Before getting married, we decided we wanted 2 children. We both grew up with a sibling and as we grow older, we understand how special those relationships are. We want the same for our children. To have the bond only siblings know. To be there for each other through the good and bad times throughout their lives. As Carlo was adopted, we've discussed the possibility of adopting a child since we met. We've always felt it would be part of our journey.When Enzo was one year old, we discovered he suffers from an undiagnosed liver problem. After years of monitoring and testing, he is growing into a healthy little boy and we've decided now's the time to add a little one to our family! Unfortunately, the doctors believe Enzo's condition is genetic, so they don't recommend having another biological child. Which brings us here, to the adoption part of our journey.

We met 10 years ago on the west coast. Our first date was to casually grab drinks and while doing so, we talked for hours like we had known each other for years. After a couple of dates, we covered serious life decisions and found common ground very easily. We were ambitious and worked long hours during the week but always found time for each other. We enjoyed being active and hanging out with friends on weekends. We liked to explore new cuisine, museums and surrounding areas so we took weekend road trips often. We loved to bike to the local farmer's market to grab fresh flowers and produce to cook on Sundays.Two years after meeting we got engaged with the support of our families and friends. As we discussed the wedding and the future of our family, we decided to move to the south to be closer to our families. We knew we wanted children and wanted family close by. We both grew up with close family units and wanted the same for our growing family. We've been married six years and grow closer every day. After our wedding, we went on our honeymoon to the Polynesian Islands, but soon after we realized that our lives would significantly change with a child. So we decided to do an impromptu vacation to Italy because we knew that it would be difficult to travel internationally for some time.Over the course of our 10 year relationship, we have come to love each other more than we ever thought. When our son was born, we didn't know that our hearts could get any bigger.

Loni has so many amazing qualities about her that listing them all would take this entire book! The ones I love the most and gravitate towards, when we were dating, is that she is loving, caring, and full of life. She loves her family and friends so much that she'll climb mountains and cross rivers to help or just be there for them. She's the type of person anyone would want in their corner no matter what the world brings because she keeps everyone together!

Loni has a very artistic side to her that is natural to her. I'll come home and see her with Enzo painting while having the biggest smile and paint on his face. Or I'll catch her cooking creative meals that are healthy for us so we stay healthy. Loni's sense of nurturing seems to come to her instinctually. She's an incredible mother to Enzo and takes the time to teach him things of high moral character for his future. Her "glass half full" attitude about life is so infectious that you start celebrating the small things in life! For instance, growing her first basil leaf in her garden, which most might not celebrate! At the end of the day, she's the love of my life and I am so lucky to have her as my wife. I know that Enzo is proud to have her as his mommy!

The greatest decision I made was opening my heart to Loni. There's no doubt in my mind that when we grow our family, Loni will love, nurture, and teach them all they need to know to be successful!

Loni Fun Facts!

o people person

o great cook

o talented artist and designer

o gardener

o family glue

o business woman

Carlo is so many wonderful things! But, if I had to narrow him down to 3 words, I'd say he's funny, supportive, and reliable! My version of him starts when we began dating. He was the first guy I dated that didn't say I was pretty on the first date and I loved that! He always has respected me and my intellect. We make decisions together and always have. He's not the type of man that needs to flaunt his masculinity and command control of our family. We are partners in crime and have been since we met. We balance each other. If I cook, he does the dishes.

He loves to make me laugh and goes out of his way to do so. We both have a similar, slightly sarcastic, sense of humor, but he's generally the rational thinker while I'm a bit more emotional. He is my rock. I never doubt anything he promises--I don't think anyone does. He's a man of his word and he loves his family more than anything in this world-Its obvious to anyone who's ever met him. He carves out time every single day to tickle and roughhouse with our son. It's literally part of our afternoon routine. You can visibly see him relax when our son smiles and it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Our son and future baby have the best daddy in the world.

Carlo Fun Facts

o tech-savvy

o loyal

o smart

o a meticulous lawn mower

o a great handyman

o coach

o a project manager

We've recently built and moved into our new home. We took our time selecting the neighborhood-it needed to be family friendly, in a good school district, and close to everything in the city. When looking, we drove through countless neighborhoods at all hours just to get a good feel of it. One day we drove through a neighborhood with gorgeous houses and we saw children playing hide and seek in the front yards, hiding behind mailboxes and shrubbery. We looked at each other and knew instantly we'd found our neighborhood.

We're now settled in and love the area. Everyone here is very welcoming and active in the community. Our children will attend one of the best schools in the county and its only 10 minutes from the house. The house itself is very roomy-perfect for a growing family! We have tons of tall windows flooding the house with natural light. Upstairs, the children have their own toy room as well as separate bedrooms that share a bathroom. Downstairs we have the master along with the kitchen, living, dining, office, and game room-where we all watch movies and play games! One of our favorite parts is the large backyard with the playhouse and pool. Living in the south is so much more fun with a pool!

