We are both scientists, not just in terms of our jobs, but also in terms of how we see and approach the world. We are endlessly curious and constantly seeking out opportunities to learn new things. This includes seeking out many different sources to learn about everything from ancient history to modern technology. It also means doing everything we can to gain new experiences both at home and when we travel, and to learn about new cultures particularly when we travel abroad. We are always looking for new things to try wherever we are. Of course, being scientists also means that we particularly enjoy things like rocket launches (both launching model rockets with our nephews or travelling to see NASA launch a rocket carrying a satellite to space), museums, and books about science and the history of science, and plenty of other nerdy stuff!

Kids are natural scientists, they try to understand the world around them from a young age. We have both always loved spending time with kids of all ages to nurture this impulse. This includes answering questions about science while spending time with our nephews, going to museums with our friends and their kids, and doing science demonstrations for local school-kids. And we couldn't be looking forward any more to going on that journey with a child.

We are both Jewish and white with ancestry from Eastern Europe. Judaism is both a religion and a culture, so we grew up with certain foods and cultural values as well as religious traditions. Even though we are from different parts of the country (Liz from the Midwest and Aaron from the Northeast) we grew up with many of the same foods and traditions. Education is very important in many Jewish families, including ours, and science is something of a tradition in both our families as well. A commitment to social justice and support for an inclusive society for all is also a part of the Jewish culture that we appreciate greatly. Aaron grew up in a more religious household than Liz, and while we are not as observant as Aaron's siblings and parents we often join them for holidays and other celebrations.

Our friends and family include many people who are Jewish like us, and also many who are not, with many people from all over the country and the world. We love that we have opportunities among our familial and social circles both to share our heritage and learn about others.

We care deeply about education and are dedicated to providing the best education we can for a child. We are both scientists, and Liz is an educator. We love teaching and guiding the learning of young people, whether that means answering questions about outer space and lasers, demonstrating the amazing properties of liquid nitrogen, or watching videos of chemistry experiments exploding. Our local schools are full of other scientists kids, and you can tell by all the opportunities the kids get. The local summer programs for kids seem like so much fun we wish we could do them!

That doesn't mean that we care only about science, however. We will support any interests that a child has, and make sure to provide opportunities for them to explore different things. Furthermore, we know that education goes beyond the classroom. Raising a good citizen begins at home, and we are dedicated to teaching our values and morals. We also will ensure that your child learns about both your culture and our culture. We are confident that we will be able to provide the best available all-around education for a child to raise them to be a smart, confident, and caring person.

We are close with our parents and siblings and we have many traditions with both sides of the family. On Aaron's side, we have nephews who we have watched grow up over the years. We love spending time with them as it has evolved from playing with toy train sets to launching model rockets. They will be fantastic older cousins and role models. And Liz's sister and brother-in-law are currently expecting their first child and we are excited for cousins of similar age!

Liz has lots of family in a big city a couple hours from where we live. We visit often to try out a new restaurant or go to one of the many big family events that happen every year. Aaron's family is farther, but we always get there a few times a year, often to celebrate the Jewish holidays and other milestones. And recently our nephews have been coming to visit us on their own in the summer, with their parents following later so we can all have time together.

All together our families will be a loving and supportive network to any child we bring into our home.

We live in a small city in Illinois which is a fantastic place to raise a child. We have a big university, which is what drew us and most of our friends here. As a result, we have all the benefits of a small, friendly Midwestern town with the diversity, vibrancy, and youth that come with a big university. Our friends and neighbors are from all over the country and all over the world, and we can't wait to introduce them to a new member of our family.

Our neighborhood is full of families with many parks and all the local schools within a short walk. We are friends with many of our neighbors and rarely leave the house without running into people we know. And the kids all know each other too, the local parks are always full of kids playing sports, or just playing together on the playground.

Our home is right in the center of the neighborhood, next to the local elementary school. Like most of the homes on our older, tree-lined street our house was built 100 years ago and has been updated over the years. The first floor has a big family room where we spend most of our time and a big kitchen where we love to cook and bake. We have the perfect bedroom picked out for a child, upstairs next to ours.

We are incredibly grateful that you are considering us as your child’s adoptive parents. We have been married for ten years and have wanted to become parents for a long time. We live in a small city in Illinois that is home to a large university. We both work as scientists, Liz at the university in town, and Aaron remotely from home, so we have a stable income, flexibility in our work hours, and a great network of resources that come from living in a big university town.

We live in a vibrant, diverse, safe community in a neighborhood with old houses and tree-lined streets near campus. Several parks and schools are within easy walking distance, as are many of our friends. The neighborhood is full of families with kids of all ages. We can imagine walking to the park each day and running into our friends and their children, where they can all play together. We also can imagine spending quality time together in our home, reading together, playing games together, and cooking together.

Liz's parents and sister live in a big city a couple-hour drive away, and we spend plenty of family time together. Liz's sister is currently expecting her first child, so we're really looking forward to having similar age cousins grow up together. Aaron's parents and siblings live out of state, but we frequently visit and plan to make them an integral part of the child’s support system as well. We know that they are all so excited to have a new member of the family. And we have a fantastic group of friends in our town with kids of all ages who are incredibly supportive and like another family.

We will give this child unconditional love, emotional support, a safe and stable home, and a great education. We are endlessly curious about the world, we love learning new things and seeing new places, both near home and while traveling around the country and the world. We are so excited to share our adventures with a child and to impart the same curiosity and love of learning. But our primary goal as parents will be to raise the child to become a healthy, happy, thoughtful person. We will encourage them to pursue their interests and teach them to treat everyone with kindness.

We know this is a difficult and emotional time in your lives, and we will do anything we can to give you the support you need. We look forward to getting to know you on a personal level and gain an understanding of your background and values, so that we can help impart them to this child. We look forward to visiting with you and sending photos and updates as the child grows up, so that you can always be an important part of the child's life.

Again, we appreciate you taking the time to read our profile. We hope it gives you the comfort and confidence that we will raise this child with all the love and support they need to thrive.

Sincerely,

Aaron & Liz