Meg & John

Our Pet

We have one dog named Nessie. She is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and we got her when she was a baby. Her favorite things are snuggling, snacks and running around at the dog park. She is the sweetest dog and loves everyone. We know she will have a great time with a little buddy (especially once they start dropping food on the ground)!

OUR HOME

We live in a 4-bedroom house with a big backyard with plenty of trees. We moved in 2019 to make room for a growing family. We have tons of big windows and plenty of natural sunlight. Although we live in the suburbs, we’re close to the city and all of the cultural and culinary fun it has to offer.

Our Extended Family

We are lucky enough that John’s mom lives close by, and we see her at least twice a week. Sundays, we spend the day together and often find a dog-friendly restaurant so Nessie can come, too! Meg’s family lives in Pennsylvania and Maryland, but we talk multiple times a week. Meg’s parents will be visiting their first grandchild as much as possible. We also have a large group of friends who are our chosen family. We see them every week and they can’t wait to add one more to the party.

Parenting Philosophy

We believe in unconditional love. We want our child to be capable and have the resources they need to grow as a person. That means letting them do and learn as the opportunities arise, knowing that if they fail, we’re still here. We want to be the soft place for them to land when the world is rough. We plan on setting boundaries and being very open about consequences. We both believe in natural consequences and not disciplining just because we’re angry or upset with the child. A good parent/child relationship helps the child to be independent and their own person – whatever that looks like. We believe trust is essential in a family. We must trust that we will love and support each other, even at our worst moments. Trust means showing up, physically and emotionally, even if it’s hard or inconvenient. Healthy trust grows over time through actions, not just words. It provides security in a relationship and a safe place for everyone to come home to. We think trust looks and feels the same in any loving relationship, but for a child we want them to be confident that we will always do what’s best for them and be responsive to their needs.

What Adoption Means to Us

We think of everything associated with adoption as pure love. Either the love of a mother, who wants the best for her child, or the love of parents, who want to welcome a child and love them for the rest of their lives. Adoption is brave and hard, but with the right people, resources and support can be a positive experience for everyone involved.