Shanna & Gary
Shanna and Gary have recently welcomed a new baby into their home and are no longer available to be matched with. Other families are still waiting though, and you can VIEW THEM HERE. To learn about additional families or to speak with an adoption specialist, please call Adoption Advocates at (512) 477-1122.
Hi! We’re Gary, Shanna, Rachel and our doggies, Charlie and Zoey. Thanks for browsing our online profile, we hope it gives you a peek into our lives. We can’t begin to understand how you are really feeling right now, but we do appreciate how much thought and care you are taking to make the right decision. We truly believe that there’s an open adoption match for everyone and hope you’ll reach out if you feel that connection with us!
We are morning people, getting up early and going to bed early. Shanna has the adventurous spirit, always willing and eager to try new things. Gary is patient and thoughtful, excited by anything that has a puzzle to figure out. We’ve been together for 20 years and have created careers that allows us to spend nearly our whole day together. We enjoy long leisurely meals with family and friends, be it in our home (Shanna was a professional chef) or a restaurant in Sydney (Gary has close family in Australia), as mealtime is a special time for our family to connect and share.
Things We Can’t Wait to Do as a Family
Play I Spy | Visit the Dinosaur Park | Watch Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer | Read One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish | Make pancakes | Teach him or her how to jump in muddy puddles | Travel to a beach
OUR DAUGHTER
Rachel is an easy-going and adventurous toddler that loves dinosaurs. She is eager to be a “Big Sissa” and take her little brother or sister swimming and nature walks.
PETS
Our doggies Charlie and Zoey bring so much joy to our family! A bonded pair that were rescues from Houston, during Hurricane Harvey. We take them on a nice long walk every morning and they love joining us on our trips to the beach on the Texas coast.
TRAVEL
We travel quite a bit and enjoy experiencing culture through food. By our 5th wedding anniversary, we had flown over a million miles together. Although we are spending more time at home these days, we still make time for a long weekend away and generally take a longer international trip every few months.
HOW WE MET
We were seated next to each other at a networking dinner for young professionals. Shanna thought Gary was too old for her and Gary thought Shanna was too young for him – little did we know, we were only 3 years apart! A year later, we happened to bump into each other at a bar and laughed about our mistaken identity. From that moment on, we were inseparable.
HOPES FOR OUR CHILDREN
We want our children to be comfortable in their own skin, the strength to build their own path in the world and always know that are loved.
5 Things About
Shanna
When I grew up I wanted to be a hip hop dancer.
I am really good at showing up for friends.
I am terrible at interviews.
My favorite quote is “It isn’t the mountains ahead that wears you out; it’s the pebble in the shoe.”
Muhammad Ali
My best mom joke is A cheese factory exploded in France… Da-Brie is everywhere!
5 Things About
Gary
When I grew up I wanted to be a baseball pitcher.
I am really good at seeing things from others’ point of view.
I am terrible at keeping my desk organized.
My favorite quote is “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” Dr. Seuss
My best dad joke is When does a joke become a dad joke? When it becomes apparent!
