Welcome to our lives. We are thrilled to give you a glimpse into the life we have built together for the past 10 years. We have established successful careers, rescued our two dogs, Truman and Shelby, and built a beautiful home in a family-friendly suburb of Los Angeles. We would love to take the next step of bringing a child into our lives. Providing a healthy, happy home is our commitment to you and your child as we begin this journey with you.

We met through mutual friends at a night club in Las Vegas in 2010. Since what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, there isn’t much else to say except that Travis took the next step and asked J.R. out on a date. The relationship took off, and six months later, we moved into our first apartment together. That is when we rescued our dog Shelby. Our relationship continued to grow, and soon we upgraded to a condo in West Hollywood, and that is when our dog Truman came into our lives. Before we knew it, we bought our first house in the town where Travis grew up. Meanwhile, we traveled to Europe for vacation and J.R. proposed to Travis at the top of the Eiffel Tower. We married in 2017 in Malibu, CA, and couldn’t be happier! The adventures and challenges we have faced as a couple will provide experience and confidence to take on growing a family together.

One of my favorite things about J.R. is the focus and dedication he brings to everything he does. At work, he frequently takes on different rotations that push him out of his comfort zone. When we travel, no experience is out of the question, whether it’s climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge or ziplining through the Alaska wilderness. Our regular trips to the Hollywood Bowl have given me an appreciation for classical music that I would have otherwise overlooked. He even likes to cook and is always working to perfect the recipes he whips up for us night after night. He brings this same level of love and devotion to his family, which includes our two pups. It is because of these wonderful qualities that he will be an amazing father. His drive to learn, to better himself, and to experience new things, are some of the best qualities he will instill in our future child.

I grew up in a small city in Texas, and I was a quiet kid who kept to himself. While at the time I wished I was more sociable, I realize now it was a blessing because I had a small, close-knit group of friends and I focused on school. We didn’t have money for family vacations, and I think that helped me push myself to thrive in school. I always wanted a job that would allow me to see the world. That happened in 2009 when I moved to Los Angeles for my current job in the pharmaceutical industry. Within the first few years, work sent me to the UK, Canada, India, Australia, China and South America. It was a dream come true!

Music was a big part of my life in school. I excelled at playing French horn and joined the local symphony orchestra in high school. I placed at or near the top in regional and state competitions every year, and summers involved various band and orchestra camps. Being in the marching band, Fridays were busy following the high school football team around, and I learned valuable leadership skills when I was drum major from 10th to 12th grade. Although I don’t play anymore, Travis and I enjoy going to Los Angeles Philharmonic concerts at the Hollywood Bowl every summer.

I like to try different activities. A few years ago, I started playing in a dodgeball league (yes that dreaded game from elementary school!). It’s a great way to meet people, get some exercise and take out stress. Also, I recently took acting classes offered through the city’s recreation programs. I don’t intend on becoming the next George Clooney, but who knows?

Travis keeps calm and maintains a level head no matter the situation. He’s very nostalgic and knowledgeable about his family and ancestry. He loves sharing with his family what he’s learned from family research. Reading is Travis’ favorite activity, and I’m impressed with how quickly he can get through a book. It’s cute how he giggles every now and again because he read something funny.

Travis is the most supportive and patient person. He gives me freedom to try different things. For a while, I was interested in taking acting classes but was scared to sign up. He gave me the courage to sign up, helped me with my lines, and we had fun exploring different ways to perform. There are times at work when I have challenges or have to make big decisions. He gives me valuable advice, and I always feel much better making these decisions after talking to him.

I was born in Los Angeles, California, but grew up just north of the city, where J.R. and I live today. I was a shy but inquisitive kid. If I was interested in something, I was poking around in books and magazines, or just making it up!

From early on I had an interest in the entertainment industry, and after a few years in retail I transitioned to working on film and TV sets. That experience led me to NBCUniversal, where I worked for 17 years. It was a rare occasion that I didn’t see a celebrity wandering the halls!

