Hello! We are Conner and Lauren from Sacramento, California along with our son, Hugo. We are so grateful to you and look forward to getting to know the courageous person you are! We adopted Hugo in 2022 and know what a beautiful, meaningful decision it is to place your child for adoption and how brave it is to even begin this journey to learn more about us. We hope after learning more about our family, you will understand how much we will love your child and strive to give them every opportunity they deserve. We’ve built a home full of love together and are thrilled to share it with another little one!

we have so much more love to give. We were so lucky to have been selected by Hugo’s birth parents and have loved every single day of pouring our love into him (yes, even the challenging days!). But we have much more to give to another child and know from experience that adoption is the best path for us to grow our family.

We were just friends in college until Conner finally realized one night that Lauren was the perfect girl for him and asked her out. Lauren then...declined, worried it might create too much drama among our friends. But a few weeks later she luckily got over her fears and admitted that she did want to be more than friends. Since that day over 17 years ago, we’ve been an inseparable duo. We’ve had so many life experiences together, good and bad: living in 6 different cities, traveling to South America and Europe, losing family members and friends, trying to get pregnant, and now raising a child. Through it all, we’ve relied on each other for support. We are truly each other’s best friends and our favorite activities are the ones we do together.

I was born in Berkeley, California but lived in Paris, France, Simi Valley, California, and Park City, Utah as a kid with my older brother and younger sister. My diverse hometowns have led to a diversity of interests. From outdoor activities (I’m an avid skier and decent surfer) to good food (anything spicy), I will always try something at least once. I studied engineering in college but my first job was working on a political campaign. The exposure to legal concepts on the campaign trail pushed me to go to law school. I am now a lawyer for a judge, helping him make important legal decisions. It is really rewarding work as I have a direct impact on the outcome of cases and policies. I also love that I can work from home whenever I want, which will allow me plenty of time to raise Hugo and our future child. I always knew I wanted to be a parent as I’ve always loved kids. Being an uncle to my nephews and niece and now being Hugo’s dad, I know this was what I was meant to be, and I’m so excited at the potential of adopting again!

I love Conner for many reasons, but his generous spirit is where he shines. He truly enjoys being of service to others. Whether it’s bringing me my morning cup of coffee in bed, stopping what he’s doing to play hide-and-seek with Hugo, volunteering at our local YMCA, or checking in with friends, he is always looking for ways to share and connect. He helps keep me grounded and is always there whether I need a hug or a big laugh. He is also a goofball and loves to be active. These two loves combine when he’s entertaining Hugo and our niece and nephews. He’s usually the first to help them catch bugs, jump in the pool, or build a blanket fort.

I grew up in Rocklin, California with my younger sister. We spent A LOT of time in our backyard, riding bikes with our neighborhood friends, helping my dad in the garden, and swimming in our pool. Summers were also spent playing tennis and taking annual family camping trips to National Parks all over California. My dad still lives in the house we grew up in and now Hugo and I get to jump in that pool during hot Sacramento summers. I lived in Rocklin until I went away to college. I graduated early with a degree in Political Science, but I pivoted from politics to public affairs and communications. I worked for various nonprofits in Los Angeles and Sacramento for about 10 years and I currently manage the membership department for a nonprofit that focuses on compliance in the auto industry. I can’t wait to take a walk to our local park & watch our child play with Hugo, help them get their first library card, teach them to cook with the veggies from our garden, and snuggle while reading their favorite books in bed.

Lauren is simply the best human being I know. Every day I am in awe of her love, patience, and generosity towards everyone. From when I bring her coffee in the morning to when we cuddle on the couch at night, I love spending every second I can with her. She is also, not surprisingly, an incredible mother to Hugo - supplying endless love and patience as she reads him books, cooks him meals, and helps him grow into an amazing child. There is no question in my mind that she will have a tender heart and an infinite supply of patience and love for another child.

