Hello! We are Julia & Chris from Winters, California along with our daughter, Gemma. We are so grateful that you’re taking the time to learn about us. We can’t begin to imagine the emotions you are experiencing, but we admire your strength, love, and courage in considering adoption. Our home is filled with love, laughter, and adventure, and we are so excited to grow our family through adoption. We can’t wait to share our lives and unconditional love with your child. Whether it’s cozy movie nights or exploring new places, we are ready to create a warm and supportive home where our child can thrive. Thank you for getting to know us—we hope this gives you a glimpse into our lives and the love we have to give!

Adoption has always been close to our hearts. For as long as we can remember, we’ve dreamed of opening our home and our lives to a child—of creating a family not just through biology, but through love, intention, and commitment. We are incredibly grateful to be on this path and excited for the possibility of growing our family in this way. Our home is filled with laughter, love, and a deep sense of support, and we cannot wait to share all of that with a child. We’re looking forward to the everyday joys and big adventures ahead, and to the privilege of becoming parents through adoption.

Our love story began in college, brought together by close friends. We first confessed our love under the stars by the river during raft guide school, a moment that reinforced our passion for living life to the fullest. Adventure has always been a big part of our lives. During college summers, we worked as outdoor guides in Alaska, leading river rafting, glacier hikes, and ice-climbing trips. After nine years of exploring together, we married in 2017 and welcomed our daughter, Gemma, in 2019. These days, we love family time—gardening, home projects, camping, skiing, and countless trips to local parks. Watching Gemma grow has been our greatest joy, and we can’t wait to share our love, laughter, and adventures with another child!

We love anything outdoors—hiking, rock climbing, fishing, swimming, camping, boating, and skiing. Exploring nature is a big part of our lives, and we look forward to sharing those experiences with our future child. At home, we enjoy gardening, working on home projects, and getting creative with art. Music is always playing in our house, and we love listening to audiobooks and podcasts. One of our favorite ways to spend the day is taking trips to the beach, where we collect seashells and interesting rocks as little keepsakes. Whether we’re off on an adventure or relaxing at home, we cherish making memories together and can’t wait to include our future child in all the things we love!

I love being a stay-at-home mom to Gemma and can’t wait to do it again! I’ve always loved adventure, learning, and creating a warm and welcoming home. Before becoming a full-time mom, I worked as a civil engineer for seven years, designing water treatment and irrigation systems. While I loved my work, my greatest joy now is spending time with my daughter—driving her to school, park days, dance, and music lessons. My love for the water runs deep—I swam competitively in high school and started guiding river rafting trips at 15, continuing for nine years. Now, I channel that love into summers filled with camping and exploring new places as a family. I also enjoy planning gatherings, cooking for loved ones, and making our home a cozy, inviting space. In my free time, I love playing the banjo, reading, gardening, swimming and walking our dogs, Luna and Apollo. I can’t wait to share life’s experiences and simple joys with another child.

Julia is one of the most patient, caring, and loving people I’ve ever met. She has this natural way of making everyone feel safe and supported, whether we’re feeling sick or just having a rough day. She’s always there with kindness and encouragement, making our home feel warm and welcoming. She’s also an incredible chef, and I love watching her teach our daughter how to help out in the kitchen. She has this natural way of making everyone feel safe and supported, whether we’re feeling sick or just having a rough day. She’s always there with kindness and encouragement, making our home feel warm and welcoming. She’s also an incredible chef, and I love watching her teach our daughter how to help out in the kitchen.

I’ve always been happiest when I’m outside and moving. Whether it’s hunting, fishing, dirt biking, rock climbing, or camping, I find joy in just about every outdoor adventure you can imagine. Nature feels like home to me, and I love the challenge and peace it offers. For my career, I grow wine grapes. I’ve been with the same company for 12 years now, working as a Vineyard Specialist. My job keeps me on my toes, constantly learning and improving. From working hands-on with tractors in the field to implementing new technologies in the office, it’s a perfect mix of the practical and the innovative. I enjoy the problem-solving, creativity, and dedication it takes to keep things running smoothly. Some of my favorite childhood memories are of working alongside my dad and learning new skills. I can’t wait to pass those same lessons down, teaching our child how to tackle challenges, explore the world, and build their own confidence. I’m excited to create a life full of adventure, discovery, and laughter as a family.

Gemma is a sweet, spunky, and active kiddo who loves gymnastics, dance, and piano. She’s always on the move and enjoys playing with our dogs in the backyard. She can’t wait to be a big sister! She often talks about going bike riding with her baby sibling and reading them bedtime stories. Her excitement is contagious, and we know she will be a loving and fun big sister!

We live in the beautiful small town in California, on 40 acres of open space, perfect for playing and exploring. Our home is a cozy three-bedroom ranch with a big backyard, a pool, and a pond where we love taking the canoe out. One of our favorite things about our town is the strong sense of community—everyone is welcoming and kind. The town is full of fun traditions and seasonal festivals. In winter, we bundle up for the annual tractor parade, and in fall, we enjoy the harvest festival and farmers’ markets. Every 4th of July, the town gathers at the high school field for a picnic and fireworks. We also love spending time at the local park, which has an amazing zip line that kids adore! The schools in our district are fantastic, and we’re excited for our future child to grow up in such a supportive, vibrant community. Whether we’re exploring the outdoors, enjoying small-town traditions, or making memories at home, we can’t wait to share this special place!

We just love our pets! Our two dogs, Luna and Apollo, are a big part of our family. They are playful, loving, and always up for an adventure. We spend lots of time walking them, exploring trails, and playing in the backyard. We also have seven fish that add life and color to our home. Gemma loves helping feed them, and watching them swim is so calming. Our pets bring so much joy, and we can’t wait for our future child to grow up surrounded by their love!

We can't wait to welcome a child into this amazing circle of love and support! Holidays are always spent together, filled with laughter, good food, and family traditions. We celebrate Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter as a family, creating memories our children will cherish. We also visit Chris’s parents in Hawaii almost every year, soaking up the sunshine and beach time. One of our biggest adventures was traveling as a family to London and Scotland! Family and friends are a huge part of our lives, and we love spending time together. Every summer, we take a camping trip to June Lake, where we swim, hike, paddleboard, and, most importantly, cook outside and enjoy each other’s company. In the winter, we head to Lake Tahoe for skiing and playing in the snow. Also, every year Chris’s side of the family goes on a family retreat at a new location to be explored together.

Whatever path you choose, we wish you peace, love, and clarity in your decision. Thank you for taking the time to learn about our family. We can only imagine the emotions you are experiencing, and we admire your strength and love in considering adoption. If you choose us, we promise to provide your child with a home filled with love, laughter, and endless support. We will raise them with strong family values, encourage their dreams, and teach them to live life to the fullest. They will always know how deeply they are loved, not just by us but by you as well. No matter what, we want you to feel supported in your journey.

With love and gratitude,

Julia, Chris, and Gemma