Stephanie & Jonathan

Hi there! Unfortunately we haven't had many people reach out through this website. So while we are still on the adoption journey, we're going to stop posting. We want to spend our time focusing on living life and being good people to the people in our lives. We have a ton of stuff up already so we figure anyone who is looking at the site has enough to go on already. If you're reading this, wishing you well on your journey!

My family had our annual summer visit together in Virginia. Hanging out with my nephews is always a blast. Except when they’re roasting me that is…”Aunt Stephanie, you need to watch YouTube to learn how to cook better.”

18 years has gone by in the blink of an eye. We celebrated our anniversary this year by doing a ropes course at the Bronx zoo. It was fun encouraging each other through the difficult parts of the course and getting to zip-line down across a river at the same time together!

When we hear about certain books, we know they are “must haves” for our home library. Worthy! A book for kids of all ages is one of those books. The author, Courtney Tierra, was featured on the Birth Mothers Amplified podcast. Her book is a gem, both the words and illustrations are powerful!

There was a lot on our minds this long weekend. On Memorial Day, we think of the sacrifices many have made for this country. Of course, the sad news out of Texas shook all of us this past week. We have been through a lot of loss personally recently too. The sadness of these things though helps us to also remember the preciousness of life. So we celebrated the sunny, warm days this weekend by spending lots of time in the park and grilling out for the first time of the season.

We had fun exploring Houston and Dallas this spring break, and, of course, enjoyed some bbq! Big smiles all around!!

The other night we got to see the amazing writer Ta-Nehisi Coates interview the rapper Black Thought at the Apollo Theater. Their conversation was so funny and inspiring. We feel fortunate to live in a place where there is always something interesting and creative happening!

Couldn't resist getting this extra special peanut butter & chocolate ice cream cone on a recent good-weather day. We've been working hard and are looking forward to the sun and fun of spring and summer!

Love is patient and kind. It doesn't envy or boast. It's not proud, selfish or angry. And it keeps no record of wrong. (from 1 Corinthians 13) Jonathan and I exchanged cards and chocolates on Valentines Day, but we try not to get too caught up in the commercialization of holidays. Every day should be about showing love for others!

Since we grew up in much milder Virginia, the New York City winters took some getting used to. We have adjusted though and especially love the snow days here! Everyone pours into the park to sled and build snowmen!

We’re spending some time at the beach this week, and Graham is just too much. He enjoys spreading love to everyone who wants to say hi and give a pat.

While visiting family in Virginia, we walked around a nearby neighborhood that is known for putting on fantastic light displays. It was a very Merry Christmas Eve night!

So, we'll be honest..the dough was the pre-made, ready-to-roll stuff. Sometimes though, shortcuts make room for more fun!

Decorating the tree with Christmas music playing in the background always brings a smile to our faces. The ornaments bring back good memories--some are passed down from our families, others gifts to each other and several picked up on trips.

For so much, including this fun and relaxing day. A highlight was seeing the new Grogu (baby Yoda) balloon at the parade. All the walking and standing built up our appetite for turkey, sides and, of course, pumpkin pie!

We know long days and lots of diaper changes are ahead--just one of those ready or not parts of parenthood! (We're ready! ;-)

Today is one of our favorite days. All types of people will cross the NYC marathon finish line with family, friends and strangers cheering them along the way. This is one huge warm fuzzy day in NYC!

The leaves are starting to change colors, and Graham is in his dinosaur costume--fall is marching on and we're enjoying every minute of it!

While we're mostly sticking right now with purchasing the necessities that we'll need for infant care, we could not resist getting this dinosaur backpack we saw the other day. Just imaging a little one packing it with their favorite toy...resting their head on it while they look at a book. It's truly the small things that we're looking forward to!

After staying distanced for the pandemic, we were glad to finally get to visit with family this summer. Of course my nephews kept Graham busy. There is no better sound than hearing their squeals and giggles as they play fetch with him.

Mental health has been in the news a lot recently because of some issues athletes in the Olympics have faced. Jonathan and I have had our own journey with emotional well being and have learned a lot about the connectedness of mind and body and how it's important to keep both healthy. Our dog Graham is one piece of our mental health puzzle. His cuddly personality keeps us calm and his curiosity keeps us laughing. Being proactive about mental health is one of the gifts we are most excited about sharing with our child.

We appreciate what technology can do for us, but we also value nature and being away from screens. We recently visited Joshua Tree National Park and were awed by the beauty of the desert.

Summer has always been a time when we get to travel and visit with family. Last summer was different because of the pandemic. We've made do virtually--this picture is from playing Nintendo online recently with my dad and with my brother and his sons. We can't wait though because we're set to see everyone again in person soon!

One of my students handed this to me first thing in the morning this past week. She had colored a different saying for all of her teachers and said that this one made her think of me. This moment started my day off on the right foot...I'm so grateful for my kind, amazing students.

My sister in law organized a baby shower for me. She is the sweetest! Family and close friends came together for a fun Zoom baby shower, and we were gifted so many important items for the baby. We know it might still be awhile yet, but we just want to be prepared. (It's the teacher in me! ;)

Today I'm thinking back to the amazing projects my students made after reading the autobiography of Malala Yousafzai--what an inspirational woman!

We live in an extremely diverse neighborhood and in a beautiful apartment with great natural light and river views. There is a garden space and children’s play area where we can meet up with other families in the building. We are a short walk from two huge parks, both of which have playgrounds and large grassy fields. We also spend lots of time exploring the museums, zoos, and cultural events that New York City has to offer!

Graham is a small dog with big personality and heart. We got him as a puppy seven years ago, and his playful antics have kept us laughing ever since. Every weekend we take long family walks together in the park and enjoy the changing seasons. Thankfully Graham is also a great traveler and has been to many different places around the country with us. Some of our favorite memories are from west coast trips...enjoying the beach and delicious tacos during the day, and then watching the sun set over the Pacific with Graham resting on our lap.