Hello from the San Francisco Bay Area in California! Thank you so much for taking the time to get to know us.

We’re so inspired by the courageous journey you’re taking and would be honored if you considered us as your child's adoptive parents. We hope this profile captures our joy and enthusiasm about adopting and the life we’re dreaming of for your child. We promise to provide unconditional love and support with lots of laughter, fun, and adventure along the way.

Even in our earliest conversations about starting a family, we talked about the possibility of becoming adoptive parents. When we experienced infertility years later, we believed it was our calling to adopt.

We met working as English teachers in Japan 15 years ago. Andy had been living there for two years when Laura arrived in a neighboring town. We were close friends for over six months before we fell in love and started dating.

In the beginning, we were both so grateful to have an English speaking friend! We quickly realized we had many shared values and interests. We loved to explore Japan together and even climbed through the night to reach the top of Mt. Fuji. Laura had bad altitude sickness and knew Andy was a keeper by the way he took care of her.

Andy proposed to Laura on a vacation to the island of St. Croix. He woke her up for a beautiful sunrise on the beach and we spent the rest of the day eating great food and talking to our families. We each have very supportive parents who have been married for over 40 years. Before proposing, Andy visited Laura’s parents to get their blessing. Everyone kept the secret well!

A lot has changed in our lives since we met in Japan, but our common values remain the foundation of our marriage. We bonded over the importance of family, our shared Catholic background, and our love for travel and experiencing new things. We also knew that we wanted to be parents someday- our hearts have been open to a child for many years and we can’t wait to welcome one into our lives.

Travel was essential to how we met and we're still going on adventures together as a couple! Since moving to California, we’ve loved exploring the states of the West Coast and Hawaii. We think three-day weekends are the perfect time for a road trip and try to make every one of them count. We enjoy spending time in America’s National Parks and are trying to cross as many as possible off our list! In 2022, we took a long-awaited trip to South America, visiting both Argentina and Uruguay.

Our hobbies include hiking, biking, and spending time outdoors, whether at the beach or in the mountains. Living in the Bay Area makes it easy to get outside! We spend many weekends going out in San Francisco, including for picnics in Golden Gate Park, trips to the beach, and to catch the latest Broadway musicals downtown. When we think about our life with a little one, we see ourselves taking advantage of the many zoos, playgrounds, and children’s museums the area has to offer.

We also make time to relax at home, whether reading, watching Netflix, or cooking healthy meals together. Andy likes to exercise both his mind and his body: he enjoys doing crossword puzzles and working out at the gym—often at the same time! Laura has become a big fan of jigsaw puzzles the last few years and is always reading something for her monthly book club. Thanks to Laura’s work with kids, we already have a great children’s library going!

I come from a small, tight-knit family in Portland, Oregon. The neighborhood I grew up in was full of kids my own age and some of my fondest memories are of long summer days riding bikes, climbing trees, and playing touch football in the street. My parents, sister, and nephew still live not far from our old house, and to this day Portland holds a special place in my heart. As I got older, school took me to Southern California, Italy, and Washington, DC, and along the way I spent three years teaching English in Japan! I loved working with kids in a culture so different from my own; looking back, it’s no wonder Laura and I bonded over this experience.

2016 was a big year for us: we got married, moved to San Francisco, and I became an FBI special agent. My job is difficult at times but also hugely rewarding; helping people in need and keeping them safe is a great feeling that never gets old. I also appreciate the stability, generous parental leave policy, and flexible working hours it allows. Spending quality time with family is a priority and I can’t wait to do all the fun Dad things with a son or daughter, whether it’s camping in the backyard, learning a new sport, or just hanging out and watching cartoons on a Saturday morning!

Andy is loving and affectionate. Even after years of marriage, hugging him when he comes home from work is one of the highlights of my day. He is so steady and reliable that I would trust him with anything. He is extremely dedicated to his job, and yet it’s easy for him to leave the seriousness at work and transition into “relaxed Andy” who loves to make me laugh. He’s the person you want by your side on a desert island- resourceful, always calm, and ready to see the glass half full.

I love watching Andy with children because it brings out his funny, goofy side. Kids also seem drawn to him because he is genuine with them and a wonderful listener. Andy also has an amazing memory and retains anything he’s ever read or learned. Children ask a lot of questions so I’m looking forward to him fielding them!