Now, I am focusing all my time and energy on becoming the best father I can be. In addition, I try to stay as healthy and active as possible. Several days a week you will find me taking a yoga class at our company gym, and on weekends, I enjoy long walks with the dogs. During my downtime, I’m almost never far away from a good book. I also love to spend time with my niece and nephew, who live only minutes away. Additionally, travel will always be an important part of my life. There are countless places that are just waiting for me and my family to visit.

Both Truman and Shelby are rescue pups. They love to bask in the sun in the backyard, sit on the couch with us when we watch movies, and visit “Pops and Nana” (Travis’ dad and stepmom). When we tell them that we’re going to visit Pops and Nana, they jump around and get excited before we’ve even left the house. They’re a constant source of laughter. When Travis’ nephew visits, he and Truman play together the entire time. We know they’ll love having a new playmate join the family.

We live in Santa Clarita, CA, which is a suburban city just north of Los Angeles. Many of the LA region’s police officers and firefighters live here, and it’s been deemed one of the safest cities in California. Travis’ parents actually brought him and his brother here when they were very young because of the highly-rated schools. We had the fortunate opportunity to build our dream home in a new community. The house has plenty of space, and one of our favorite hangout spots is the California Room, which is a cozy enclosed outdoor living space. Our backyard has plenty of room for a little one to play around. Our home sits on a quiet cul-de-sac of a neighborhood filled with kids, and there is a park and pool within walking distance, which is perfect for families. Hiking and biking trails are also close by, and our central location makes trips to the beach or the mountains a fun, family outing. Even Six Flags Magic Mountain is only 15 minutes away!

Travis’ family
I am very fortunate to have my family close by. My mom, my brother, and his family live just minutes away, making it very easy to spend quality time with my niece and nephew. My dad and stepmom are 30 minutes away, and their house is our dogs’ favorite playground. I even have a couple of cousins that I regularly spend time with. I took an early interest in our family’s genealogy and have traced my ancestors back to the 1400’s. I have become the de facto record keeper for our family and can’t wait to add another leaf to the family tree! Both of my parents grew up in Los Angeles, and I am actually 4th generation Angeleno, which is a rarity around here. My stepmom comes from the Gulf Coast, which is where we would spend our summer vacations. Those trips to the beach sparked my passion for travel and exploring other cultures. I can’t wait to provide our future child with that opportunity as well.

J.R.’s family
I come from a large, diverse family. Both of my parents have 4 siblings, and all of them have 2-3 children with the exception of one uncle. I am 50% Mexican and 50% European which, to me, has been a blessing. It’s allowed me to experience different cultures. My mom’s family (the Mexican side) lives in Texas where I grew up. My dad’s family lives mostly in Ohio with some in Texas and Minnesota. Since we all lived in the same town, most of my childhood was spent around my mom’s family. I never became fluent in Spanish, but I would love to raise our child to be multilingual. Now that I have the means to travel, I want our future child to meet all sides of the family. I have one sibling – my sister, Malisa – who is 8 years younger than me. Summers were spent babysitting her while our parents worked. I mastered the art of Mickey Mouse-shaped pancakes, which is a skill I can’t wait to share with our future child. Both sides of the family are going to be very excited to meet their new family member, especially my mom who periodically makes comments that she’s afraid she’ll never be a grandmother. Now it’s going to happen.

We have a core group of friends that we talk to on a daily basis. While one of them lives out of state, texting and FaceTime make it easy to stay connected. Our favorite activities include exploring new restaurants, taking trips to the beach or entertaining at our home. We’ve recently met a local couple who just went through the adoption process and we are excited to raise our future child alongside theirs.

With this tour of our lives, we hope that you will want to continue your journey with us. We can’t wait to learn more about you and share more of what we can offer your child. Our commitment to providing the most enriching and fulfilling home for your child will be our greatest endeavor.