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Meet Marni & Seth

Marni & Seth

Fun Facts

Seth’s Fun Facts:

  • Has been to all 50 states
  • Has exceptional talent for funny voices
  • Is the captain of a co-ed recreational soccer team
  • Went to musical theater summer camp for 10 years (and it shows in his ability to make up songs and do funny voices)
  • Is a lifelong Chicago sports fan and got to dance with Benny The Bull as a kid!
  • Loves nothing more than jumping into a lake or river on a hot day
  • Is a human dictionary: can define any word without fail!

Marni’s Fun Facts:

  • Can speak three languages 
  • Has a dream of owning and running a bed and breakfast some day
  • Has worked on farms and loves growing vegetables at home
  • Has mastered playing “Wheels on the Bus” on guitar 
  • Organizes our annual block party (this year’s theme was “tropical”)
  • Has lived in five countries and four states, but calls Chicago home

Thank you for taking the time to learn about our family. We hope this will give you a glimpse into our lives.

Adoption is very special and important to us: our son Ari and our daughter Hannah came to us through adoption, and we feel so blessed that they have each joined our family. We are ready for our family and our hearts to grow with the addition of a new child. We have so much love to give and we are committed to providing a great home and being the best parents we possibly can be to our children.

Our first dance at our wedding in 2014

Our Story

We met through Marni’s sister at a dinner party in 2011 and we quickly became inseparable. We could talk for hours, laughing, having fun and being goofballs. But we also connected on a deeper level of shared values and learned that we wanted to spend our lives together.

We got married in 2014 and have only become stronger as a couple. We’ve been through many adventures and challenges since we’ve gotten together – new homes, moving to a new state (and back!), career changes and, of course, welcoming our first child Ari into our lives in 2019 and his sister, Hannah, in 2022. Through it all we’ve stayed strong by making sure we are always communicating and bringing joy into every day moments.

The four of us at a park near our house

About Seth

I love being a dad. By nature, I’m patient and thoughtful and loyal. I also love teaching and exploring and learning new things alongside my child. I try to retain a sense of childlike awe and excitement in my approach to the world.

Besides being a dad, I like playing soccer, throwing a baseball or frisbee in the park, taking long road trips, swimming in lakes and rivers or just reading a good book. But there’s nothing I like more than making Ari, Hannah and Marni laugh; it’s just the best. I also have a ton of fun running around and playing with Ari and Hannah, my nieces and nephews (they call me “Funcle Seth”!) and our friends’ kids, making up songs and stories and just being silly.

I was born and raised in Chicago; it’s my home and I love it. I loved growing up in the city and I’m so happy to be able to raise my family here and to be able to give them the amazing experiences that my parents gave me. Going to the zoo, the lake, a museum or just for a walk in a neighborhood – there’s no place like Chicago.

About Marni

I was raised in a close-knit family with four kids. We moved a lot when I was growing up, so being close with my family was extra important and is a value I hold dear. Having grown up all over the world, I feel comfortable pretty much wherever I go and I love adventures! Before having kids, Seth and I traveled around the country and the world, and we are determined to keep adventuring even with kids in tow.

As a wife and mother I try to be thoughtful, kind, fun and generous. I like to find the joy in everyday things, even dancing and singing while the kids and I brush our teeth! Becoming a parent has been the most exciting and gratifying experience of my life, and I have learned and grown so much. 

I strive to build a warm home where everyone is welcome, and I cherish hosting family and friends for home-cooked meals (and including the kids in the cooking of course!). It’s been so fun to create our own family traditions, like Friday night dinners, holiday celebrations and early morning walks, and I can’t wait to add another little one into our lives.

About Ari

Ari is pure joy. He loves to have fun, and he is just the goofiest, silliest guy you’ll ever meet, full of life and wonder. He is generous and kind, with many friends that enjoy spending time with him. He is always looking for adventures and loves a good surprise.

But most of all, Ari is a sweet and protective big brother. He was in love with Hannah since he first laid eyes on her. He absolutely loves making his little sister laugh, and he is quick with a hug when she is hurt. The two kids can entertain each other endlessly.  He has so much to teach his sister and we know he will be absolutely overjoyed to welcome a new sibling to the crew.

Ari spreads joy wherever he goes

About Hannah

Hannah is a firecracker. Even at her young age, she walks into a room like she owns the place. She knows what she wants and she is determined to get it!

Hannah is quick to laugh and incredibly silly. She is independent and strong. She eats a banana in 5 seconds flat. She loves music and song and dance. And most of all she wants to do whatever her big brother does.

Hannah joined our family when she was two months old, and as soon as she was here, she integrated into our family so naturally. Hannah and Ari were immediately in love and inseparable, and still are. Seeing our two kids’ connections with each other has been amazing, and we know they would have so much fun with another sibling.

Hannah is fierce, independent and so fun

Our Feelings about Open Adoption

We will embrace whatever level of openness you prefer, and we will be flexible based on any changes you may have in your level of openness. Adoption is a regular topic of conversation for us, and our wish is for our children to be proud of their adoption story, their birth family, and their heritage.

Thank you

If you choose adoption and select our family, your child will be welcomed into our home with unconditional love. Your child will be surrounded by our large and loving families and many kind and caring friends. He or she will be raised in a diverse city with lots of opportunities. Your child will grow up in a home built on strong values: kindness, honesty, tradition, learning, and joy. 

We are so grateful that you took the time to read about our family. We wish you peace as you make your decision.

Marni & Seth

Contact the Cradle

We’re available 24/7. All of your information is confidential.

To speak to someone now, call our 24-hour hotline: (800) 272-3534 or text us at (312) 800-1559 (answered 8:30am-8pm).

If you’d like us to contact you, please fill out the form.