Hello! We are Rachel and Patrick. Thank you for spending some time with our profile. While we haven’t met you yet, please know that we are thinking of you. We hope that you are able to find clarity, support and peace as you navigate this challenging time.

Our story began while Patrick was pursuing his Ph.D. in Psychology at UCLA; Rachel had moved to the west coast for a job opportunity. After several months of dating, texting, and getting to know each other, we started making plans for our future. 

When we talked about getting engaged, Rachel jokingly told Patrick that his proposal should "capture the essence of when Ben Wyatt proposes to Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation," her favorite show. Patrick claimed he had never seen the episode—but secretly, he was researching the scene so he could propose in the same spot! He tracked it down, and the homeowner graciously allowed him to surprise Rachel with a proposal in her living room, just like Ben and Leslie's. In 2018, we had a wonderful wedding, with all of our family and friends surrounding us, and then settled into our first home.

Since then, we have added our dog, Cheddar Biscuit, to the family, fostered two sons, and enjoyed life. We enjoy traveling to visit family on the east coast and to explore places we've never been before, like Aruba and Alaska. Even in life's most difficult moments, we are so grateful to have found each other, to be able to navigate life together and to have the opportunity to grow our family through adoption.

Adoption has always been something we have considered. Rachel grew up with two cousins who were adopted from foster care and felt inspired by their family. As a community college professor, Patrick has worked with several foster youths, and hearing their stories moved his heart. 

When we decided we were ready to grow our family, foster care and adoption were at the top of our list. We first decided to become foster parents and cared for two beautiful baby boys over the past two years. Both of them moved back with their biological families, which is a positive outcome, though letting them go was the hardest thing we have experienced. 

Through our experience fostering, we learned how beautiful it can be for a child to be loved by many parents and families– how there can never be too many people loving a child. If you choose us to adopt, we would hope to build a lifelong relationship with you and your family, in whatever way feels most comfortable to you. We care very deeply about respecting your choice, autonomy, and right to a lifelong connection with your baby if that is what you desire.

We are excited to welcome a new member to our family through adoption and provide them with a life of endless love, care, and laughter.

Friends say I am: Loyal, thoughtful, and goofy

Favorite Movie: When Harry Met Sally

Favorite Memory: When a butterfly landed on my bouquet as I walked down the aisle on our wedding day.

Dream Vacation: England, for the tea.

I grew up in a small town in New York with my parents and two brothers. My parents work in careers that make a difference in the world; my mother is a midwife, and my father is an environmental scientist. Their passion for using their skills for good carried over into my life. My interests in social justice and community organizing began in high school, and I have turned them into a meaningful career. I'm now the chief operating officer for an organization that brings people together across divisions of race, class, and faith to make our city a better place.

When I am not at work, you can find me at the kitchen stove, perfecting my brussels sprouts recipe, strumming on my guitar, or reading a novel snuggled up with my dog.

I have always known I wanted to be a parent. Silliness and goofiness come easily to me, and kids bring out that side of me. I look forward to the pure happiness of being on the floor with a child, making up ridiculous stories and creative games, and simply having fun. 

Friends say I am: Silly, caring, and hardworking

Favorite Movie: The American President

Favorite Book: The Giver by Lois Lowry

Dream Vacation: Thailand, for the food

I am a tenured community college psychology professor. I find my work meaningful because I witness my students applying the course concepts to their personal lives every day. I love encountering students from different ethnic backgrounds, ages, and experiences and learning from their many perspectives on human behavior.

When I was 16, I came out as a transgender man and started using a male name (Patrick) and pronouns (he/him). I was lucky enough to have an affirming family and community, but I know not everyone is blessed with this kind of support. This experience inspired me to volunteer with a suicide hotline for LGBTQ teens and also inspires me to help a future child grow into the exact person they’re meant to be.

In my free time, I enjoy hanging out with my family and friends, being with Rachel and our dog, watching ridiculous reality tv shows, listening to tons of audiobooks and podcasts, and doing various craft projects. I have loved being a foster parent over the past two years, discovering each of our boys’ personalities and watching him make his way through different milestones and new experiences. I also loved seeing the boys become obsessed with our dog, and our dog become attentive to them.

