We are Liz & Danny from sunny Los Angeles, California! We know that you love your baby deeply, and that’s why you are considering adoption. Thank you for allowing us to introduce ourselves. We and our two daughters, Evie and Mona, would be so excited to welcome your baby to our big, fun, loud, wonderful, mixed-race family!
Dear Birth Mother...
Things That Make Us Happy
Danny
- Board Games
- Donuts
- Going to live theater
- College Football
- Celebrating birthdays
- Dance parties with the kids
Liz
- Hiking
- Disneyland Churros
- Family Road Trips
- Cooking
- Reading with the kids
- Wetzels Pretzels
Why Adoption?
Both of us have always dreamed of being parents: we feel it is our calling. We were unable to conceive naturally but have been blessed with the opportunity to foster five children over the years (so we’re pros at newborn babies). Our current foster daughters, Mona and Evie, are on the path to becoming a permanent part of our family—we can’t wait to make it official! We have the best girls in the world who would make the perfect big sisters. We’re turning to adoption now because it allows us to grow our family while protecting our children from the uncertainty that comes with fostering. Adoption also gives us the opportunity to work with you to make the best plan for your child.
We have room in our hearts for another child and we’re ready to love and cherish them.
Our Love Story
In 2015, Danny was at a concert at an Irish pub with his friends, and Liz walked through the door. Danny had a time-stands-still moment and literally said aloud, “That’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” And when he got up the courage to meet her that night, her personality was just as entrancing—it’s not every day that you meet a beautiful girl who loves football and Jesus and can quote The Lord of the Rings unprompted!
The only problem was... Liz wasn’t interested. So Danny settled for friendship. And after a nudge from the big Man upstairs, Danny finally got the courage to take Liz to dinner. The date was a big hit (despite a half-hour search to find Danny’s car when he forgot where he had parked), because ten months later we were married! It may seem fast, but after seven years we’re still going strong.
Meet Liz, by Danny
Liz is the youngest of six kids from an immigrant family (her parents are from Iraq). As a kid, she got to work alongside her parents and siblings at the family corner store and deli. She loved “going to work” to make sandwiches for customers and stock shelves, making everyone’s day brighter with her big smile.
That cheerful hospitality stuck, and it’s one of the things I love most about my wife (and the big smile, too!). She’s got one of those friendly faces that even strangers want to talk to, which works out because she’s a great conversationalist.
Liz takes care of everything and everyone. She makes sure anyone who comes into out home is well-fed and cared for.
Liz Loves Being Active
- Played goalie in soccer through college
- Ran a marathon
- Loves ultimate frisbee
- Takes the girls on “explorer” walks around town
- Enjoys hiking and the great outdoors
More on Liz, by Liz
Growing up in San Diego, California, I spent my time outside of school playing soccer and being doted on as the “baby” of my big family.
I now work in marketing for an education non-profit. My hours are flexible, and I work from home, so I get a lot of time with our babies during the day. When they are really little, I carry them in a wrap for part of each day so that they have an endless supply of hugs and kisses. Sometimes they ask to get wrapped up even when they aren’t “really” little anymore!
Liz Enjoys...
- Snuggles
- Long walks
- Doing the dishes
- Superpower: Liz is a master at improvising while cooking; she never follows a recipe, and it’s somehow always delicious.
Liz as a Mama
In Danny’s words: “Liz is eternally generous, always giving of herself to put the kids first. She bakes the best banana bread muffins—both of our girls and all the cousins go crazy for them. And it all comes easily to her: she’s just a natural.
In Liz’s words: “By far, the best thing about being a mom is affirming our children and seeing them grow. There is nothing like seeing a child light up when you congratulate them on a job well done. Potty training last year was so full of celebrations that now every time I use the potty, Evie is quick to congratulate me! I love being a mother and can’t wait for all the ways I’ll get to celebrate a new child in our family.”
Meet Danny, by Liz
I always thought I’d end up with the quiet, boring type. Lucky for me, I married Danny, who is anything but boring.
He’s enthusiastic about everything he does, which makes life so full. He’s a big extrovert and is great at making others feel welcome. He’s also my rock. I can go to him with any problem and he’s quick to help me solve it.
Danny was meant to be a dad. He’s so good at giving our girls his total attention. He always comes up with games to play and takes them on adventures in the neighborhood. My favorite thing is how much he gets our girls to laugh! If you’re ever looking for him, just follow the sound of giggles and he’ll be there. It’s the perfect soundtrack to our lives.
Danny Loves Being Creative
- Toured the world with a singing group
- Was both the lead in his high school musical AND an offensive lineman on the football team
- Plays the piano & ukulele
- Studied ballroom dance, hip-hop, and ballet
- Wrote a personal lullaby for each of our children
More on Danny, by Danny
I grew up in Tucson, Arizona, the third of six kids in a very mixed family (part Black, part Mexican, part White). Outside of school, my days were spent playing outside and making movies with my brothers.
