We Are a Couple From Brooklyn, New York City Hoping to Adopt a Baby!
Hello from Brooklyn, NY!
James and Patrick here. More than likely, we are sitting in our Brooklyn, NY, apartment, waiting for our favorite pizza to be delivered and talking about how excited we are to grow our family through adoption. We put a lot of thought into what you may want to know about us so you can make the best decision for your baby. We know these pages won’t give you all the answers, but we hope they give you a sneak peek into our lives together and who we will be as parents. If you have any questions after reading our adoption profile, please do not hesitate to reach out. We are truly an open book.
—James & Patrick
Skiing in Whistler At the top of Whistler Mountain in Vancouver Canada
Fall nights Grabbing dinner on a crisp fall night in New York City
Hiking upstate James, Patrick, and Chaz hiking with the family in upstate New York
Best Friend’s Wedding! Went to Mexico to see James’ best friend get married
Boating Going cruising around the bay on a sunset boat ride in North Carolina
Beach fun Family photo shoot walking along the shore in Hilton Head, NC
James & Patrick
About Us
Our journey together started nine years ago in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We spent our first year getting to know one another by introducing each other to our favorite restaurants, families, friends, enjoying our mutual love of music, and exploring the twin cities.
In August 2015, Patrick received a job offer that required him to relocate to Seattle, WA, surprisingly a city that James had always envisioned living in. Excited to explore a new city, we embraced our adventurous spirit and moved ourselves and our pets across the country. What we loved about Seattle was that it gave us the chance to discover new things together, as a couple. We also learned that despite the wonderful hiking opportunities that surrounded us, we loved the beauty but learned that we preferred boating, exploring the music and restaurant scene, and the city’s diversity.
After a few years in Seattle making great friends and wonderful memories, we realized that we were just too far from family, so James requested a transfer and Patrick found a new position and within a few weeks, we packed up our home, our cats, and our new dog, and headed for the Big Apple. As soon as we arrived in Brooklyn, we knew that we were home.
James grew up in Duluth, Minnesota and Patrick in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
We met in 2014 in Minneapolis, where James was living after college and Patrick had moved for work.
Patrick’s job ultimately took us to Seattle, Washington where we lived for 3 years and bought our first home.
Missing family and friends on the East Coast, we decided to make plans to move to Brooklyn, New York. Our first apartment was in the trendy Williamsburg neighborhood before moving to our current place in Boerum Hill, which has a quiet neighborhood feel.
In the summer we love spending time on the beach. We typically spend several weekends a year at the beach club in Allenhurst, New Jersey or on trips with Patrick’s family to Hilton Head, South Carolina.
The summers we don’t make it to the beach, we spend with James’s family on Sand Lake in Deer River, Minnesota, or traveling abroad to Italy’s Amalfi Coast.
When the weather turns and we can’t enjoy the water, we love spending time skiing. Some of our favorite spots to ski are in Whistler, Vail, and Aspen, Colorado.
Our friends and family are spread out all over the United States and world. Some places include; Texas, Massachusetts, North Carolina, South Carolina, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Washington. We plan to raise a child exploring them all and introducing them to different cultures.
We both work really hard and love our jobs which allow us to provide for our family. James is a Recruiting Manager at Snapchat, and Patrick is a Program Product Manager at Amazon.
We can’t wait to expand our family through adoption!
Now Really Get To Know More About Us
The Great Wall Patrick visited China where his cousins were living at the time
College bestie Patrick’s best friend from college visits us in Seattle
Beach naps Patrick spending time in the shade while our niece naps in his arms on the New Jersey shore
Allenhurst Beach Club Spending time at Allenhurst Beach Club in Allenhurst, NJ
Lifelong friends Patrick’s lifelong friend and next door neighbor from childhood visits NYC
Brooklyn Family Time Patrick’s parents came to Brooklyn, NY to visit
Meet Patrick
—as written by James
“Maybe it’s because he is the oldest of four siblings, or maybe it’s because he grew up with 22 cousins, but whatever the reason is, Patrick has always had family at the center of his heart. He is smart, competitive, and driven, and he goes out of his way to create a loving, warm home.
After graduating from Denison University, Patrick took up a career in fashion, where he worked in the buying offices for premier retailers focusing on designer footwear. Wanting to blend his creative side with the evolving tech industry, Patrick moved to one of the largest tech companies in the world — where he works with his team to reimagine the fashion industry to meet evolving consumer demands. Outside of work, Patrick enjoys travel, musical theatre, home décor, and exploring the restaurant scene with friends and family.
Patrick is no stranger to adoption as he has a cousin who was adopted from Peru and his best friend, Casey, was adopted from Korea.
When I imagine adoption with Patrick, I imagine someone who dresses up like Mickey Mouse to deliver tickets to Disney World to our future son or daughter. I envision someone who sneaks them treats and says ‘Don’t tell dad!’. I picture someone who builds Legos with the child we adopt, and falls asleep reading bedtime stories to him or her. I have no doubt he will be the best dad in the world!”
“Patrick goes out of his way to create a loving, warm home.”
