Waiting to Adopt
Jennifer & Marty
Hi there! Our names are Jennifer and Marty. So nice to “meet” you!
We want to express our appreciation for you in opening our profile. We are so excited to share more about ourselves! We are a fun-filled family who has so much love to give, and we hope that shines through within this profile. Most importantly though, we want you to feel empowered to make the decision that is right for you and your child at this moment. Be assured that we are 100% supportive of you and trust you to make the best choice for you and your family, whatever that may be.
You are brave, capable, and selfless, and we are very much wishing you peace and guidance in your journey.
Things We Can’t Wait to Do as a Family
Play the countless board games we have with a third player! We are big board gamers in this house | Read “Tell Me About the Night I Was Born” by Jamie Lee Curtis, a beautiful children’s book about adoption | Eat farm fresh ice cream from our favorite spot down the street from our home! | Travel to our favorite place, the Azores Islands | Visit San Diego to see Marty’s grandma and take the child to the world class zoo there | Celebrate Christmas-kah, the loving blend of Christmas and Hannukah in our family | Cheer on the Carolina Tar Heels and Denver Broncos (we can’t wait to buy them fan gear and dress them up – so cute!) | Bake so many cookies! We both have some recipes we’ve refined over the years that we are so excited to share with a little one | Make beautiful pictures to decorate our fridge and hearts | See The Nutcracker Ballet, which is something we make a point to see live every year – Jennifer read the book every Christmas as a little girl, and we can’t wait to share this with our child
Our Pet
We have one pet – a sweet pup named Allie.
Allie is an older girl, but you wouldn’t know it if you met her. She takes her full-time job as a fetch athlete very seriously. In her free time, you can catch her napping in the sun or snuggled up with one of us. Jokes aside, Allie has so much joy and excitement for life. She is such a light in our home. She has met several babies and toddlers in our friend group, and on these occasions she usually sniffs the child and gives them a big lick on the face. She is perfectly curious, yet gentle with kids.
OUR HOME
We live in North Carolina in a city that is continually ranked as one of the top 20 safest large cities nationally with 19% of citizens born in another country! We would describe our four-bedroom home as urban. We love that we can walk to several state-of-the-art parks, restaurants, and stores. Our home is green and full of life (with over 50 houseplants!). Jennifer’s grandmother has painted hundreds of landscapes and her paintings decorate our home, bringing it life as well. We have put a lot of work into making it comfortable and homey, while also being clean and organized.
Though it is a townhome, we have community green space and amazing parks within walking distance that include playgrounds for kids, splash pads, and trails. Additionally, we have 5 elementary schools within walking distance of our home, so we are very excited to walk our kid to school everyday.
Parenting Philosophy
First and foremost, we want our child to be filled with joy! For us, this means echoes of laughter throughout our house. We believe that childhood should be a whirlwind of exploration, discovery, and uninhibited fun.
Secondly, we want this child to feel so loved – not just from us, but also from the vibrant community of family and friends we have that are already so excited to support and snuggle them. We believe every child deserves a sense of belonging, and our home and network will be a haven of unwavering support and unconditional love.
Education and curiosity is also hugely important to us as a family. We are committed to creating a culture of continuous learning for both ourselves and our child. From the walls of our home, to the trips we will take with a little one in tow, we will embrace opportunities to grow, explore, and expand our horizons together. This includes education about the child’s roots! We will never shy away from discussing our child’s adoption and the love their birth family has for them. We want our child to be curious about this aspect and have the freedom to explore this important component of their background.
Lastly, our most important wish for our child is for them to grow up fulfilled, self-sufficient, and happy. Our role is not to shape our child into a predetermined mold, but to nurture the unique individual they already are.
Our Extended Family
Jennifer’s mom is her best friend and they talk many times a week – she is kind, warm, funny, and always there to listen. Her aunt (mom’s sister) is basically like her second mother and played a huge role in raising her. They both live in Jennifer’s hometown in the Appalachian Mountains, and we love to visit that beautiful area and spend time with them. We are also very close to Jennifer’s uncle (her mom’s twin brother!) and his wife, who live 10 minutes from us. We usually see them multiple times a month, and they will be core support for us in raising a little one.
Marty’s parents live together in his Texas hometown and we get together several times a year. Their eccentric, fun-loving, day-to-day outlook on life inspires us. They’re enjoying retirement on their land with their new pug puppies, whom they jokingly call his siblings. We often visit his 93-year-old Oma (grandma) in California any chance we get. She is an inspirational woman who lives life to the fullest. She is known around her retirement community for taking her cat out on daily walks on a leash. We are confident our future little one will make many trips to San Diego to visit her.
How We Met
Cupid’s arrow struck when we met on a dating app in 2015. Our initial conversation often revolved around who could “brie” the best at making cheesy puns that day, and as we got to know each other more, it became clear we were two “curds” of a feather and a wonderful and loving relationship emerged. We were married in Sedona, Arizona surrounded by 40 of our closest friends and family in 2021. It was the best day ever and kindness and fun continue to be the foundation of our relationship.
5 Things About
Jennifer
March Madness Fiend: Don’t mess with her during NCAA season – go Heels! Her bracket-busting skills are legendary.
Road Warrior: From half marathons to leisurely jogs, she conquers miles with a smiles. She’s completed 2 half marathons and is excited to start training for her first marathon!
Jeopardy Whiz: Trivia nights tremble at her name. Don’t even think about challenging her on capital cities or historical facts.
Caffeine & Chapters: Coffee fuels her body, but chapters fuel her soul. You’ll find her curled up with a good book in the coziest corner, a steaming mug beside her, lost in a universe where reality takes a delightful vacation.
Musical Melody: she loves all things music, and knows how to read sheet music, play piano, and is learning to play stringed instruments.
5 Things About
Marty
Botanical Mastermind: He’s not just watering plants, he’s cultivating an Eden! Our home is a thriving paradise bursting with green plants and fragrant flowers.
The Cookie Concoctor: Forget store-bought treats – Marty’s homemade chocolate chip cookies are the definition of pure indulgence. Warm, gooey, and guaranteed to vanish in seconds.
World Traveler, Picture Taker: His adventures aren’t complete without capturing the essence of a place through his lens. Sprinkle in a few photos of Jennifer and our pup, Allie.
Kitchen Alchemist: Marty’s kitchen is a laboratory of love, where spices sing and recipes become stories. Our child will learn the magic of food, from planting tiny seeds to sharing delicious feasts built with laughter and learning.
Hiking Companion Extraordinaire: No mountain is too high, no path too rugged for him. He loves to hike through sun-dappled forests, windswept ridges, and conquers canyons with a friendly word for every fellow adventurer. His favorite hike he has completed is when he and Jennifer hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back up.
Get In Touch with Jennifer & Marty
If you think we might be the right match for you and your child, we’d love to hear from you! You can send us a message online or call our agency, Adoption Advocates, at (512) 477-1122 / (800) 966-HOPE to get connected.
