Hello! We are Zach & Bill from Fraser, Colorado. We both work in international development, dedicated to helping the world become a better place. We have spent much of our careers in Latin America and both speak Spanish in our professional and personal lives. Bill works as a US diplomat and Zach is the Director of Evaluation and Learning at a small research firm. When we’re not abroad, we call Fraser, Colorado home.
For as long as we’ve been together, we have always wanted to start a family of our own. The world is so full of extraordinary beauty, from the heights of Machu Picchu in Peru, to the depths of the coral seabed of the Caribbean – it is our dream to share this beauty with our future child. Parenting is not only about sharing the beauty of the world, but preparing future generations with the tools to protect the world’s future as well.
On a Chicago summer night, Bill went out on the town with his friend Rohan. Zach was in Chicago visiting his best friend Jessica who hatched a plan to set Zach up with her colleague Rohan. But fate unfolds in ways we don’t expect, and Cupid’s arrow hit Bill instead. We found out all we had in common: speaking German, studying international relations, applying to serve in Peace Corps, the list went on. Bill invited Zach to pizza with some friends - okay, all 14 of his closest friends. Fortunately, Zach passed the friend test! Zach’s dad invited Bill on a family ski trip, saying to Zach, “You might as well find out if he can ski, because if he can’t, this isn’t going to work.” Bill (learning to ski) passed the family test.
From there we have experienced life in six different countries, growing and supporting each other to become the people we are and the family we want to become.
We were married in Vermont in 2013, witnessed by two very close friends and 10 snowpeople that we built in the snowstorm the night before. We always wanted to have a larger celebration with our friends and family, so we had our wedding celebration in the summer of 2017 at Snow Mountain Ranch just down the road from Fraser. We exchanged vows in front of 150 of our friends from around the world, having jokingly separated the audience into “His side” and “His side”.
We share many hobbies. Zach cooks; Bill bakes. Zach reads fiction, Bill more non-fiction, but we both love curling up with a book and cup of tea. Zach does practical projects that make the house more functional; Bill does crafty ones that add a touch of magic to our home. We both love the outdoors, hiking, skiing, SCUBA diving, everything that connects us with nature. Zach plays piano and Bill… well… is musically challenged, but enjoys listening to Zach play. We love learning languages, with Spanish being our favorite. We are excited to see what interests our kid grows to love, whether those interests come from us or from somewhere else entirely!
My greatest joy in life is bringing people together, whether that’s during workshops I’m facilitating or around the dinner table with a home cooked meal. I love holidays, especially the Halloween to Christmas season. I do a lot of the projects around the home, whether that’s staining a deck or updating a bathroom, but I don’t take care of the plants, that’s all Bill. I recharge outdoors, and love any activity in nature, including skiing, hiking, biking, jogging, camping, and SCUBA diving. As a result of working and living abroad, our vacations are actually spent at home in Colorado where we can recharge in the mountains close to family. I was raised Methodist and that faith is a big part of why I ended up working in international development; now in my adult life faith has become intertwined with my meditation practice, which has helped me to become more patient and compassionate as a husband, professional, and hopefully soon, a father.
When I see Zach with kids, I am impressed by the deep connection he immediately shares with them in whatever activity they are doing. He immerses himself into their world and plays right alongside them. Our nieces and nephews always scream that “Uncle Zach is their favorite”. And, he was definitely the cool teacher to the tweens and teens at the middle and high school where he taught in Moldova for 3 years.
My passion lies in understanding people and trying to guide them to be their best selves. Raised in Catholicism, I had a hard time reconciling what I was taught in religion class with what I observed in the world around me. This led me down a lifelong path exploring the role of spirituality in humanity. I feel that each person has a unique interaction with all things spiritual and a unique purpose to pursue on this earth. My purpose has led me to become a professional life coach, to teach mindfulness, and help groups I work with achieve team harmony. I enjoy helping people overcome whatever challenges they are facing. My spiritual side guides me to connect with nature deeply. In the house, I organize the social calendar so that people show up when Zach is cooking. I’m also the crafty one, more likely to paint and decorate and clutter up the bookshelves with little trinkets. And I keep the plants safe from Zach!
Bill has always been great with kids. His oldest nephew Ethan was 7 when we met in 2009, and Bill was a really big part of his life during his formative years. As the oldest, Ethan got to come into the city for adventures with Uncle Bill, from the Chicago Field Museum to English and Spanish plays on the north side of town. We now have 7 nieces and nephews (so far all on Bill’s side), and they all love him deeply. I am inspired by his love for kids and passion to share life with them.
Because of our work, we really have two homes. Our permanent home is in Fraser, Colorado, tucked away in a valley at 8,800 feet elevation in the Rocky Mountains, about an hour from Zach’s family in the Denver area. We are active community members in Fraser and enjoy the benefits of small-town life in our community that sits between Winter Park ski resort and Rocky Mountain National Park.
Our other home is wherever we are assigned abroad for Bill's work with USAID. When abroad, we live in very good housing in the safest neighborhoods. Our last country was Peru and we’re planning on Colombia for our next move. Diplomatic kids attend American Schools or other private schools that rank among the best in the country. We tend to form strong friend groups that include local families and diplomats from the United States and other countries. These friendships create a diverse and eclectic environment regardless of where we are living.
Whiskey Francesca is a Labrador/Husky mix that we rescued in Honduras. Not surprising, she listens much better to Spanish commands than to English!
We intentionally socialized her with kids as a puppy – in fact, her best friend for her first year was our next door neighbor’s baby! Whiskey is sweet, gentle, and excited about almost everything.
Every family grows in unique ways and ours is no exception. Both of our parents separated while we were children. While that brought its own challenges growing up, it also allowed our families to expand and create happiness in different ways. Bill now has a loving step-family in Texas, and Zach has a loving step-father in Denver. Bill’s already large family expanded to include a brother-in-law from Mexico and sisters-in-law from California and Korea.
Our best friends, Ildiko and Greg, live near our family in Denver and will be the godparents of our future child. We also have friends all over the world with some of our closest friends living in Vietnam, Denmark, South Africa, Colombia, and Peru.
Growing up as a diplomatic kid has upsides and challenges. It can be tough because of frequently moving, but it is also deeply rewarding – friends of ours who were diplomatic kids say they would not trade it for anything. We want to raise your child to be adaptable, to get to know themselves and learn how to express themselves, and to have the tools to overcome whatever challenge they face. They will have stability and grounding in the US through our home base in Fraser, Colorado and also get to experience the joys of living in other countries.
As parents, we will provide an environment where our child can explore what spirituality means to them, express themselves not only as an individual but as a part of whatever communities they are in, understand their passions and purpose and find a way to pursue those in their life.
We know this is not an easy decision and hope you know we honor your bravery and the love you have for your child by considering an adoption plan. Whether you choose us as adoptive parents to your child or not, we hope you find a family that resonates with you and who will raise your child with the love and care they deserve. We wish you all our love in this process. Your strength is inspiring and your choice will positively change the lives of so many, forever. Follow your heart and you will make the right choice!
