Education is core to our family values, so we are making sure to raise our family in a community that is educationally vested and supportive. Our hometown provides extensive educational opportunities for children and youth.

For instance, the school system here is top notch. Our son is currently enrolled in a fantastic TK program that focuses on learning-by-doing exercises that, more often than not, takes place outside in one of the school’s many gardens. For Kindergarten, our son will be attending a foreign-langauge immersion program that is biking distance from our home.

Likewise, the nearby university offers everything from museums, to open houses, to performances and lectures – which are fun ways for kids to learn in new and exciting ways.

As a family, it is our nightly routine to read to Booker before he goes to bed. We can tell that this routine has already contributed to Booker’s love for reading. Together, we have explored a multitude of genres, spanning classic children's literature, multiple books in the Harry Potters series, and even a few mystery-adventure novels.

We have adopted and loved both dogs and cats, and remain committed to living with compassion towards all animals. Pets provide unconditional love - and in that regard, we believe they provide a great model for humans to live by. We are grateful to be able to share our lives with our furry companions.

Kurt and Kristen have adopted 4 animals together - 2 since Booker was born. We currently have a 9 year old 9lb mini pin-chihuahua mix named Wiley and a young cat named Binx.

Wiley is a true lap dog. There is no place he would rather be than on one of our laps. He is the first one at the door when we head out for a walk, and he’s always eager to see each member of the family when they return home from work or school. His perky ears are always upright - unless he is enjoying a belly rub.

Binx is a spunky 2 year old cat that Booker picked out at the SPCA this past year. He equally enjoys jumping for his toy feathers and snuggling on our laps. Both of our pets have their own unique personalities - they offer plenty of love, and provide tons of reasons to laugh.

We are a family that loves outdoor adventure.

We often feel our best and most refreshed when in nature. For this reason we often go on adventures in and around the mountains and beaches of CA. We regularly go on family hikes and camping trips - sometimes with friends and extended family.

Some of our favorite places to visit are: New Zealand, Hawaii, the Mojave and Palm Deserts, Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks. We also have an annual tradition of visiting Disneyland.

In the winter we regularly drive out to Tahoe for family ski trips. In the summer we’ve made it a habit to visit both the Northern CA coast and the beaches of San Diego.

On weekends we enjoy walking to our local nature trails and picnicking at the nearby arboretum. We also enjoy biking as a family to local destinations such as baseball games and community events.

All that said, some of our favorite family adventures have taken place while reading together or playing together in our own backyard!

We specifically chose our home town because of all it has to offer for children and families.

We reside in a tight-knit university-town. Our house is a vintage ranch-style home, with plenty of floor-to-ceiling windows and a backyard with grass, multiple citrus trees and a kid's play structure.

Though we live on a relatively quiet street, we are very close with our neighbors, and consider them to be good family friends – in fact, a few have even accompanied Booker at school events!

We live walking distance from a major university, and are just a few blocks from downtown restaurants, shops and the Farmer's Market. There is always something going on around campus, such as sporting events and festivals, that we often bike or walk to on the weekends.

We are also walking distance from our local library, biking paths and playgrounds, which means that there is ample opportunity for kid-centric adventures just steps away from our house.

Lastly, because we live short drives from San Francisco and Tahoe, we make sure to take advantage of our proximity to both. We frequently visit family and friends in the Bay Area, and during ski season, we try and fit in as many family-ski days as we can!

Our entire family is very close! We talk on the phone and participate in Zoom calls with each other regularly, and we frequently get together for family holidays, camping trips, and hiking. The closeness of our extended family means that our son understands that he is loved and supported by his entire family.

Kurt's mother lives in Los Angeles, and his sister and brother-in-law live in Ventura. Kurt's father passed away in 2018, but our memories and love for him mean that he's never forgotten.

While Kristen's parents still live on the East Coast, her two siblings, and their families, live in Santa Barbara and the Bay Area respectively. Kristen's brother and his wife have two young boys, ages 6 and 10.

Kristen's sister and her wife have two girls – one is 13 months, and the other 12 years old. Both of these amazing kids were lovingly adopted and welcomed with open arms into the family. We feel so lucky to have supported Kristen’s sister and family during their adoption journey, and we are so blessed to be able to be a part of these kids’ lives now; and our son just can’t get enough of his older cousin Charlie!

All of the cousins – including our son – absolutely adore each other, and love chatting and hanging out together whenever possible. In fact, the extended family will be together very soon for a second annual family camping trip to Big Sur!

We recognize the adoption process, while difficult, comes from a place of love, and we are honored that you are considering us to be a part of the process along with you and your child. Adoption is special - it represents a confluence between love and necessity, and we recognize how significant a step this is for your child, for you, and for us. We want you to know how grateful we are that you are taking the time to learn a bit about us, and to learn about how excited we are about bringing another child into our family. We know that we, as parents, and Booker as a future-sibling, have more love to give, and would be honored to be able to share our love and our lives with another child.

We have wanted to adopt even before our son was born. As we accompanied and supported Kristen’s sister and her family during their own adoption journey, the experience cemented our desire to grow our immediate family, and embrace a new child, in the same way. Further, we think that because our extended family already includes two wonderful children who were adopted, that it offers a nice, built-in support network for any child who may be following a similar path to joining our family.

We are both committed, loving and playful parents. We are happiest when our son is happy!

Kurt is steadfast in his dedication as a father, and is always up to play an imaginary game of superheroes with Booker or coach his t-ball team. Kristen is always thinking of her family - planning family trips, coming up with fun activities at home, and coordinating all of our busy schedules to ensure that each member of the family gets the time they need, as both individuals and family members, to be happy and healthy. Together we work very well as a team, being effective communicators together, working toward what is best for our child. We love the joys and challenges of being parents and can not wait for another child to enter our lives.

Please know that any child who enters this family will be loved unconditionally for who they are - and that they will be supported to become whoever they set out to be. We will provide a safe foundation while encouraging their curiosities and nurturing their interests.

We value the whole child and will forever strive to provide them with opportunities - physical, mental and emotional. We also recognize that parenting is equal parts teacher and learner. We are looking forward to supporting our kids, and excited to learn all they have to teach us about life and love.

We also strongly believe it is important for a child to know their whole story, including the stories of their birth and their first family. So rest assured that we are open to communications after adoption including the sharing of photos, letters, emails and potential visits.

Kurt & Kristen