I grew up in a suburb of New York City. My sister and I loved singing, dancing, and theater and my parents helped us develop these passions. We spent many weekends and summers in rural Pennsylvania, getting a taste of the great outdoors. My happy memories from childhood inspire many of my interests today. I continue to sing in a local choir and love to attend shows in San Francisco. While I like city life, spending time outdoors is essential to me and one of the main reasons I love California! I’m so appreciative that my parents supported my interests and can’t wait to provide the same encouragement to a son or daughter.

I come from a family of teachers and always knew I wanted to work with kids. I’m now a speech-language pathologist providing services to children and adolescents with autism, hearing loss, intellectual disabilities, ADHD, and speech difficulties like stuttering. I’ve been at our local school district long enough to watch my students progress from kindergarten to fifth grade! Working in a school gives me a lot of flexibility for childcare. They say it takes a village to raise a child and I’m so grateful for my network of educators, parents, and friends in our community. I look forward to dressing up on Halloween, building sandcastles on the beach, touring the street with all the Christmas lights, and reading a story before bed each night.

Laura has been the light of my life from the moment we met. I was instantly smitten when, on one of our earliest dates, she amazed with her karaoke rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’!” A natural performer going back to her musical theater days, Laura fills the home with singing, dancing, and laughter, but what I love about her most is her genuine selflessness and compassion for others. Having worked with children for much of her professional life, Laura connects easily with kids of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities in a way that makes each feel safe, seen, and special. It is this quality of Laura’s that makes me so eager to build a family with her through adoption.

We love our home in San Francisco’s Bay Area. We’re blessed to have Andy’s cousins nearby and a community of friends that have become like family. Our town is so small we can’t run errands without seeing people we know, and yet close enough to San Francisco we never run out of things to do. Laura works for our local school district, which is attended by students ages 4 - 18 all on one campus. There are many parks nearby and we live blocks from the Bay Trail, which offers scenic views of the city and surrounding nature. Our neighborhood is known for its diverse collection of ethnic restaurants and we can find just about any cuisine we’re looking for a short walk from our home! The weather here is mild year-round— perfect for hiking, biking, or just a relaxing day at the beach.

There’s so much to explore in Northern California and we have a rotation of favorite places we like to revisit, including the towering Redwoods, beautiful Lake Tahoe, and Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevadas. We can’t wait to experience them all through the eyes of a child!

My family lives in the suburbs of New York City. We’re very close to my sister’s family and my parents despite the distance. My parents are retired and frequently make extended visits to California. They are already caring grandparents and are very supportive of our decision to adopt. My sister is a teacher and we enjoy seeing our niece and nephew over summer breaks.

Catholic traditions are important to our family and we love being godparents to the kids in addition to aunt and uncle. Baptisms, first communions, and confirmations are the perfect occasions to get together and throw a party!

Thanksgiving or Christmas in New York involves 30+ people in my extended family, including aunts, uncles, cousins, and my cousins’ children. Your child will have many playmates—everyone is excited to welcome a new baby into the family! My parents also have a cabin in Pennsylvania that is always available and the perfect place to go for canoeing adventures, wildlife hikes, and long family dinners on the porch.

My family is split between Oregon and California. My parents are retired in Portland and live just a short drive from my sister, nephew, and grandmother. Now that my nephew is all grown up, they can’t wait to be grandparents again! When they aren’t stopping by the Bay Area to attend one of Laura’s many choral performances, my mom is sending seasonal care packages filled with cards, sweets, and fun holiday decorations. In turn, we visit Oregon several times a year to catch up with friends, celebrate Christmas at my grandmother’s house, and vacation along the state’s scenic coast.

Closer to home, we like to spend time with my adult cousins and their kids in San Francisco, including at my cousin Lisa’s annual Hanukkah dinner, which brings everyone together for great food, lots of laughter, and—of course—to cheer on Portland’s professional basketball team, the Trailblazers!

Our strong desire to start a family comes from the deep-seated values we share. We promise your child will have every opportunity to pursue their dreams and passions. Your child will be loved for who they are. Parenthood to us is raising a child to be healthy, educated, creative, compassionate, and open-minded. Most importantly, we want your child to always feel happy, safe, and surrounded by love.

Thank you so much for taking the time to get to know us. We hope our profile gives you an understanding of who we are, a hard-working and fun-loving couple who value our family above all else. We have so much respect for your decision to choose adoption and wish you the best throughout your journey. If you choose us, we promise to honor the love you have for your child and share your commitment to giving them a wonderful life.