daughter. She is very loving and playful. She loves to explore and learn. Her favorite activities are playing in the house, reading, and walking around the neighborhood. She loves everything Disney and spending time with family and cousins her age.
Our Home
We live about 30 miles south of Downtown Los Angeles, in a suburban city with lots of trees and parks. Our house is within walking distance of a park, elementary school, and mall. We are centrally located to a shopping center, a hospital, and we also live near the beach! We live in a great neighborhood and we love saying hi to our neighbors when we walk with Elena.
At home, you’ll see Bryan often cooking dinner in the kitchen in the evenings and Vrisa playing with Elena in the living room. The open concept floor plan allows us to feel that we are always in the same room.The living room is the heart of our home and where we spend the most time. That is where we gather to host family gatherings and movie nights. Our backyard has lots of room where Elena plays. We also grow avocados, limes, and other fruits in our backyard.
Meet Our Doggie
Bubbles is a poodle terrier mix and she is 16 years old. She is a sweet, loving and relaxed doggy. She enjoys sleeping, being petted and playing with her favorite toy. Bubbles is a very family and kid friendly doggy.
Our Loved Ones
We are surrounded by family and friends who are very supportive and care for us deeply. Often times, we spend quality time with our families through breakfast or dinner meal gatherings, or simply stopping by their home for a visit.
We are very lucky to have most of our family within a 20 minute drive of each other. Both of our parents are very loving, kind, and enjoy taking care of and playing with their grandchildren. Our parents to this day still call often to check in with us to make sure that we are ok; a tradition that we plan to pass to our children. During the holidays, we make efforts to attend both family parties and participate in family traditions ranging from taking pictures in front of the Christmas tree to making tamales with Vrisa’s mom. Our siblings are also very fun loving and caring.
We also enjoy hanging out with our friends. We can be found going out with them to have dinner, taking trips with them, or having a relaxing movie night with them at our home. All of our friends and family know that we are looking forward to growing our family and to adopt another baby and can’t wait to celebrate with us when we have another beautiful baby be a part of our family.
Five Family Traditions
- Creating an alter for the Day of the Dead
- Barebeque and lighting fireworks on the 4th of July
- Cooking for Easter celebration
- Traveling outside of California each year
- Making Tamales on Christmas Eve to celebrate on Christmas Day
Our Promise to You
- To have him/her surrounded by a supportive, loving and fun family
- To taech him/her to be honest, compassionate, and respectful
- To love your baby unconditionally
- To provide a safe, and nurturing environment
- To help him/her pursue their dreams, goals and aspirations
Thank you!
Thank you for taking the time to read our profile. We hope that it provided you with some insight into our family. Once again we truly respect your courage and selfless effort in finding the right home for your child. If we are the lucky family chosen to bring your child into our home, We will spend the best of our lives loving your child. As parents, we will always strive to provide them the best life we can give.