Zarah and Robert 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.
We are ready and excited to share the love, support, and adventure we’ve discovered in our decade of marriage with our future daughter or son. In that time together, we have been so fortunate to surround ourselves with family and friends that love and support us and with careers and adventure that challenge us to continue striving to be better people.
We met at the University of Chicago in 2005. We came from two different worlds (Zarah from Texas and Robert from New Jersey), but we clicked instantly: we both loved laughing, enjoying the outdoors, and teaching and learning. After about 5 years of spending every waking moment together, we were married in Zarah’s hometown of San Angelo, TX.
Today, Robert is the executive director of a technology non-profit. In his previous life, he was an educator and has a doctorate in astrophysics. Zarah is a high school principal and was an English teacher prior. She loves working with kids.
Zarah
When I grew up I wanted to be a teacher.
I am really good at reading, correcting grammar mistakes, and puzzles.
I am terrible at running and singing.
My favorite quote is “Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!” -Dr. Seuss
My best mom joke is If you eat beans and I eat beans, how old will we both be? I’ll be farty and you’ll be farty too.
Robert
When I grew up I wanted to be an astronaut.
I am really good at telling stories, packing the car, and math.
I am terrible at drawing and dancing.
My favorite quote is “Science is not enough, religion is not enough, art is not enough, politics and economics is not enough, nor is love, nor is duty, nor is action however disinterested, nor, however sublime, is contemplation. Nothing short of everything will really do.” -Aldous Huxley
My best dad joke is Why was 6 afraid of 7? Because 7 8 9.
PETS
Dora and Dobson have been part of our family for many years. Dora is 13 and Dobson is 8. They love each other so much and spend their days hunting grasshoppers, napping in cozy nooks, and playing chase with one another. They love stealing snuggles from children any chance they get.
OUR HOME
A close architect friend designed our house with us, so it’s just perfect for us. It is a 4 bedroom, 3 ½ bathroom, open-air home filled with large windows, and lots of great outdoor space! Our home is on 4 acres surrounded by beautiful loblolly pines. We picked the land and designed the house with future children in mind. We have so much outdoor space for exploration, water tables, chalk art, and kite-flying. We have a kid’s area that has its own playroom for Playdoh, experiments, Legos, and endless fun. We even have open-air breezeways so kids can play in open-air even on rainy days.
OUR EXTENDED FAMILY
We are a family filled with rich culture. Zarah’s mom and dad were born in Mexico. Zarah and her brother and sister were raised in Texas surrounded by lots of cousins, aunts, and uncles. This large Mexican American family is so excited to teach our child Spanish and how to make tamales from scratch at Christmas time. Robert’s mom and dad were born in Russia. Robert and his sister were raised in New Jersey. His older half-brother was raised in Russia and later immigrated to New Jersey/New York City. Robert’s mother lives with us and she is so excited to spoil her first grandchild and teach him or her Russian.
HOW WE MET
We met in the library. We were both students at the University of Chicago and had some mutual friends who introduced us. We bumped into each other in the library and just talked and talked all night long. We clicked instantly and wanted to share everything could about ourselves with one another. We have been together ever since that fateful library night.
OTHER CHILDREN
We cherish children, so when we struggled to have biological children of our own, we knew that was not going to be the end of the story. We committed to fostering first because we wanted to be there for children that desperately needed a warm bed and a loving family to embrace them. After 2 years and parenting 4 children that we reunited with their biological families, we felt deeply fulfilled but ready to find permanency for our own family, which is what brought us to adoption.
Things We Can’t Wait to Do as a Family
Zarah
Play Twister
Read Harry Potter
Travel to Disney World
Visit Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Celebrate Christmas and Halloween
Teach him or her how to feed chickens and collect their eggs
Sing Dreaming of You by Selena
Watch My Neighbor Totoro
Bake gingerbread cookies
Make tortillas
Robert
Play Hide n’ go seek
Read His Dark Materials
Travel to Big Bend National Park
Visit Hill Country Science Mill
Celebrate Thanksgiving & Hanukah
Teach him or her how to ride a bike and swim
Sing Blackbird by the Beatles
Watch Ghostbusters
Bake pretzels
Make banana pancakes
