Introduction
Dear Expectant Parent(s),
Hello, we are Abbie and Ara! Thank you for choosing to read our story and learn more about us as prospective parents. We know this is a big decision and we are thinking of you as you choose how to move forward.
Our Story
Our story began at a college graduation party for a mutual friend. Despite living nearly two hours apart, we very quickly began to spend a lot of our time together. We bonded over music, concerts, movies, board games, and time spent outdoors in the early summer months.
Over the next several years, we had the opportunity to grow together as we moved closer to each other, started our first full-time jobs, and rented our first apartments in the city. After we had been dating for two years, Ara rescued our cat, Percy, and Abbie officially moved in the next day. We like to think that living together in that tiny apartment with a roommate was the ultimate relationship test. It taught us patience, adaptability, and the importance of being really open and honest.
Travel has always been an important part of our relationship and we’ve always prioritized taking at least one international trip together every year. It was perfectly on brand for us that Ara proposed at 8am after a redeye flight to Iceland in 2019. We got married a couple of years later on the lakefront in New York in a small wedding surrounded by friends and family. We always knew that we’d love to have children and we cannot wait to grow our family and continue to build new memories and traditions together.
A Bit About Abbie
I grew up in a small town in the mountains of Upstate New York with my mom, stepdad, and two younger siblings. As a kid, I always enjoyed trying out new activities and hobbies: soccer, softball, cheerleading, dance, flute, running and ski club. While never exceptionally good at any one thing, what I loved most was learning. There is no better feeling than while you finally accomplish something that felt impossible when you first got started.
I went to Boston for college and that’s where I really found my love for exploring new cities and meeting new people. While in school, I studied abroad in Israel, Jordan and London. I participated in a mentorship program for middle school girls and interned at a local community development organization. Since graduating, I’ve worked on communications teams at nonprofits working on a range of social justice issues – health equity, environmental and climate justice and racial justice.
While I had a small family, growing up our home was always full of people. It wasn’t uncommon to come home to find a friend hanging out in our living room and everyone was always welcome for dinner. My hope is to create that space for our child – a safe space where everyone feels welcome. We have built an incredible life together – full of love, adventure, and many silly, small moments. I can’t wait to welcome a little one into our lives and make even more memories.
What I Love About Abbie, by Ara
Abbie is one of the most brilliant and considerate people who fosters an environment where people can grow to be their best selves. I love her love of learning with weekly “deep dives” on random subjects – learning everything from sourdough starters to historical events. I am so excited to see Abbie share her love of reading with a child.
A Bit About Ara
I grew up outside Boston, the youngest in a family of four. Movies and film were a big part of my life and this love grew into a passion for videography and editing. In high school, I filmed local sports and created short movies for our annual film fest.
I joined a number of bands playing guitar and bass and making music videos – I even had the opportunity to play at Warped Tour! Music and film connected me with lifelong friends who l enjoy having over for a jam session or recording.
My parents found a good balance between coaching and cheerleading, encouraging me to explore whatever brought me joy while keeping me grounded in reality. I still love music and film and not wanting to mix the joy of my hobby with a future career, I went to work in accounting.
Cooking food for others is one of my favorite things. I’m always looking for new recipes or finding ways to improve on favorites. Nothing is better than spending time with friends while they enjoy the meal you’ve created. I love experiencing things my loved ones enjoy, and can’t wait to help our future child find what brings them joy.
What I Love About Ara, by Abbie
I often think of Ara as the heart of our family. He cares deeply for the people in his life, is a fierce advocate and constant reminder to not take life too seriously – life is meant to be enjoyed! Ara runs our social calendar, ensuring we’re spending time with friends and family and finding fun activities outside of the house. He’s the greatest hype-person – if you need a cheerleader, he’s there. He will try anything once – skiing, bouldering, long-distance running – and will do it with a smile.
