Introduction
Our Story
We met in a bookstore.
Or so we told our friends and family at the time. Really, we met online. Adam was at the end of a one year clerkship prior to beginning his career as an attorney, and Heidi was teaching music and living in a rented cottage on a lake (yes, it was as amazing as it sounds). Heidi was attracted to Adam’s lighthearted nature, Adam was attracted to absolutely everything about Heidi (including her lake house), and we were mutually attracted by the other’s ambition and drive.
Our first date was at a play an hour away from where we lived…
And we didn’t stop talking the whole drive. And during the intermission. And during the drive home, and dinner after the play. The conversation flowed easily and naturally, a trend that continued through our next dates (mini-golf, a movie, ice cream), through our marriage in 2013, and to this day.
We share a life-long commitment to public service.
Both Heidi and Adam grew up volunteering: Heidi at the public library and Adam in homeless services through a high school club. We have maintained this commitment together, participating in events, fundraisers, boards, and any activity that will have a positive impact on our community.
We are excited to grow our family through adoption.
When Heidi was little and would play house with friends, she always pretended she had children through adoption. We are delighted to make that a reality by first adopting an infant; we also plan to adopt older children in the future. We are very happy in our life together, and we both feel that children will complete our family.
About Heidi (according to Adam)
Her smile lights up the room!
Heidi smiles with her entire face, and radiates that smile through whatever space she’s in. She doesn’t seek to be the life of the party; she’s actually pretty shy. That doesn’t matter. People are drawn to her, because she is welcoming and sweet and glows with happiness.
She is the most organized human being in the world.
Whether it’s the meticulous and highly useful spreadsheet she makes of our monthly budget, her organized management of our Sea Dogs’ season tickets and our weekly food plan, or her foresight to plan ahead for spontaneity when we travel, Heidi is the most reliable person you will ever meet. She can bring order to any situation.
She’s an avid reader and excellent baker.
Heidi once set a goal to read 100 books in a year, she read 110! She’ll definitely share that affinity with any child in our house; people who walk into our house are immediately drawn to the massive built-in bookcase that hosts our book collection (about 90% of which is Heidi’s). The lucky kid will also get to eat Heidi’s cookies, which are world-class.
She is patient and kind.
I love watching Heidi play and work with children. She has the skills to relate to and empathize with any child, in a way that only someone who spent 15 years teaching music to kids from pre-k to high school can! I’m confident she will be a great mother, because regardless of the situation she’ll remain calm and work with them to solve any issue.
About Adam (according to Heidi)
He has the easiest, most joyful laugh I’ve ever heard. (Especially when he is laughing at his own dad jokes!)
Adam’s sense of humor is well-known among family and friends. He even laughs in his sleep! His mom says as a young child he frequently woke up laughing, once in the middle of a church service. He finds joy and excitement in everyday events, and it is one of the key traits that I think will make him a wonderful father.
He is a mentor and role model to the community.
An avid volunteer and dedicated public servant, Adam’s commitment to community is an excellent example to young people. Through Big Brothers Big Sisters and our local community center, Adam has been a mentor to boys and young men for well over a decade. (His first mentee just graduated college!)
He is naturally curious.
Adam has a wide range of interests and knowledge, from baseball to Star Wars to politics to 90’s hip hop. He craves information and new experiences and loves to share them with his loved ones. I know that he is excited to see what interests and questions a child may have, and to help them explore whatever they may find interesting.
He makes delicious mashed potato pancakes.
Adam does most of the cooking in our house. From tacos to roasted chicken to grilled veggies (and yes, those amazing leftover mashed potato pancakes), he makes tasty, nourishing meals that both kids and adults enjoy. He is excited to pass on this love for cooking to a little future chef.
Our House is a Home
We live in an excellent quiet neighborhood less than a 5 minute walk to parks, playgrounds, the public library, baseball fields, basketball courts, soccer pitches, football fields, the river, and our downtown. Our house is a two-unit, and our upstairs tenants are Adam’s parents. Our portion of the house is open and has a huge built-in bookcase (with a full section devoted to children’s books and room for more) in the dining room. We have a small but cute yard with plenty of room to grow flowers and vegetables. It has a fire-pit where we sit and talk, and can’t wait to share new memories there. Many of our closest friends and their children live right in our neighborhood; they are excited for a new child to join the fun.
A Community
We take great pride in our community volunteering and derive great joy participating in community events. There’s so much to do here! We have numerous holiday celebrations, festivals, fairs, and many other experiences and opportunities for children and adults alike to enjoy being part of the community.
Growing up in Maine
Maine is a magical place to be a kid. We’re half an hour away from the ocean, mountains, and oh so close to rivers, lakes, farms, and forests. We look forward to sharing this wonderful place with a child.
Our Family
Adam’s parents, who’ve already picked out their grandparent names (Noni and Big B) recently moved into a separate unit upstairs. They look forward to babysitting and providing a multi-generational experience to a grand-child. Big B looks forward to playing soccer with a grandchild and Noni can’t wait to garden and play outside.
Heidi’s mom and her husband of 19 years live in rural Northern Maine. They visit often, and we drive up to visit frequently. Grammie and Grampie look forward to being loving, hands-on grandparents and are ready to have a new passenger for tractor rides through their fruit and vegetable fields.
Adam’s sister Sarah is a huge part of our lives, and will be one of the coolest Aunts ever. She lives outside of Boston and we visit her or she visits us at least once a month. Both of us consider Sarah one of our best friends. She can’t wait to watch her niece or nephew’s growing brain process the world around them. She’s especially excited to go to the children’s museum and aquarium!
Heidi’s brother, his wife and their sons live in Northern Maine. We often visit for holidays, and love to go kayaking and fishing with the boys in the summer. They also love having us attend their various sporting events. They can’t wait to show their younger cousin what it means to be a true ‘Mainah’.
We also have many close friends with young children in our neighborhood, and perhaps most importantly (well, at least he thinks so) our cat Obi-Wan looks forward to having a friend to play with!
Hobbies, Interests, Traditions
Holidays and birthdays are a Very Big Deal in our house!
We love to decorate and celebrate! We are excited for a child to join our family to create new traditions and share current rituals, such as Christmas baking, birthday week, Thanksgiving around the World, and Easter lunch with the family.
We have a goal to complete a 5k in all 50 states.
Although we are currently about halfway done, we have long discussed starting over when a child joins the family to complete the goal together. We love to travel and learn what local life is like in various places.
Our interests are wide and varied, and we value our family and friends.
Living in Maine, we are lucky to be within a short drive to mountains, lakes, and ocean, and we take full advantage of the outdoors through kayaking, hiking, or just lounging at the beach. Our community is great, and we love to volunteer at local events such as park cleanups. We also have season tickets to the Portland Sea Dogs with Adam’s parents and Aunt Sarah, where Adam enjoys the baseball and Heidi enjoys the fun between innings. At home, our lives are full of books, music, movies, games, and hanging in the backyard, often with family or friends.
We are so excited to nurture and share a child’s interests!
Although we have traditions, interests, and goals and hope that a child will share these, we also know that a child will grow and develop their own goals and interests. We cannot wait to see what new experiences a child will bring!
Thanks for taking the time to get to know a little bit about our lives.
We would be honored if you chose us to provide a home for your baby, and we promise to give love, laughter, and care. We will provide every opportunity to grow, learn, and flourish. We understand that part of growth is having a complete picture of one’s past, and therefore we look forward to building and maintaining a relationship with you if you desire. We’ve spent our lives cultivating a happy, healthy, loving, and stable home. We can’t wait to share it!
Sincerely,