Hi! We are Brie, Micah and James from Los Angeles, California. From the bottom of hearts, thank you for considering us. Adoption begins with you and is an act of tremendous courage and love. We hope, through these pages, that you get a sense of who we are, the life we hope to share with your child, and the respect we have for you and the choice you are making.
We met at a cupcake tasting. The tall, dark, and tattooed SoCal boy and the short(er), clean cut, Florida girl. Our first date was fireworks at Disneyland with our first kiss in front of the Lego Beauty and the Beast. We are the yin to each other’s yang but we both grew up on the beach, love classic rock, and enjoy a competitive game of air hockey. Micah’s mom’s first job was as a teenager at Dodger Stadium and Brie sold peanuts and soda at Wrigley Field, so we have no excuse to miss a game. 10 years in, there is no place we’d rather be than with each other and our family.
Just as our first meeting was a surprise, our journey to building our family has been full of the unexpected. We were fortunate to have our son with IVF. Since then, while we’ve had loss, we haven’t given up hope. We feel deeply that our family is not complete. We also know love runs deeper than blood. We see adoption as the beautiful joining of lives and are excited to discover the connection that brings us together, with respect for the love and story that it begins with.
We are the family that decorates our house for holidays throughout the year, because we want our home to feel like a celebration where we create memories daily. Homemade decorations are the favorites and we have cookie cutter shapes for every occasion. Our home combines our cultures - Micah bringing the Mexican, Native American, and Scottish and Brie bringing the knowledge of good East Coast pickles. We are teaching our son to lead with kindness, curiosity, and gratitude and that is how we ourselves approach the world. Every Friday night is family dinner, when we shut off phones and enjoy time hearing about our week. Weekends are full of friends with kids, taking the little to their classes, and having adventures. New adventures have included a train ride down the coast, mini-golf, and a Monster Truck rally. Bedtime with James includes reading books and a dance party when there is extra energy we need to get out.
Through big adventures like trips to Scotland and Morocco, to at home sing a longs and game nights, we always find something to celebrate and something new to be experienced.
Brie has been my nickname since birth; my full name is Gabrielle. If we ran into each other on the street, its pretty much a guarantee I’d be smiling. I’m a driven, happy person who believes in the power of the universe and that bad days get better with Rocky Road ice cream and good music. Blame my Florida roots, but I love the Miami Heat and bright colors. While I love 90’s rock, its musicals or power pop I’ll belt in the car. By day, I’m an entertainment executive who has made both TV and movies. I’ve been producing shows since I rounded up the neighbors to put on plays as a kid. This year, Micah and I got to go to the Emmys! Nothing makes me happier than family and we love seeing the world through each others’ eyes. A typical weekend is taking James to the park, theatre, or to play with his friends. We want nothing more than to share that love and these adventures with another child.
My initial reaction when meeting Brie was...oh, this woman is WAY out of my league. Brie is incredible. We can’t go anywhere without bumping into someone that she knows, a friend, a work colleague, a former coworker. She is a business professional and she’s a planner. A confident go-getter, she does not have an ‘off’ button. She inspires me to continue growing to achieve more out of life. At the same time, she is hilarious and loves to let her hair down. She dances with or without music, whether or not anyone else is paying attention. She adores Billy Joel and loves all things Florida, New York, and Chicago. Brie is a dedicated mom. Her life’s calling is to be a mother and she is amazing with James, his cousins, and all of James’s friends. She is also the voice of reason that can get our son’s attention when it’s time to calm down or when he needs help reasoning through something.
I was named after the sheriff from the 50s TV show ‘The Rifleman.’ My parents later admitted they chose it initially because it sounded cool. I love to play the guitar and have a deep appreciation of the Beatles. I spent nearly twenty years in the restaurant industry which taught me how to move fast and keep calm when things get chaotic. For the past eight years, I’ve been managing an emergency home restoration franchise and the focus is helping families rebuild after unexpected household disasters - essentially stepping in to help out when life throws someone a curveball. I recently completed my Bachelor’s degree which was a huge item off my bucket list, and it also made me realize how much more there is to learn! I absolutely love being a dad and being able to take James on adventures is the bright spot of my day.
Micah is the king of dad jokes, which was true even before he became a father (back then he’d say he was a fauxpas). I have never met someone kinder or who makes me laugh louder. People open up to Micah so quickly after meeting him - he projects love and strength. Micah is also an inspiration. He went back to college as an adult and got his degree over nights and weekends while working full time. Anyone who knows us says Micah calms me down. I am go go go all the time and Micah holds my hand to get me to stop and smell the flowers. He truly has opened up my life. Most importantly here, Micah is an incredible father. Micah is patient and kind and funny with kids. Our son IDOLIZES him and I can see why.
Our priority with James is letting him be himself. James is a joy. At 5, he loves fort building (his current fort is named Harrison Fort), drawing pictures for his friends, growing his kumquat trees, and has started playing piano. We asked him if he were open to having a sibling and his response was “Are you kidding? Of course!”
Our family is in Los Angeles, “The Valley” to be exact. Our home sits on a suburban street full of young children who love playing together, especially on the climbing dome in our front yard and learning to swim in the pool in our backyard. Our favorite front yard tree gives us the best leaves to jump in come fall. The best parts of our home are the ones shaped by our own hands—from the table Micah built, to the art wall filled with James’s creations, to the “prepared for every occasion” bits and bobs Brie has stored. When we’re ready for an adventure, we can be at the beach or in the mountains within an hour!
We are so lucky to love and actually like our families. Micah’s parents are local to us so our child(ren) get plenty of grandparent time. His brother just got engaged in New Zealand so a trip across the world might be in order. Brie’s parents are in Florida so we get East Coast trips too! Cousins live in Kansas and New York which means plenty of zooms. We always spend Christmas Eve with Micah’s family and then fly to Florida for time in the sun over New Years. Brie has one very close cousin in Los Angeles and James LOVES spending time with cousin Lindsay. Our Los Angeles village community is extremely close so no one is lonely and includes families formed in so many ways – from the traditional, to surrogacy, to adoption, and more.
We spent a lot of time working out the phrasing on our Ketubbah (marriage contract) and have it hanging in our living room. Micah reads it almost every day and the one line that stands out is “May you live each day as though it is your first, last, and only day with each other.” That sums up our philosophy with life. Every day is important and is meant to be cherished, learned from, and appreciated. We promise to give this precious child every opportunity that we are able to for them to be able to live out their true potential.
Thank you! We understand this decision is not a small one, and neither are any of the emotions that come with it. Your strength and love are already apparent. If you think we might be the right family for your child’s future, we would be deeply honored to hear from you and promise to be an open book. This is not committing to anything; it simply means allowing yourself the option to learn more, to ask questions, and to be met with care and understanding. Our commitment, should you choose to contact us, is to be present with open hearts, deep respect, and gratitude for the trust this conversation represents. If you’re imagining a future for your child filled with laughter, curiosity, meaning, and parents who will always show up, we hope you’ll consider reaching out to us.