—James
Lunch Date in Brooklyn We love our afternoon lunch dates in Brooklyn, NY
Uncle James James and his oldest niece, Ellie, enjoying quality time at the cabin
Siblings at the Comedy Cellar James’ siblings came to visit NYC and went to the Comedy Cellar in Manhattan, NY
Run, James, run! James about to finish a half marathon in record time!
Running the NYC Half Marathon James after he finished the 2022 NYC Half Marathon
Brother-in-law! James and his Brother-in-Law on a trip to Aspen
Portlandlandia Road trip from Seattle to Portland with some of our closest friends
MN to WA James’ best friend and her husband visit Seattle and we explore the city together
Meet James
—as written by Patrick
“James is truly one of the kindest people I know. When I first met James, I knew I had found someone who was special. We found an instant connection and simply enjoyed each other’s company — whether it was enjoying the music scene, social activism and volunteering, or a good movie night. The more and more I got to know him, I admired his quiet, gentle, calm ways. No matter what the situation, James has this amazing ability to remove himself and approach it objectively.
James has an amazing capacity to love and care for humankind. Currently, James is working for Snapchat as a recruiting manager. He works hard advocating on behalf of his team and even harder ensuring the hiring process is equitable for all applicants and holds himself and others accountable to the company’s diversity initiatives. His commitment to inclusiveness and diversity has resulted in organizing affinity groups at his past and current employer.
Outside of work, you can find James soaking up all the information the world can provide him. He is always on top of world news, human rights issues, and local and national politics. Now, people say your significant other should push you to be a better person and James is definitely that for me. Perhaps more importantly, he loves me and our family unconditionally and selflessly.
James’s advocacy and caring nature make him a wonderful uncle to our five nieces and nephews. Watching him interact with them has provided me with a small glimpse into how prepared he is to become a father. I know he will work tirelessly to ensure that the children we adopt will grow up informed, loved, and respectful individuals. James will encourage each of them to make that world a better place. Like he does for me, James will inspire and challenge our children to be their best selves.”
“James loves me and our family unconditionally and selflessly.”
—Patrick
Game night Playing one of our favorite board games, Catan, at home with family
Deck the halls Cutting down our first Christmas Tree together in Woodinville, WA
Summer treats Stumbled upon a new ice cream shop while exploring a street fair in Brooklyn
Long walk in Brooklyn, NY Taking our dog Chaz on a long walk by the East River in Brooklyn
Sunday Strolls Walking Chaz in Prospect Park just a few blocks from our home
Good boy Chaz loves the elevator because it means he gets to go on a walk
Our Home
Our home is in a classic Brooklyn, NY neighborhood called Boerum Hill. Our community is full of century-old brownstones that are nestled along tree-lined streets. Mixed within these historic homes are neighborhood restaurants that we frequent with friends and family, the local coffee shop we stop in daily as we walk our dog Chaz, and even the pediatrician we are planning on using when we adopt a baby. It truly has a local feel with all the conveniences of the big city.
In addition to everyday essentials, our neighborhood has plenty of activities for our growing family. There are small and large parks, a zoo, a library, and plenty of parents meet-up groups for music in the park, crafts, and swim lessons. We are very lucky to live on the street with the school our future child will attend. On our morning walks with Chaz, we see parents walking hand in hand with their children for drop off/pick up, and cannot wait for the days when we are able to do the same. As we both have the flexibility to work from home, we can ensure we make every parent-teacher conference, sporting event, or musical showcase throughout our child’s life.
Equally important to what we find outside our home is what we can find on the inside. Knowing our goal of expanding our family, we looked for a home we could grow into. We found a large, open floor plan loft with outsized windows, tall ceilings, and a patio where we can enjoy morning coffee or evenings listening to music. Patrick’s experience in the fashion industry has also given him an eye for interior design and we take great pride in the look and feel of our home.
This brings us to the most special and important part of our neighborhood which is the proximity to family. Patrick’s brother Brendan is less than a block away, with his wife Ilana and daughters Simi and Poppy. We have weekly dinners together, which are either Friday nights with board games or Sunday night spaghetti and meatballs. We love entertaining in our space!
Fire pit fun Spending quality family time making s'mores in Northern Minnesota around a camp fire
Family is forever James’s immediate family including our first niece, Ellie
Panama City James visiting his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins in Panama in 2019
Strike! A snow storm hit Duluth, so the siblings went bowling!
Dad’s First trip to NYC Dad always wanted to see the Statue of Liberty. James and his sister took him
during his first trip to New York City
Family Visit! James’ brothers and Sister visiting from Minneapolis
I’m on a boat! Family Boat Cruise Evening sunset cruise on Hilton Head Island with the family
Cousins and counting Patrick’s parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins playing a friendly game at TopGolf during the holidays
Say cheese! Surprised Patrick’s parents with a family photoshoot while on vacation
Ring, ring, ring Patrick playing with his eldest Niece, Riley on the floor of his parents house
SIBLINGS! Patrick and his siblings enjoying an evening walk on the beach
I can hear the bells! Patrick and his brothers supporting their only sister on her wedding day!
