| Dad | Papa | |
| First Names | John | Rob |
| Religion | Raised Catholic | Raised Catholic |
| Ethnic Background | Italian | Polish/German/Irish |
| Education/Degree |
Masters in Social Work |
Masters in Education |
| Profession | Therapist | Teacher |
| Ages/Names of Children | Benjamin, 3 Adopted | |
Our Story
Hello and welcome to our page! We met in 2011 on a dating site. We had our first date within a week. It was a cold Saturday in December during SantaCon. In a sea of red hats and white beards we found our soulmate in each other. Later we’d share that story and describe how everyone in the room seemed to disappear while we talked into the early morning.
We purchased our first home in 2014. It was the first time either of us had ever lived with someone other than family. A year later, on New Year’s Eve, we got engaged! We got married in August of 2017 at townhall.
In 2019 we started our journey of growing our family, something we had always talked about. In 2020 we brought home our son, Ben.
Family Life
We both grew up Catholic. John attended Catholic school through twelfth grade, while Robert accompanied his mother, a religious education teacher, to weekly mass. We were raised to value marriage and family, and we began talking about having a family of our own early in our relationship.
We currently identify as agnostic and don’t practice a religion. We’re raising Ben to be a good person with/without religion. We want him, and any future children, to choose their own spiritual path. For us, that means exposing them to any/all religions when they’re ready,
Our current family make-up includes two dogs, Milo and Finn. Milo is a 12y/o Goldendoodle who’s beginning to show his age. He is gentle and sweet. Finn is a 7y/o Jack Russell rescue from Georgia. Both dogs are great with Ben.
Lifestyle
We live near the beach, about 10min away, and love heading up at sunset for beach dinners and seashell hunts. In general, we look forward to getting out and making memories as a family. One of the coolest things about being a parent is experiencing the world from a toddler’s perspective.
When we’re not out, we’re home working in the yard or swimming in the pool. Most weekends we get together with extended family, neighbors and friends for BBQs or pizza nights. We love hosting and think it’s important to have our child(ren) around all types of people.
Adoption
We believe openness in adoption is powerful and important. It has provided peace of mind to our family. For our son’s birth-mother, we hope it’s validated that she made the best decision for him. Our son is raised knowing his birth family selflessly chose adoption for his best care. And we have a chance to express our ongoing gratitude to them. The level of openness can vary depending on a birth family’s comfort. We currently have regular email contact with our son’s birth-mom. We’re open to whatever level of openness you feel comfortable with.
As a teacher and social worker, we work with individuals and families from all backgrounds. Rob teaches in a nationally recognized school of good character where qualities like fairness and understanding are taught alongside math and science. John has counseled families of all races and ethnicities. We work in professions that require a level of cultural awareness because that’s who we are as people.
We believe all children should learn about diversity and inclusion. If we were matched with a child outside our own ethnicity, we would make sure to expose our son/daughter to positive role models who share their culture. We feel participating in cultural activities, reading books, watching movies and a connection to their birth family would help promote ethnic pride.
Favorites
| Dad | Papa | |
| Genre of Music | Pop/Rock | Pop |
| Childhood memory | Going to the beach | Swimming at grandparent’s house |
| Quote | “In a world where you can be anything; be kind.” Unknown | “Kind people are the best kind of people.” Unknown |
| Subject in school | Art | Math |
| Magazine | Architectural Digest | People |
| TV show | Reality TV | Reality TV |
| Movie | The Birdcage | Gladiator |
| Hero | Ben’s birth-mom | Ben’s birth-mom |
| Holiday | Christmas | Christmas |
| Bedtime story | Goodnight Moon | Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site |
|
Dessert
|
Cheesecake | Pumpkin Pie |
| Gadget | iMac | iPhone |
| Mac or PC? | Mac | Mac |
| Coffee or Tea? | Coffee | Coffee |
| Eat in or Dine out? | Dine Out | Dine Out |
| Early Riser or Night Owl? | Night Owl | Early Riser |
Best Wishes
We can’t imagine what you’re feeling or thinking as you read this. We know the decisions you are about to make will be life changing. We admire you for considering adoption. We know that no one comes to this option easily. It is the decision to put your child’s needs ahead of your own. In doing so, you’ve proven what it means to be a great parent. We promise to remind your child of that every day.
Ready to Contact John & Rob?
Drop us a line today!
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