Pete's Extended Family at Our Summer Party

We have such great families who are so excited about our plans to adopt a child. We come from very different backgrounds. Whether is it seeing a Broadway show with Pete's mother, Mimi; going camping in Kentucky with Grandpa Ben; or, swimming with all the cousins in Uncle Chris' pool, our families can provide your child with a wonderful variety of family experiences filled with love, fun and learning.

Pete and his 2 younger brothers, Mark and Chris grew up in North Jersey, a suburb of New York City and lived in a great family neighborhood. Most of the families that lived there had kids of their own, all around the same ages, so it was nice growing up. Pete played sports, and his father was the coach of the little league baseball and soccer teams. Many of the childhood memories were centered around Pete and his immediate family, as his maternal grandmother lived with he and his family all their lives. Aunts, uncles and cousins all visited weekly, living close-by, so there were always get-togethers and large family functions on holidays.

Thanksgiving at Our House

Pete and his family had a shore house in New Jersey and they spent every summer enjoying the ocean, swimming, fishing and boating. Pete and his mother and brothers all live in New Jersey and they remain close, getting together often for various family functions, as well as interacting with their children in many different ways.

Deana and her younger brother, Chance, grew up in a small rural town in Kentucky. She had a wonderful childhood in a neighborhood with a dozen other kids. There were always sleepovers and kickball games. Deana's parents and aunts and uncles shared a house boat so Deana grew up loving the water. With no electricity on the boat, the family spent great rainy days and nights playing cards and board games. Deana remains very close with her extended family. Your child could expect many wonderful visits from and to "the Kentucky family." Deana, her brother and father share a passion for travel. Even as adults they continue to take family vacations with recent trips to Istanbul, Turkey and Peru. Deana is excited to share her love of travel with your child so they can see the world with family and learn about all kinds of different cultures and traditions.

Our Home

We moved into our "dream house" about a year ago and are eager for the day-to-day family life with a child. The renovated farmhouse in rural New Jersey has six bedrooms and sits on two acres. The house has a large family room with a big L-shaped couch and TV and card playing table for family nights. There is also a gourmet kitchen where your child can learn to cook and to appreciate different kinds of food. There is plenty of room and privacy but the house is in a wonderful neighborhood at the end of a cul de sac with a basketball goal already ready for a game.

The Back of Our Farm House with Our Fishing Pond

The property also has a big pond that all the neighborhood kids fish in during the summer and an old barn, the second story of which was a club house for the previous owners' children. There is a vegetable garden, two rabbits and plenty of wild birds and deer. The county has a great school system and park system.

The town has a wonderful sense of community with an annual Memorial Day parade and outdoor summer concerts every Thursday. Our location gives us access to activities such as hiking and horseback riding but we still are only an hour away from all the museums and culture offered by New York City and Philadelphia. In the summer, we go down to our boat on the bay and enjoy the New Jersey shore.