Hello! We are Amanda and Aaron, and we are grateful that you are choosing to read our profile. We are parents to Olivia and Maya and we are so excited to be growing our family.
Our Story
We met 19 years ago at a concert, forever cementing music as a big part of our lives together. After some time as friends, we fell in love. We got married in 2012, and our love of music and travel has always been central to our story. Amanda gave birth to our daughter Olivia in 2014, and Maya joined our family in 2022.
About Amanda
I was born in Philadelphia and I am the oldest of three children. My father was born in Venezuela and immigrated to the U.S. when he was 18 to go to college; he became an engineer. I have a lot of family on the East Coast who we love to visit in the summers. I really love music in all forms. Providing my children with the safety and security they need to explore the world is a top priority for me. Also, cuddling on the couch is a regular pastime!
I am a clinical psychologist, helping people from all walks of life. Growing up as a mixed-race girl has been helpful in being open-minded in my work and in my personal life, and I always surround myself with people from different backgrounds.
About Aaron
I was born in Queens, New York, and lived there with my parents and older sister. People tell me that I still have a little bit of a New York accent even though I moved to Chicago long ago! My family emphasized closeness in the family, and this is a value I hold. I am a civil engineer and I have worked in the same job for over 20 years! I think I got this sense of long-term work from both of my parents, who emphasized this as a value.
Something memorable about my childhood was my grandmother’s incredible cooking, and she inspired me to become the chef in my own family with Amanda. It’s important to me to be able to host special gatherings for family and friends.
Why We Are Adopting
We have always believed that family goes beyond blood relatives. Because of this, we would welcome with open arms and open hearts a child into our family who has their own origin story. We know adoption is the right path for us.
In 2014, Amanda gave birth to our daughter, Olivia. When we decided it was time to expand our family, we learned that due to complications from Olivia’s birth, Amanda could no longer carry children. We were very fortunate to be able to expand our family through the help of a gestational surrogate who helped us have our second daughter, Maya.
Adoption has always been one of the ways we have wanted to expand our family, and we have been committed to this for many years.
Meet Olivia and Maya
Our daughter, Olivia, is 10.5 years old! People describe her as outgoing, loving, hilarious, empathetic, musical and creative. She’s very tall for her age, but that doesn’t stop her from acting her age and playing on the floor. She’s truly the best big sister and has a lot of pride in that role.
Our daughter, Maya, is 2.5 years old! She came into our life through the help of a gestational surrogate. Maya is brave, independent and knows exactly what she wants. Her teachers recently said, “Maya loves anything that is put in front of her,” and it’s true. She’s very loving and shares all her snacks with everyone.
Our Community
We live on the north-side of the city of Chicago and love everything Chicago has to offer! Near our home there are playgrounds, public pools, coffee shops, grocery stores and good schools. We enjoy going for walks whenever we can, even if it’s a little cold. We also love family bike riding, and we’re not too far away from Lake Michigan, which can make biking lots of fun! Our home is a duplex apartment with four bedrooms.
Thank you
We are so thankful that you have taken the time to read about our journey, our family and community, and our excitement to adopt a child to complete our family. We feel so much appreciation and love for you for considering our family to raise your child. We look forward to speaking to you if and when you are ready.
From our hearts,
