We always knew we wanted to be parents, but we hadn't decided on a definite time. When we decided to conceive, we consulted with multiple physicians to ensure that the medication Amarilis was taking for a health condition would not affect the pregnancy or Amarilis' health. When specialists told us about the serious dangers to Amarilis' and the baby's health, we decided to take another path to make our dream of becoming parents come true. We first tried a surrogate pregnancy but were unable to complete the process. During that process, we talked extensively about how much happiness and hope this life project made us feel. It was at that time that we discussed adoption as one of our options. We both agreed that the love and dedication we would give a child would not be any less or different if the child were not our biological child. As we continued discussing it, we reaffirmed that adoption is just as beautiful and dignified as any other option. After we started researching adoption, a friend told us about a couple already in the first stages of the adoption process through Gladney. We held a virtual meeting with the couple, and they had nothing but good things to say about adopting through Gladney, and that is how we got here. When we started researching Gladney, one of the positive things that stood out was the importance the agency places on honoring the biological mother's life and wellbeing and how much respect they have for the mother's process. In addition, we believe Gladney's approach of having the child's biological mother select the family who will adopt her baby is healthy and organic. In our opinion, the matching process is very healthy for an expectant mother making such a loving and selfless decision.

Amarilis is an extremely loving person, not only towards me but also towards family and friends. She never misses an opportunity to tell me how much she loves me with both words and actions. Amarilis loves babies and children. She is able to establish a special connection with them, and she tries to understand and guide them whenever possible and teach them about the wonderful things in life. Another one of the qualities that sets Amarilis apart is her solidarity. Amarilis is very empathic towards anyone in need, whether they are relatives, friends, or even friends of friends. She helps people selflessly. She has a gift for supporting others, especially in difficult situations, gaining everyone's love and respect. In her spare time, she enjoys watching TV series, yoga, and spinning. She's an expert online shoe shopper, always finding the best shoes at the best prices. She loves massages, aromatherapy, and wellness in general, and is very knowledgeable about essential oils, which she uses daily. She also likes jewelry, reading, dancing, and sharing her interests with others. Amarilis always makes sure we are present at events hosted by our relatives or our found family. She's always looking for something to celebrate just to have an excuse to give presents. She has a group of girlfriends that call themselves "Las Titas," who support each other and stay up to date with everything that is going on in their lives, even though some of them live far away. This is very important for me, and I admire them. Their sisterhood has taught me solidarity and the true meaning of friendship. They are all part of our found family.

Rene is a wonderful human being; he's very patient, nice, intelligent, accomodating, and above all, funny. He's kind-hearted and enjoys helping others. Rene is also very analytical and takes his time assessing everything before making decisions. He's also very thoughtful, surprising me with gifts that I love, but would never have bought for myself. Rene loves going to the beach, fishing, and cooking. He is a voracious reader and enjoys spending time with our relatives and found family, especially playing with our nieces and nephews, whom he loves doting on. In his work life, Rene is a consummate professional, always going the extra mile to provide the best possible service to his clients. He's very structured and methodical, preferring to plan things whenever possible. He's also very kind and empathic to the people that work with him.

We love music and any activity where we can enjoy good music. We also love dancing and parties. We enjoy road trips, trekking, and going on adventures to explore new places, especially places where we can connect with nature. Whenever we can, we try to share these experiences with our relatives and found family.We also love going to the beach, taking walks, trying different foods, and watching the sunset when we go outside to exercise. We love traveling and travel TV shows featuring people globetrotting and exploring. Some of the countries we have visited are Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay, Argentina, and the Gal?pagos Islands. We are social people and enjoy learning about new cultures, and traveling has given us the opportunity to broaden our experiences. We also enjoy visiting our loving and caring family in the Dominican Republic.We believe in showing solidarity and support to our relatives and found family, including helping them to care for their children. We are the kind of people that make a mess playing with our nieces and nephews. Both of us love reading and learning new things. We also share a love for sports. We enjoy watching basketball, volleyball, swimming, gymnastics, and track and field. We are the #1 fans and followers of the Panamerican table tennis champion Adriana D?az. We were able to watch her play in person, a moment that we both treasure.