Hello from California. We’re Bud and Leema, and Brishti too! We cannot express our joy of becoming adoptive parents in words.

We have been together for almost 24 years and always dreamed of adopting a child, even before we struggled with infertility. Two years ago, we adopted our daughter Brishti. We cried like babies when we first saw our daughter. We still tear up thinking about the day. We are eternally grateful to Brishti’s birth parents for giving us the biggest gift of our life. Since becoming parents, we’ve realized that we have so much more love to share. Therefore, we want to grow our family and you are helping us fulfill our dream of raising two siblings together. We are humbled to see the strength and courage that you have to take this step. We are eagerly waiting to meet you and our child!

Our story began 24 years ago and eight thousand miles away. We first met on a train in 1997 in India- we were both teenagers. The next part will sound like the plot of a cheesy rom-com, but this really happened! In 1998, Bud rescued Leema from a guy who was stalking and harassing her on the street. That really sealed the deal for Bud! We began dating the following year and have been together since. We tied the knot in 2005, the year Bud moved to the US to pursue his Ph.D. Leema joined him a year later. We live in sunny California surrounded by beautiful beaches and mountains. Bud works as an environmental scientist/consultant for a large corporation. Leema works as a phlebotomist at an Air Force Base hospital. Both of our jobs provide great work-life balance.

I had an ordinary life, growing up in a modest household in India, until I met Leema and fell head over heels in love. I wanted to become a better person for her. So, I excelled in my education and came to the US to get a PhD in Chemistry. Today, I work as a scientist/consultant in a large corporation to improve air quality. If you like the air you breathe, you can thank me!

I have too much energy for my own good and I cannot sit idle. I do serious photography, I play the guitar, I am a voracious reader, I write short stories, I am a certified scuba diver, I grow vegetables in my garden, and I love whitewater rafting. Since becoming a father in 2020, I don’t find much time for my hobbies, however I dream of doing these activities with our daughter, Brishti, and our future child as they grow up. I cannot wait to teach our children how to kayak, how to compose a photo, and how to do a killer solo on guitar! We’re on our way to make the best garage band in Northern California!

Bud has been my best friend for the last twenty-four years and I cannot imagine a life without him. He has a great sense of humor and can always make me laugh. He is also a thoughtful and sensitive person who writes short stories in his spare time and tears up from watching heartwarming movies like UP.

What makes Bud truly unique is his devotion as a father. The level of commitment Bud has towards our daughter and our family in general is truly rare among most parents. Bud used to have many hobbies. However, he has put most of his hobbies on hold since becoming a father and instead has turned into the most loving, caring, and energetic dad ever. I am glad that I found someone who makes me and my daughter feel the best, happiest, and safest. I know that Bud will do the same for our future child- he will always be there for us.

I am an eternal optimist who always looks at the bright side. I grew up in India in a very loving and supportive family with my parents and my little brother. I moved to the US with Bud. I went to college to study Medical Lab Technology and I work at a government hospital. Going back to school after a break was difficult, but I’m glad I did not give up on my career.

My mother always taught me to be kind and humble. My perfectionist husband always influences me to get better at everything. My daughter has taught me how to love unconditionally. I am eternally grateful to have my daughter, my husband, and my extended family by my side. We are planning on adopting another child. This will fulfill my dream of having a family of 4.

Leema’s loving nature and her devotion to her family makes her unique. Leema is one of those few people who never holds a grudge against anybody and never wishes ill on people. She can let go of any negative feeling and be friends with people very easily. While she cares for most people she knows, she is especially devoted to her family and is a devoted mom. She consults with our pediatrician, reads articles and books, and always tries to educate herself about how to raise a good human.

Leema is a great cook. She can cook delicious dishes from any cuisine ranging from Italian almond biscotti to Indian chicken biriyani to American pumpkin roll. I personally blame her cooking for never having a six-pack! She has a great singing voice and is trained in Indian classical music. Last but not the least, she has been my best friend for about 25 years!

We adopted our daughter, Brishti in 2020. She is 50% Hispanic, 25% Black, 25% White, and 100% awesome!

Raising our daughter has been the greatest joy and the biggest adventure of our lives. Brishti can’t wait to become a big sister!

Both of our families live in India. Given the long travel time, we cannot visit India as often as we’d like. However, we visit India every other year. Bud has a large family in India and his family get-togethers routinely have over 50 people. What Leema’s family lacks in numbers, makes up for in their energy! We get overwhelmed by love every time we visit India.

Our friends in the US are our other family. Perhaps because both of us value our relationships with our loved ones, we are fortunate to have a number of close friends. With our friends, we do cookouts, vacation in remote cabins, explore restaurants, go to stand-up comedy shows, host movie nights, and above all, spend hours together hanging out.

When we adopted our daughter last year, everybody from our relatives, friends, neighbors, to colleagues and acquaintances rallied behind us. People couldn’t have been more wonderful, supportive, and caring! We have received more love, support, and acts of kindness than we could mention in this limited space. We feel so lucky that our daughter is so loved by everyone. We feel grateful to realize that our next child will also get so much love from so many people. We wouldn’t trade our friends and families for anything!

We live in a quiet neighborhood in a small city in Northern California. The city is close to several large cities, yet far enough away that it feels like living in the country. It is not uncommon to encounter deer on trails, find rabbits eating vegetables from our garden, or have hummingbirds visit our flower beds! We live in a single-family home with four bedrooms and a backyard. We spend a lot of time in the yard with our daughter Brishti who loves playing there. Brishti also loves to eat apples and oranges from the fruit trees!

Our small subdivision neighborhood is great for raising kids. We have very friendly neighbors who look out for each other. Most of our neighbors are working professionals with kids of all ages. We have a large community park next to our neighborhood. We live in a great school district and both the elementary and the middle school are within walking distance from our house.

We cannot thank you enough for giving us this gift of life. We always wanted to have a family of four and we will try our best to give your child a beautiful life.