Well, the first thing people notice about me is my “sneak attack” British accent. I grew up in on the south coast of England and moved to the United States with my mom and dad and brother when i was a teenager. So i’ve been in the US for quite some time, but i still pronounce a few things in a very British manner (hence the “sneak attack” accent that pops out with certain words or phrases!).

Growing up, i had a very fun childhood full of travels around Europe exploring castles and gardens inspiring a love of travel and history that’s become a lifelong passion. My parents taught me the importance of not only using words,but also actions to show just how much you love and cherish your family and friends

Life’s too short to not look at the sunny side of life. I try to stay positive and upbeat, even when life gives you lemons. I think this attitude has helped me deal with the infertility. Now that we are finally parents, i can say reflect back and say these challenges left us stronger and more determined to be the best parents we can be. All the experiences on our adoption journey have made us even more thoughtful people who appreciate all the opportunities, luck and support we had in life. As they say, if it doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger! I always try to look on the bright side and make the best out of every situation.

We were blessed to adopt our son at the end of 2013. Not a single day goes by that i don’t fall more in love with him. He is my joy and delight and watching him learn about the world is so thrilling. It makes my heart so happy to see Tim playing and cuddling with him. He is such a good father! Tim loves reading our son books, playing with him and feeding our son’s curiosity, as well as handling diaper duty! We have a philosophy of shared parenting and so far it is such a blast! We know that we have so much more love to share, we’d love for our son to have the joy of a little brother or sister!

I grew up in a small town in Northwest NJ. Our neighborhood was filled with kids, so there was always something do outside with friends. We’d play games (kickball, tag, wiffleball, football, running bases, manhunt…you name it, we played it!) or hike in the woods near my home. I’d be hiking with friends, our family’s dogs, or both! I still enjoy a good hike in the woods today, it’s peaceful and I just enjoy being outside in Nature. During the winters I’d join the neighborhood kids, sledding down one of the many large hills near my home. It was a happy time.

As I’ve gotten older my passion for bicycling continues, but I’ve mellowed a bit and just mountain bike now. Melissa jokes that I’ve graduated from 2 to 4 wheels: I’ve become very interested in cars and even worked my way to become a high-performance driving instructor.

I also enjoy listening to music, gardening (when we can!), hiking and showing our son all the awesome views and sights, biking and reading with our son, electronics and computers, and I mountain bike.
As for how I see myself? I think that I am a fairly mellow, easy-to-get-along-with, fair, friendly person. I treat others with respect, as I would want the same in return. I have a fairly sarcastic sense of humor, enjoy making people laugh, and having a good laugh myself! I am deeply in love with Melissa and I feel we really compliment each others personalities. I get along wonderfully with my in-laws, which is definitely an added bonus. I know I am not perfect but I try to lead a good life. Starting the adoption process has definitely helped me be more outgoing. Meeting people in similar situations, and introducing myself to complete strangers with “Hi, we’re adopting…”

Now that I am a parent it is amazing how much happiness can come from playing peek-a-boo or seeing our son smile. To hear his giggle makes my day! As a loving couple and now as parents, I feel Melissa and I have a lot to offer. I am realistic, and know we are ready to tackle all the ups and downs of being a parent (definitely more ups!).

Our son is such a sweetheart. We know he'll be an amazing big brother. He gets along so well with the neighborhood kids, he shares his toys, loves to hold hands with his little friends and explore and play. He's easy-going and is helpful. Even though he's just a little toddler, we can see his sweet personality and know he'll be a wonderful, loving and protective big brother.

We are really lucky to live in a great little neighborhood that’s quiet, right next to a nature reserve and by a beautiful river, but still only 1/2 hour away from all that Washington DC offers: all the museums, including the natural history museum, the national zoo, and all those monuments to explore!

Our community is a nice little oasis next to the River, we can take lovely strolls or bike rides
along the river path and head down to the Marina to see all the boats, we can enjoy the nature reserve which is full of eagles, ospreys and great blue herons, or enjoy the community pool, the tennis courts and a little playground with swings and climbing for the kids. Our son loves these walks and we point out the birds flying overhead or ducks on the water. There’s so much to see and share with a little one.

Our home backs into a cul-de-sac that is very popular with the young kids and neighbourhood moms as a safe place to play and we can look out from our back windows to keep an eye on the little one! So there are lots of options for playing outdoors and along with our son, there are lots of neighborhood kids of all ages with whom to play. Inside we have a nice open floor-plan that would let us keep an eye on the little ones playing inside in the family room or library with a big comfortable chair that’s perfect for curling up with a little one on your lap and reading from Melissa’s collection of children’s storybooks or there’s the fully finished basement that’s ready for playtime anytime!