Our hobbies have changed a lot since having Hugo. We have always loved traveling, going to concerts, and eating delicious food. We still do all of these things, but now our main hobbies are discovering new parks and playgrounds, going to the zoo, and finding new books for Hugo at the library. We love being parents and wouldn’t change it for the world. We also love sharing our hobbies with Hugo. Conner is a big baseball fan and loves taking Hugo to baseball games, which is much easier now that the Athletics play in Sacramento! And Lauren is teaching Hugo how to cook - he loves stirring pasta and opening/closing the microwave. We both also love reading and Hugo has caught the reading bug - he may have the most books checked out from the library for any 3 year old!

We adopted Hugo, who was born in Florida in October 2022. He loves anything to do with farm animals (books, puzzles etc.) and also loves swimming, singing (Old McDonald is his favorite), visiting his grandparents, finger painting, and playing with trains. He is so good with younger kids, especially at his daycare. He loves to read them stories, play hide and seek, and show them what new stick he’s found. We can’t wait for him to become a big brother!

We live in Sacramento, California. It’s diverse, vibrant, and perfectly located between San Francisco & Lake Tahoe. Our neighborhood, East Sacramento, has big shady trees, lots of parks, and some of the best schools in the city. It’s close to downtown, where there are great restaurants, concerts, and the Sacramento Kings arena. Our three-bedroom home has a garden we love. Lauren grows tons of tomatoes each year, Conner likes to plant spicy peppers, and Hugo’s favorite is the raspberries. In the summer, we cook meals from our garden and share extras with friends and neighbors. We also live a couple blocks from a neighborhood park, where there is a playground that is always filled with neighborhood kids, and is one of Hugo’s favorite spots. On weekends, you’ll usually find us at the zoo or Fairytale Town (a kid-friendly park featuring a storybook theme, petting zoo, and gardens), where we’re members.

We have two cats - both were rescued when we lived in Santa Monica, California. Luna, the gray one, is the sweetest little fluff ball and Leo, the orange one, always wants to play. They are very friendly and are always interested in new people; anyone with a treat is their favorite. The cats were so patient with Hugo as he was learning “gentle hands” and petting Leo is one of the first things Hugo wants to do when he wakes up.

All of Lauren’s family lives nearby. She’s very close to her younger sister, Kimmy, who lives with her husband, Leard, and their son, Niko (5 years old) and Andi (2 years old), just 30 minutes away. We regularly take weekend trips with them to the mountains or beach. Lauren’s mom, Cindy, and her husband, Rich, live only a mile away and love to have all of the grandkids over to play on the slide and the swings they set up for them. Lauren’s dad, Joel, is also 30 minutes away and loves to host BBQs in the same backyard Lauren grew up in.

Most of Conner’s family is also close by. His brother, Tyler, and his wife, Marisa, and two kids, Sebastian (9 years old) and Ayla (7 years old), live just over an hour away and regularly visit to let the kids play and crawl all over Conner. Conner’s mom, Jody, and her husband, Scott, live in San Francisco, and we regularly make day-trips to the city to catch a concert, sports game, or grab dinner. Conner’s sister, Tessa, lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Michael, and they make the drive up North nearly every month. Only Conner’s dad, Dan, and his wife, Angie (also known as “Dangie”), live outside of California in Waco, Texas but we’re still able to see them often, and make the trip out to Texas every other year.

Parenting is the hardest and best thing we’ve ever done. We know we can’t promise perfection, but we can promise a home filled with love; to guide your child through life with care and compassion; to show them—through our words and actions—that they are worthy of belonging, joy, and love. We will nurture their passions, spark their curiosity, and instill a lifelong love of learning. And we will always be open and honest about their journey to our home, and how deeply they are loved by everyone who has been part of it.

You are simply amazing. Thank you for taking the time to get to know us a little. Having gone through this journey once before with someone in your shoes we have some understanding of the bravery and courage it takes to consider adoption. Please know that we would always want your child to know about the love you had for them, and the impact you have on their life will always be present.

We truly hope we get the opportunity to meet you!