“What I love most about Rachel is how she makes me laugh. I can rely on her empathy to notice and acknowledge when I’m going through something difficult. Her strengths shined through in the past two years of co-parenting our foster sons. She was willing to rearrange her life for them, like when she would spend big chunks of the afternoon lying with our son as he napped because he slept better when someone was right beside him.” - Patrick 

“One of my favorite things has been to listen to Patrick while he's parenting our foster sons. He keeps up a constant stream of adorable chatter and goofiness while doing everything from changing diapers to giving a bottle. He always makes me and everyone around him feel warm, happy, and accepted. He's absurdly intelligent but never pretentious—he’s hilarious, and incredibly kind. He is also incredible as a partner in the practicalities of life and parenting, always thinking about what his wife, child, dog, and household need to thrive, whether it's a big order of diapers from Amazon or some snuggles!”- Rachel

Cheddar Biscuit: Cheddar is our 20-lb poodle mix, and he's THE BEST. His main priority is to be with his 'parents,' and he is happiest when snuggled between us. He's a gentle goof and patient with children. When our foster sons joined the family, he saw them as part of our "pack" and would sit and guard them in their bassinet and come get us at any sign of crying. He's so patient with toddlers and gently steps away when they tug on his fur, try to ride him like a pony, or are rough with him. He cannot wait to meet a little one!

We live in a historic 1925 one-story Craftsman-style home with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a backyard. Living in an old house is a dream come true, and it is full of original details and stories. Rachel is obsessed with home decor and is always looking for cute art, plants, or throw blankets to make our home even cozier. 

We love spending time at home together cooking meals or hosting friends, playing with our dog, playing games and crafting together, and catching up on our favorite TV shows. Since we've been fostering for the last two years, our nursery is complete and ready for a child. It is a calm space with a crib, bassinet, changing table, and dresser full of baby clothes and supplies.

We are close to great restaurants, parks and hiking trails, public libraries, museums, the zoo, and everything the city offers. Living near a big city has many benefits, but we appreciate that we can be in the mountains, at the beach, or in the desert within an hour. 

We live in a family-friendly neighborhood and are walking distance from highly rated public schools. The area is culturally and ethnically diverse, and the local schools offer options like Spanish language immersion programs that we are interested in for our child. Plus, the weather is perfect year-round!

Rachel’s Family:

My family lives across the country, but we are very connected and visit throughout the year. Each summer, we plan a month-long visit with our families. My older brother is a professor of music and lives in Connecticut with his wife and their two children. His wife has been my close friend since middle school, so she is truly a sister to me. My younger brother, a social worker, lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and three young children!

My parents visited for several weeks when our foster sons arrived and will do the same for a new baby. My mother's expertise as a midwife has been helpful, and we call her with questions whenever they come up!

Patrick’s Family:

I have a huge, boisterous extended family with about 50 cousins. I love catching up with them and hearing about their lives and feel fortunate that some live in our neighborhood.

I have an older brother and a younger sister, both of whom I’m close to. Although they live far away, we visit throughout the year and talk constantly. My brother and his wife have two kids who we adore! 

We see my parents often despite the distance. I love playing competitive card games and seeing musicals with my mom, and my dad is always up for a long walk in the woods, a basketball game, or a conversation. One thing we all share in common is that we are teachers!

Our Marriage: More than anything, our relationship is defined by joy and laughter. Even in hard times, we can find a little humor. Our shared values of family, community, and social justice guide our decisions. Our greatest strength is our ability to communicate well, even when we disagree.

Our Traditions: We enjoy celebrating holidays with our friends and family. We both love Thanksgiving- for Patrick, that means a gathering of more than 60 people, while Rachel’s family does a more relaxing celebration. We look forward to introducing our child to family holidays and traditions-- and we have a particular knack for finding adorable baby Halloween costumes!

Five Things Rachel Loves - 

• Cooking
• Playing guitar and singing
• Reading a fun book
• Snuggling Cheddar (our dog, not the cheese!)
• Game nights with close friends

Five Things Patrick Loves - 

• Making or building things
• Reading science fiction
• Playing softball
• Snuggling our dog
• Splashing around in the pool

If you decide to place your child with us, they will be immediately surrounded by a loving family and community. As we think about how life with a child will look, we want to make these commitments:

• We will always support a child in having a connection with their birth mother and any other members of their biological family that their mother wishes they have contact with. We will share pictures and videos and make time for in-person visits if you desire. We believe that this is your right and is also the best thing for the child. More loving family members can only ever be a positive thing!

• If the child we adopt is from a different background from ours, we will ensure to raise them with as much connection to those roots as possible. They will be raised in a diverse community and be given opportunities to connect with people, traditions, and languages from their heritage. 

• We will provide a child with everything they need to thrive. No matter what they wish to pursue in life, we will support them with the best educational, recreational and other resources they may need. 

• We will raise a child to value social justice and repairing what is broken in the world. We have both dedicated much of our lives to making the world a better place, and will raise a child to do so as well, in ways large and small.

Thank you again for reading our profile book. Whatever you choose, know that we believe in you, we trust you, and we know that you are going to make the best decision for your family.