Our Home
Our three-bedroom home is located in a small suburb south of Boston. When we bought our home, it was the definition of fixer-upper, but over the years we’ve tested our DIY skills – and called in the experts when needed – to remodel our home and create a cozy space that’s perfect for us. We both work from home in an office space that lets us keep work separate from the rest of our lives.
Signs of our favorite activities are everywhere – Ara’s guitars, Abbie’s books, shelves full of puzzles and board games. Our cat can often be found in his window box in the bay window and our dog, Gracie, curled up in the sun in the yard. We built a porch which connects to a small, enclosed backyard that’s the perfect size to run around and play with our dog. We love hosting our friends for “Friendsgivingmas”, board game nights, book club, and cookouts in the summer. We are really grateful to have this space as our family grows.
What we love most about where we live is the location. Our neighborhood is diverse and welcoming, and we’re surrounded by families of various backgrounds. We live within walking distance of the library, playground, small community parks, the YMCA and the local elementary school. Just a short drive away, we have multiple state parks with hiking trails and several small ponds and lakes where we love to paddleboard, and the local ice cream shop makes the perfect pitstop on the way home. While a good distance outside of Boston, public transportation is within walking distance if we want to hop into the city for the day.
Our Friends and Family
While we both have small families, we’re blessed to have so much love and support in our lives. We live just a short drive from Ara’s parents and often hop over there for brunch, celebrations, and holiday cookouts. His sister spends most of her summers there, as well. Abbie’s family still lives in New York, but the family group chat is always active and we get together often. We try to spend at least two weeks (one in the summer and one around Christmas) with Abbie’s family along with frequent smaller visits and family vacations.
Our parents are so excited to become grandparents. We’re pretty sure they are secretly already buying baby clothes, books, and toys to spoil their first grandchild. Abbie’s sister has already started her campaign to become the coolest aunt.
In addition to family, we have a close group of friends who play a big role in our lives. Over the years, what started as Abbie’s friends and Ara’s friends have blended into one big group. Everyone is thrilled to welcome another child into the mix and grow our circle even wider.
Traditions, Hobbies and Interests
Spring is when we travel – either together or with friends – and cross another destination off our bucket list. Long before we were fully committed to growing our family, we began to create a list of kid-friendly destinations to save for our future. The list is always growing and we can’t wait to check them off!
Summer is a time where we slow down and appreciate the sunshine. We love to get outdoors and paddleboard, kayak, hike, and go for long walks. We love hosting our friends and family for cookouts and exploring local fairs or other local summer events. Every year we spend at least one long weekend with all our friends recreating our favorite game shows and another week at Abbie’s parents, tucked away in the mountains of New York.
Fall is our favorite season. Between Abbie’s love for cooler weather, apple picking, and cider donuts, and Ara’s love of Halloween, we pack so much fun into the fall. We often host our annual Friendsgivingmas, a mix of Thanksgiving and Christmas, celebration where our house is full of friends and all our favorite foods. Ara cooks most of the food in our family, but this is the one day Abbie loves to be in the kitchen!
Winter is full of family traditions. We love setting up our Christmas tree and remembering the stories behind each of our ornaments. Christmas is an all day affair with Abbie’s family. We do stockings in the morning before breakfast and then spend hours opening gifts one at a time to make the moment last. We integrate English traditions into our dinner with a mandatory Christmas cracker and paper crowns.
Thank You
Thank you for taking time to learn a little about us and for considering us as adoptive parents. We can’t imagine how difficult it is to make this choice and deeply appreciate the courage it takes to make this decision.
We cannot wait to share our lives and love with a child. We promise to provide them with unconditional love and acceptance, to be gentle coaches when they need it and their biggest cheerleaders always, to nurture their creativity and honor their unique personality and interests.
We believe that honesty and transparency are essential from the outset and it’s our plan to be upfront about adoption from the start. It is important to us that the child knows where they came from and that we honor all parts of their identity. We believe that a child can never have too much love in their lives and are committed to whatever level of openness makes you most comfortable.
We wish you love, support, and comfort as you decide what’s right for you and your child.
Thank You,,