Family
Our families are extensions of us.
We are who we are today because of the values our families instilled in us. We come from very different backgrounds, however, both of our families made sure we grew up knowing the importance of relationships.
James’ parents immigrated to the United States when they were younger, his dad from Germany and his mom from Panama. They met while both were in the U.S. Airforce and spent 35 years married before James’ mom passed away in 2019. His dad, 3 brothers (Daniel, Zack, Boston), and sister (Brandy) still live in Minnesota with their families. James also has a large extended family in Panama City, Panama, and cannot wait to visit them with a new family member someday soon!
Patrick grew up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA where his parents, sister (Catie), brother-in-law (Ken), niece (Riley), and nephew (Aiden) all still live. Patrick has fond memories growing up, spending weeknights at soccer practice which his dad coached, weekends and summers at the neighborhood pool where he and his cousins all competed on the swim team, and Friday family pizza nights, a tradition James and Patrick still uphold with his brother (Brendan), sister-in-law (Ilana), and nieces (Simi & Poppy).
As Patrick grew up, he was fortunate to learn the values of education and hard work. After graduating from college, Patrick’s mom taught herself accounting and graduated from law school. From there, she became one of the only female partners at her accounting firm and has worked her way to the most senior position within the tax division, where she currently sits as chair. Similarly, after college, Patrick’s dad obtained his MBA and started his career in banking where he climbed the corporate ladder and now serves as the Chief Digital Officer for a regional bank.
These fundamental values are something we both look forward to instilling in our future family.
Story Time James reading an afternoon story to our niece Simi in Aspen, Colorado
Matching Tie-dye Patrick and our niece Poppy in matching tie-dye looks at his brother’s place in Brooklyn
Saturday BBQ James and Simi ready for lunch at a BBQ spot in Brooklyn
Flight with Uncles Taking our first flight with our niece Simi to Pittsburgh, PA
New Family Addition We welcomed a new niece, Poppy, in September 2022
Two days old! Visiting our third niece, Simi, the day she got home from the hospital
Uncle James James and his oldest niece, Ellie, enjoying quality time at the cabin
Uncle Patrick Patrick calming down his niece Riley with Beat Bug music videos
Misbehaving James and his oldest nephew, Logan goofing around playing with Snapchat filters
First steps James helping his niece, Riley learn to walk! Now, she is running all over the place
Deck the Halls Our nieces and nephews spending time with Patrick’s parents during Christmas 2021
Aiden’s First Birthday Celebrating our nephew's first birthday in Pittsburgh, PA
Let’s go to the beach! Patrick and his niece at the Allenhurst Beach Club in Allenhurst, NJ where Patrick’s family has belonged to for over 60 years
Our Nieces and Nephews
Together, we have six nieces and nephews and counting! A niece (Ellie) and nephew (Logan) who live in Duluth, Minnesota, as well as a niece (Riley) and nephew (Aiden) in Pittsburgh, PA. In Brooklyn, NY we are lucky to be near our nieces (Simi and Poppy). Our growing extended family means the world to us and we cannot wait for the day we can add another grandchild, niece/nephew, and cousin to the mix!
Below is the transcript of the above letter:
Hello,
We can’t imagine what you are going through as you consider adoption as one of the options for you and for your child, but we are writing to thank you for exploring us as the potential adoptive parents for him or her. From the moment we met, we both knew we wanted to grow our family through adoption. We are so excited for the opportunity to raise a child, and promise to do everything in our power to teach them how to be kind, creative, and smart.
We understand life can be difficult to navigate at times, however just as we have made a commitment to each other through marriage, we look forward to offering the same love and support to the child we adopt some day. Family has shaped us into the people we are today, and that same family is ready and excited to guide us into fatherhood.
Our family has shown us that being full-time parents is going to be hard work but has also shown us how rewarding it can be. We are both fully committed to doing whatever it takes to make sure our child grows up in a supportive family with all the opportunities we can provide. Whether it is teaching them to love animals, ride a bike, enjoy music, or read and write, we plan to introduce them to all the wonders of life while supporting them through the challenges.
Sending you strength on your journey,
James & Patrick
James & Patrick: Our Video
James & Patrick: A Day in the Life Video
James’ Fun Facts
Occupation: Recruiting Manager at Snapchat
Hobbies: Exercising, Live Music, Cooking
Places: New York City, Panama
Foods: Pizza
Music: Robyn, Amy Winehouse, Lizzo
Patrick’s Fun Facts
Occupation: Product Manager at Amazon
Hobbies: Home Décor, Musical Theater, Fashion
Places: Allenhurst Beach Club; Allenhurst, NJ
Foods: Monte Cellos Pizza; Pittsburgh, PA
Music: Indie Pop; Walk the Moon, Jukebox the Ghost, MisterWives
Thank You
Thank you for taking the time to explore our adoption profile. We understand this decision is not an easy one, but we hope that by viewing our profile you gain a sense of who we are, what we love, and how we will be as parents. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.
