Dear Birthparent…
We may not know you, but we already consider you to be one of the most important people in our lives. For years we have worked to build a strong foundation. We wanted to build a unit that was not only full of love but that provides security and opportunity for the child we knew was in our future. We want you to know that we have created that environment and are ready to add to our family. For over ten years we have prepared ourselves, our relationship, our careers and our lives for this moment. It was important for us to prepare so that when we had this opportunity to write to you in hopes of being two of the most important people in your life, you would know we were it. We would be the ones you would choose to raise your beautiful child.
We want you to know that we will give your child a life full of adventure, love and opportunity to be whatever it is he or she wants to be. We will allow him or her to explore this amazing world and give him or her the tools to navigate this life. As we do so, we will always remember you. We will be forever thankful for you – the person who gave us the gift of being parents.
About Us…
We met on October 25, 2009. It was a Sunday night, and the Arizona Cardinals were playing the New York Giants in the Sunday Night Football game of the week. We watched the game and learned we had much more than a love of football in common. Since that night, we have been inseparable. We graduated law school, started our careers and moved to the city we live in today. Over the years, Elyse has exposed Brittany to her love of hiking and musicals and Brittany has exposed Elyse to her love of travel, culture and food. This has left us with adventurous stories, panoramic views of nature in its raw form and list of destinations we want to explore and re-explore with our child. Our love for football continues to play a large role in our lives as we watch our LSU and Clemson Tigers battle on the football field (and in this past year the National Championship). We also enjoy watching the sports we both grew up playing: tennis, soccer and basketball. Our lifestyle is very active which provides a much needed balance to our demanding careers as attorneys.
Our Home and Pets…
Where we live is exactly where we belong: Florida. We love living in a state that allows us to enjoy the outdoors in all four seasons. Our location within a quiet neighborhood in the city allows for easy access to parks, shops, restaurants, and local food and art festivals. We love that our commute to work is short because it allows us to enjoy more time together. Since Elyse grew up near where we live, we have family and lifelong family friends that live locally and provide us with an amazing support system. Shortly after moving to our forever city, we purchased the home we live in now. It is a two-story residence with a fenced in backyard with a beautiful grand oak which provides a good amount of shade. In the evenings, you can find us walking in the neighborhood together and with our dogs, Helix and Kora.
Our Family…
We both enjoyed stability growing up. Both of us were raised in two-parent households and both sets of parents are still married and going strong today! Elyse is the youngest of three girls and has three nieces and two nephews. Elyse has an incredibly large extended family with over 25 first cousins and too many second cousins to count. Elyse’s family gets together annually for a family reunion that usually has 50 or more attendees. Brittany is the oldest of three girls and was recently made an Aunt when her youngest sister gave birth to her niece earlier this year! Brittany’s dad came to the United States from Cuba as a young boy with his three sisters and parents. Brittany’s extended family includes her favorite person of all time, Nana, and many aunts, uncles and cousins who live throughout the southeastern United States. Although most of our friends and family are on the East Coast, we both have family and friends in Texas, Colorado and California.
Our Journey to Adoption…
Our entire life together has included planning for and building to grow our family. We sought advanced education and stable careers to provide financial stability. We purchased a home in a family-friendly area with great schools and activities for families. We purchased safe, child-friendly vehicles and trained our dogs to be comfortable around children. In 2019, we felt we completed the foundation we had been building together and turned our attention to growing our family. Both of us have always seen ourselves as moms but neither of us have seen ourselves as being physically pregnant. So, when the time came to plan how we wanted to grow our family, we knew adoption was for us.
Fun Facts…
Name: Brittany
Occupation: Attorney
Education: Accounting/Law
Favorite Food: Biscuits with REAL butter
Favorite Hobby: Running
Favorite Movie: The Thomas Crown Affair
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Favorite TV Show: Shark Tank
Favorite Activity: Biking
Hidden Talent: Legos
Guilty Pleasure: Raw cookie dough
Name: Elyse
Occupation: Attorney
Education: Psychology/Law
Favorite Food: Steak
Favorite Hobby: Cooking
Favorite Movie: The Princess Bride
Favorite Holiday: Christmas
Favorite TV Show: Friends
Favorite Activity: Hiking
Hidden Talent: Photography
Guilty Pleasure: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