Our son, Enzo, is loving, compassionate and goofy. We love his energy, its infectious! His hugs are priceless and his smile lights up the darkest rooms! His biggest interests are cars and monster trucks as well as playing outside on his swing set in the backyard. He's played Tee Ball, or ''Team Ball" as he calls it, and recently played soccer, which he loves and plans to do again. He cherishes being surrounded by his family and friends as much as we do. He often asks us to invite his cousins and friends to play with them. Knowing this makes us more confident in our decision to add to our family.

Loni grew up in a fun and loving home with her parents and a brother! Loni's parents each run their own businesses, so after school, she spent a lot of time at her grandparents' house a few doors down. Loni's extended family also lives very close and we are fortunate enough to see them regularly. Loni's parents, Nanna and Pappa as the grandchildren call them, are very involved in our day-to-day life. We have dinner together and do activities at least weekly, sometimes more! Loni's brother is married and has a beautiful daughter who is very close to Enzo. They are the dynamic duo! Loni is also close with her grandmothers, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Growing up with family as neighbors was wonderful--we were constantly visiting at each others' houses to the point that I felt like I had more than one sibling. Loni's family is a wonderful support system and are very excited to add another little one to our family to spoil!

Carlo and his sister were adopted by their parents at 7 and 5 years old. Their parents are loving, supportive, and proud. Both his parents were teachers, which allowed them to travel during school breaks to experience different cultures. Movie nights on Friday and weekly board games were memorable moments for Carlo. Holiday gatherings made being together special every year even when everyone was living in different states. Carlo's parents introduced him to sports, martial arts, and helped him pursue passions he had at the moment. They believe in the fundamentals of continuous learning when growing up also while having fun. Carlo's parents adore every second they spend time with Enzo and help him put together train tracks. As he gets older, his grandparents will be excited to help him with homework or school projects. Carlo's sister works in the education system as well and loves Enzo. She takes him to go-kart or soccer at the park! Carlo's family will always be there to support Enzo and his future sibling in any way possible, giving hugs and just listening!

In our family, we have daily/weekly rituals and yearly traditions. Firstly, we have coffee and hot chocolate together every morning. Its sets us off on the right foot. On Fridays, we get ice cream after picking up Enzo from school. On birthdays, we don't just have a day, we have a week! We celebrate each other as much as we can! Honestly, we like to celebrate every little things possible throughout the entire year-- from taco Tuesday to promotions at work. We believe the little wins mean the most in life.

As for holidays, lets start with Easter. Every year our family rents several cabins on a lake about an hour away and we bike, ride in the boat, and cook together for a long weekend of fun. Loni's family has been doing this for over 20 years! For Halloween we all dress up--it's a family event! We started a new tradition this year by hosting Thanksgiving dinner at our house where both Loni and Carlo's families attend. And last but not least, we love Christmas time--it's Carlo's favorite time of the year! Loni's parents host a large Christmas Eve party where loads of friends and extended family come together.

We love to travel! The idea of trying new things and seeing different cultures fascinates us. As our son is still young, the last few years have been very toddler-friendly. We all love to play in the sand at the beach and have been to several in the US and Caribbean since Enzo was born. We also enjoy the snow and the mountains. We've been skiing twice as a family and plan to go more in the future!

As for day-to-day hobbies, we love spending time outdoors. Loni and Enzo like to play in the garden! We also enjoy riding the side-by-side at home or on trails in the forest. We've recently bought a small boat and love to soak up the sun and cruise on the local lake.

We also still love taking weekend road trips. We go visit semi-local festivals and visit friends in other towns regularly. We've been to every major zoo within 250 miles of us! We're currently planning a weekend away to take our boat and do some fishing.

As cheesy as it sounds, we mostly just love being together! Whatever we are doing or wherever we are, it's always more fun when the 3 of us are together.

We want to thank you for taking the time to get to know us!

We understand that this is a hard decision for you to make, but we know the importance of providing an environment in which children will thrive mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Children must feel loved every second of the day. We will care for every scraped knee, every heartache, and every practice test. They will have everything that matters and more. They will have a sibling-or partner in crime! They will have big strong house and a bedroom of their own. They will have the best education. They will have support of a large and loving family. They will have a Nana that does arts and crafts with them. They will have an Auntie that checks them out of school early just to take them to the zoo because the weather is nice. Should you bless us with this gift, you will have the comfort of knowing that your precious baby is thriving and loved.