As an adult, I write for movies and TV—most recently, my brother and I sold a TV show to Dreamworks. But my dream was always to be a dad, and it has been even better than I hoped. I look forward to coming home after a full day of writing and having both girls run to the door to hug me with big smiles. In the evenings, I love playing Tickle Monster with them on the living room floor and reading books to them with funny character voices. On the weekends, we enjoy field trips to Disneyland and long walks to soak in the Los Angeles sun.
It’s been so fulfilling to watch our girls blossom as they grow up. I can’t wait to see them with another sibling.
Danny Enjoys...
- Escape rooms
- Hot Cheetos
- Good conversations
- Sunday donuts
- Superpower: Danny is an incredible listener—he makes you feel like you’re the only person in the world
List of Favorites!
Favorite Actor
Danny: Hugh Jackman
Liz: Denzel Washington
Favorite Hobby
Danny: Board games
Liz: Hiking
Favorite Food
Danny: Pepperoni & Jalapeno pizza
Liz: Under-baked cookies
Favorite Holiday
Danny: Christmas
Liz: 4th of July
Favorite Movie
Danny: Lord of the Rings
Liz: Miss Congeniality
Favorite Animal
Danny: Monkey
Liz: Horse
Favorite Vacation
Danny: Paris
Liz: Iceland
Favorite TV Show
Danny: Breaking Bad
Liz: The Office
Favorite Musician
Danny: Johnny Cash
Liz: Adele
Meet Mona and Evie
Mona (1.5) and Evie (3.5) light up our lives. Evie has been with us for two and a half years, and Mona since she was four months old. They are half-sisters, and we stay in touch with their birth mom.
Even at just one and a half, Mona has already become the family comedian. Her first word was “Dada’’, and for months, when we were trying to get her to say “Mama,” she would instead get this naughty grin, look directly at Liz, and say “Dada.” Then she would laugh and laugh at herself and do the whole thing over again.
Evie is a classic older sister: equal parts nurturing and bossy. She loves to pretend to be Mama, tucking in all her dolls (using the kitchen towels) and singing them lullabies. Her favorite game is playing School, where she’s the teacher and Mona and her cousins are the students. It’s the perfect game for her—she gets to take care of the other kids and be in charge.
Both girls are VERY excited about a younger sibling. In fact, Mona’s newest word that she learned is “baby!”
Favorite Part of the Day
- Liz: I love waking the girls up and making breakfast with them. Usually, Evie sits on the counter helping me crack eggs or stir the oatmeal while Mona… throws her food on the floor. We’re working on it.
- Danny: My favorite is putting the girls to bed—our bedtime routine starts with nighttime prayers, then we read a book, brush teeth, and finally we all snuggle together. I sing a lullaby (or four), while Evie pats Liz’s back. It’s so relaxing that it’s usually LIZ who’s the first one to fall asleep!
What It's Like to Be Part of the Family
We have weekly board game nights, monthly family meetings, yearly family vacations.
Birthdays are a big deal. We have a home-baked cake, banners, balloons, and an inflatable cupcake. We sing 3 versions of happy birthday!
Every Christmas we pick out a real tree as a family. We leave milk and cookies for Santa and sing Christmas carols around the piano for hours.
Home Sweet Home
Our home is in the heart of Los Angeles on a side street lined with huge sycamore trees. We know our neighbors, and we have playdates with the other kids on the street. We’re less than ten miles from the beach, ten minutes from Beverly Hills, and we drive past the Hollywood sign regularly. We’re within walking distance of three parks, each with its own playground. One of them even has a turtle pond!
The Duplex Dream
We are living what we call the “Duplex Dream.” We bought a large duplex with Danny’s brother, Uncle Timmy, and his wife, Auntie Hana: we live in the bottom unit, and they live upstairs! They have three young kids, and with our girls, all the cousins have become inseparable. With the support of family upstairs, our shared backyard, and double the number of playrooms, the Duplex Dream makes everything more special.
What's Important to Us?
Faith and family are the cornerstones of our life. We say grace before every meal and go to church every Sunday as a family. We want our children to know that God created them for a purpose and loves them exactly as they are. We don’t see our faith as a set of rules—it’s a relationship with God. He knows us personally and wants us to be happy.
Beyond our immediate family, we also make time for our extended family. Liz’s family is just a two-hour drive away in San Diego, and Danny’s parents live in Arizona, but the distance doesn’t stop either of our moms: both grandmas come up one weekend a month to spend time with the girls. Between our combined ten (!) siblings, we have a doctor, a lawyer, an Oscar-nominated movie director, and an Imagineer for Disney, so our family gets into Disneyland for free!
Siblings: The Best Gift
We feel so blessed to have grown up in big families and believe that the best gift we can give a child is a brother or sister. Our siblings are our best friends, and we’re so grateful to have their love, support, and companionship.
We want to give that to your child: instant, lifelong best friends.
Thank You!
Thank you for taking the time to get to know our family. You are faced with a really important decision, and we admire you for how far you’ve come. Fostering has allowed us to know many birth parents, and we believe it’s vital to create a trusting relationship between us all. If you entrust your child to us, we will ensure your child understands how brave you are for making this choice. You will always be cherished by our family.
We cannot wait to welcome another child into our family and are so excited to make this next leap together!
– Liz, Danny, Evie & Mona