Introduction
Dear Expectant Parent(s),
Hello, we are Emily and Caleb! Thank you for taking the time to read more about us as prospective parents.
We met in 2010 when we attended the same work conference and connected as two young people with shared interests in food, community, and local business. Soon we were emailing back and forth, and eventually meeting up again in person, becoming good friends.
That friendship grew into love, and we found ourselves moving out to the west coast to pursue a relationship and a new adventure. We made long-lasting friends, went on countless hikes in the beautiful Pacific Northwest woods, and got graduate degrees. Four wonderful years later, we got engaged and moved back to Massachusetts to be closer to our extended families, as we pursued our dream of having our own family.
After trying to conceive for seven years, including many IVF attempts and a miscarriage, we understood that our path to pursuing parenthood would look a little different, and we began exploring adoption, including talking with family and friends who had adopted their children.
We quickly realized that this was absolutely the right choice for us, and we are so excited to bring a child into our home through adoption.
About Emily
I grew up in a vibrant and loving home, and have known for a long time that I want to be a mother, and create the same kind of nurturing environment for my family. Some of my favorite early memories include playing at the neighborhood park till sunset, running in and out of my friends’ backyards, and lengthy homemade family dinners around a big round kitchen table – where we came together to share in each other’s company. These are the kind of memories I look forward to creating with a child.
I knew that I wanted to run my own business, in part so that I could have the same flexibility in my work schedule. Both of my parents encouraged me to have a strong work ethic and instilled in me a sense of responsibility to help make the world a better place – while also making it clear that I was free to pursue my own dreams in life!
That solid foundation allowed me to travel and live abroad in places like Argentina and Taiwan while working as a kindergarten English teacher, and to move to the west coast to explore my passions for food and agriculture, as well as my artistic pursuits. I feel so fortunate to have had the upbringing I did, and am filled with joy and excitement at the thought of creating a family with Caleb.
About Caleb
Growing up, I was fortunate to be surrounded by family and nature. I loved spending long days searching for sea glass with my mom and grandmother on the island where my grandmother lived and walking through the woods with my dad where I grew up. I knew from a young age how important these peaceful moments in nature were and I can’t wait to share them when I am a father.
I chose to study design in college and have found multiple ways of applying my education to helping people and communities. In addition to running a small business with Emily, which gives us great flexibility and freedom in our days, I teach design at a local college and spend my mornings snuggled up on the couch with our cat (Bug) and dog (Milly) writing fiction and poetry. Expressing my imagination and creativity is very important to me.
I love to cook, garden, hike, and read. I’m passionate about helping to make the world a safe, vibrant, and healthy place to live, and I’ve always believed that one of the best ways to do this is by investing in my community and my family.
Our Home
We were fortunate to be able to buy a beautiful home a few years ago, with a giant backyard. Caleb became passionate about gardening and turned it into an oasis of beautiful plants and trees, along with space for our dog to chase her favorite toy around the yard, and a deck for lounging in the evenings.
Our house was built in the 1930s and needs a few updates which we’re planning on making over time – but is otherwise in great shape, and we’ve loved hosting friends and family for dinner parties and gatherings, and having Caleb’s parents come to stay with us when they’re in town. We’re lucky to have space for little home offices so that we can work from home with ease whenever needed.
Over the years we’ve gotten to know many of our neighbors, including several young families who have moved to the area recently, along with elders who’ve been on the street for a long time. We’ve had neighbors watch our cat and our dog when we’re out of town, drop off little gifts from their own travels abroad, and stop to chat anytime we’re out for a walk or working in the front garden. In the winter, our next-door neighbor often removes the snow from our front walk before we’ve even woken up in the morning!
Our Families
We are both very lucky to have much of our extended family close by – Emily’s parents live 10 minutes from us, and Caleb’s parents are only a couple of hours away. We drive out to see them several times a year and they come to visit us in the city. Emily’s sister, along with her two kids and husband live the next state over, and we see them frequently.
We each have aunts, uncles, and cousins within driving distance, family on the west coast, and some out of the country, and make a point to keep in close contact through texts, phone calls, and social media throughout the year.
Our families have been rooting for us, as we’ve gone through these many, deeply heartbreaking years of trying to create a family, and they were overjoyed to hear that we’d started the adoption process. Caleb’s aunt and uncle adopted their son many years ago and shared their positive experience with us in depth. Family is so important to both of us, including the wonderful network of “family friends” that we’ve created – many of whom have offered free babysitting and hand-me-downs in advance! We’re so fortunate to have our loved ones supporting us on this journey.
Hobbies, Interests, and Traditions
One of the things we first connected on was our shared love of travel – seeing new places and expanding our worldview, and have gone on a couple of very special trips abroad together. We’re both avid readers, and Caleb is also a writer, so we spend a lot of time in bookstores – wherever we travel to, we love to find the local bookstore and spend hours perusing the aisles.
We enjoy going for long walks and hiking in the woods together, especially with our dog (a collie/lab mix, who needs lots of exercise!). We also enjoy relaxing on the couch, listening to good music, or watching a show together. Someday we’d love to have a cabin in the mountains or on the coast, where we can take our family for long weekends and summer holidays.
We each grew up with our own family rituals, and have loved creating our own traditions together. We’ve begun hosting many holiday gatherings in our own home, as cooking delicious meals is one of our shared passions. Emily is the more experimental cook, while Caleb loves following recipes, and is therefore a much better baker! Inviting people into our home is one of our favorite things to do – setting the table, lighting candles, and sharing the meal with old (and new!) friends.
Thank You
Thank you so much for taking the time to read our story and consider us as adoptive parents. It has been such a long journey, and we are filled with hope and excitement at the thought of being parents, an absolute dream come true for us. We also recognize what a momentous and brave decision this is for you, and would be so honored to be chosen by you to be adoptive parents.
Whatever level of openness is right for you, we will always remind the child about the loving choice you made, and encourage them to see their own journey as filled with people who care deeply about them and their happiness.
We promise to give your baby the very best of everything we can – including a caring and nurturing home and two parents who will love them with all of our hearts (as well as an extended family of loved ones). We look forward to providing a child with all of the resources and support we can to pursue their own passions and dreams. Nothing would bring us greater joy than bringing a child into our circle of love.
With Love,