We are Charlie, Sara and Grace from San Diego, CA. Thank you for choosing to learn more about us! We are immensely grateful to you for considering adoption, and we have the utmost respect for you and the decision you are making. Brave doesn’t even begin to describe your journey and we are happy to support you in any way we can. We have spent so many years dreaming of our family and know in our hearts that adoption is the right path for us. If you choose us, we promise to love your child like no other and give him or her the warm, nurturing childhood that we both had with a sibling, extended family and even a couple of silly dogs.

We met in Florida while Charlie was attending Navy flight school. Sara had just finished college and started a job in her hometown. We were both out with friends and definitely not looking to meet anyone but magic happened. Sara loved Charlie’s goofy smile and witty sense of humor. Charlie loved Sara’s kindness and generous spirit. We quickly became inseparable. A few months later, Charlie was stationed in San Diego, and Sara started a graduate program at the University of Florida. Despite being on opposite sides of the country, we dated long distance for almost nine months. About a year after we met, Charlie was in a surfing accident; Sara flew to San Diego immediately and never left his side. There were many challenges along the way but we both knew we could get through anything together. We were married in 2011 and started trying to build our family right away. We eventually did IVF and had our beautiful miracle baby, Grace. She brings such joy to our lives and those around us. Having a second child isn’t in the cards for us biologically, but we welcome the chance to adopt a child to complete our family.

Fifteen fun-filled, happy years after we met, we have a loving home, two goofy dogs, and the most incredible five-year-old daughter who lights up our world. We never would have guessed that would be our story, but we wouldn't change a thing.

I knew he was special the night we met but I could not have imagined his strength, determination, perseverance, and, above all else, patience. Not many people have to start over and find a second career before age 30, but he persevered. He started his position in his law career two weeks after our daughter was born, and despite working long hours, always made time for us. He is an incredibly hands-on dad and is literally a human jungle gym for our daughter. I joke he is the “fun parent,” but I am in awe of the bond he has built with our daughter.

I grew up in a military family of four and moved a lot. Looking back, that is what pushed me to sports, primarily baseball and tennis, which was the quickest way to make friends in any new situation. Most importantly, it helped build a strong bond with my brother. We are very close and giving our daughter that sibling relationship is something I am very excited about.

I went to the United States Merchant Marine Academy and then on to become a Navy pilot, my childhood dream. After my accident, with the support of my family and Sara by my side, I was able to gain independence, complete law school, and am now a corporate attorney. My wheelchair might have been a hiccup but it hasn’t slowed me down at all.

Since the day I met her 15 years ago, I consider myself to be the luckiest person around. While she is smart, loyal, and always supportive, her most endearing trait is her thoughtfulness. Without fail, Sara does everything she can to make sure everyone around her is taken care of. Every birthday is planned to the last detail, every occasion that could be celebrated is, and the needs of our family are always put before hers. She single-handedly makes Christmas magical every year. Her love for life and family is truly contagious.

My childhood was very happy, and like Charlie, we moved a lot. My mother stayed at home with us and made sure every move was an adventure.

I went to the University of Florida studying Journalism and thoroughly enjoyed being a Gator. After college, I moved home to save for a master’s degree and met Charlie. My plans definitely shifted after his injury, but education is a priority for both of us. After moving to San Diego to help his recovery, I completed my MBA at San Diego State University and started working for a government contractor. My plan was to go back after our daughter’s birth; however, Charlie’s new job allowed me to stay at home with her indefinitely.

My days are now filled with parenting our daughter and I LOVE it. I never pictured myself as a stay-at-home mom, but I wouldn’t give it up for the world. We have dance parties in our kitchen, make messy projects at our table, and go on fun adventures with friends.

Family and friends mean the world to us. We are so grateful to live close to Charlie’s family. Charlie’s mom, Monica, is a social worker. Charlie’s brother, Michael, is an engineer and the “fun uncle,” taking Grace on adventures and playing for hours. We also live near aunts, uncles and cousins which makes for epic family meals and holidays. Sara’s 96-year-old grandmother lives close and we visit the rest of Sara’s family in Florida often.

We have an incredible support system around us and it’s been evident since the outpouring of love after Charlie’s injury. Charlie went to a small high school in San Diego so his friendships have truly stood the test of time. Sara has made a lot of friends through activities with Grace and has really spread our roots here.

In addition to Sunday dinners, we celebrate most holidays with Charlie’s family in San Diego. Our house has become the hub for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Sara always cooks up a feast and we just soak in all the family time. For Easter, we do an egg hunt in the backyard; and for Halloween, we have a big potluck with our neighbors.

We never knew how much having a child would change our world until we had Grace. She was born nine days late and was a perfect, tiny little miracle. Now she is an incredibly confident, kind, and social 5-year-old who wakes up with the sun and never stops amazing us. She started Kindergarten this year and is thriving. Literally since she began talking, she was asking for a brother or sister and we would love for her dream to come true.

We live in a three-bedroom home in a very family-friendly neighborhood in San Diego. We are 20 minutes from the beach, the zoo and most of the other places we love. We can walk to hiking trails, a juice place, and – Charlie’s favorite – a delicious taco shop. Our neighborhood is close to hiking trails so we see lots of wildlife.

Lincoln is our 6-year-old mini labradoodle, and Lucy is our 1-year-old Bernedoodle. They adore children and spend a lot of time playing with our daughter and cleaning up all the crumbs.

We are truly grateful for you taking the time to learn more about our family. If you choose to entrust us with your child, we promise to love this child forever. We promise to do whatever we can to give your child a bright stable future, a strong education, and the most supportive extended family you can imagine. Your child will have one of the best big sisters to help lead them through life and two of the fuzziest four-legged friends to help clean up all the sticky messes. We promise to go to every practice, game, and performance and cheer the loudest. We promise to support your child in whatever path they choose. We will celebrate all the victories and stand by your child in all the struggles. We promise to raise your child to be kind and compassionate.

And most of all, your child will know your strength and selflessness in the choice you made. We promise your child will grow up knowing who you are and how much you love them.