TJ & Taylor

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From Us to You

Choosing a couple to raise your baby is likely the most difficult decision you will ever make, and the most amazing gift to those fortunate enough to become your baby’s parents. When we talk about you to your child, we will be open, always sharing our story in a positive and loving way. We will emphasize that you made the most selfless decision to ensure they would be in a loving and caring home and we will let them know you love them very much.

We will make sure your child is comfortable asking questions about their background and know that it’s okay to have feelings about it. We will always frame you as a part of that identity, celebrating that connection.

As we move through the process towards adoption, we want to learn everything about you that you want to share so that you are always a part of their lives through our story-telling.

With love,
Taylor and TJ

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Why We Are Choosing to Adopt

We have always wanted children, as we both come from large families and hope to create one of our own. We have also long been open to adoption, believing that genetics are not what make a family a family. After facing fertility challenges, choosing adoption felt like a natural and meaningful path for us. What matters most to us is the opportunity to love and nurture a child and to carry forward the legacy of love and connection we received from our families.

What We Will Teach Our Children

We want to teach our children to be kind, thoughtful and accepting of all people. We want them to be themselves, free to explore what interests them and what makes them happy. Our children will know that families come in all types and the most important thing is that you be there for the people you care about.

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Lifestyle

We love being home together, along with our puppy, Otis. We are proud of our home, often described by others as comfortable and welcoming. We both love music and enjoy going to concerts and listening at home. TJ has played the guitar since he was a teenager and Taylor is an accomplished pianist. We can’t wait to share our passion for music with your child! We enjoy the many fun places to visit in Maryland – such as the Baltimore Aquarium and the harbor. We both are history buffs and living near Washington, DC allows us to visit the many museums (and the National Zoo!) as much as we want. On relaxing weekends, we enjoy taking Otis for walks on the local trails and playing trivia and board games. We want to share all of our interests and passions with your child while helping them to discover their natural talents and activities that they like – whether it’s sports, music, theater, or chess.

We both have a brother and a sister and appreciate how important family connections are. Our extended families have grown close, so when we visit, the whole gang often gets together. Your baby will be surrounded by people who will love them and help shape them into an amazing person.

How A Child Will Enrich Our Lives:

We love each other and enjoy time together. We are at a point in our lives when we want to share that with a child. We know children can often teach you more about life than you can teach them. We are more than ready to open our hearts to the love and light only a baby can bring.

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About Taylor by TJ

1. Taylor tears up at anything slightly sappy – tv shows, commercials, books. She is one of the most empathetic people I’ve ever met.
2. I love the way Taylor can’t contain her adoration of cute things like babies and puppies. I enjoy watching her with my nephew, how natural it is for her to hold and play with him.
3. I admire Taylor’s fearlessness when standing up for herself or her loved ones. She is loyal to the end and someone you want on your side. She lives her life true to her principles.
4. Taylor always roots for the underdog.
5. Taylor sets goals for herself and then works hard to accomplish them. Her sense of purpose and ability to “get the job done” are inspiring.
6. Without a doubt Taylor is one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. She’s interested in so many things and is a life-long learner.
7. She loves to read non-fiction books, and trips to the Washington, DC museums are something we both enjoy.

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About TJ by Taylor

1. TJ has a contagious laugh when he finds something really funny whether a joke, on tv, etc. You can’t help but laugh with him.
2. TJ makes sure I feel safe and loved no matter what. I know I can always count on him.
3. When I completed my master’s degree, I was determined to live and work in a city. TJ understood how important going to Washington, DC was to me, so he left a comfortable job and took the leap with me. It was one of the best decisions we ever made together.
4. TJ has a two-year-old nephew, and he lights up the moment he sees him. He is patient and sweet with him.
5. TJ’s brother and sister are a big part of his life. They are close in age and grew up as true best friends. Whenever they get together, TJ and his brother – and sometimes his dad – love to get out the guitars and play music.
6. Otis, our mini poodle, has the best dog dad in the world. They take walks, play, and love to cuddle.

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Our Home

We live in a three-story townhome in Maryland. Our family room is dedicated to our love of music, where we hang out with friends and where Taylor works on her crafts. Our planned community offers lots of places to shop and eat. There are also many parks, walking trails, and excellent public schools, making it an ideal place to raise a family. We’re close to Baltimore Harbor, as well as Washington, DC, and both offer lots of activities for adults and kids. We love that on any given weekend we can choose to visit a museum or just relax in our backyard.

Fun Facts as a Couple

1. TJ loves to cook – Taylor does clean-up!
2. Taylor loves crafting with her Cricut and making homemade gifts for friends and family.
3. Music has always been a big part of both our lives, and we like to play piano and guitar together.
4. Taylor would one day like to run for local office, and I have no doubt this is something she can accomplish.
5. We’re enthusiastic do-it-yourselfers and enjoy fixing up our home.
6. TJ is an amazing movie and music trivia expert.

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Our Family

Taylor’s aunt was adopted at birth, so she has always seen adoption as a positive, loving act. Her aunt has always talked about how blessed she felt to be adopted into her family, and Taylor’s mom and aunt are very close. Taylor’s parents recently moved into her grandmother’s former home in the country, surrounded by farms and woodland. It is the perfect place for everyone to gather in the summer for a swim party, and has hills that are good for sledding in the winter. Taylor’s brother is a big part of her life and he often visits on his own. Her sister has a great sense of adventure and travels all over the world, visiting as often as she’s able.

TJ’s parents love to have holiday parties and the whole extended family comes together for Christmas Eve. TJ is close with his siblings, especially his younger brother as they both share a passion for playing and writing music. When the whole gang comes together, it is a house full of aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Taylor’s and TJ’s moms have become very close, and family get-togethers often bring parents, siblings, nieces and nephews together. We know that we are very lucky that our marriage brought together two families that truly care about each other. Any child brought into this family really does have a village to care about them, to help nurture and support them.

Our Relationships With Our Parents Which Will Influence What Kind Of Parents You Will Be:

We both have great relationships with our parents and know that they are always there for us. They have set good examples for the parents we want to be. Grandparents will be a big part of our child’s life because we know they have so much love to give and wisdom to impart.

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Traditions

Family is the most important thing in our lives. We both were lucky enough to grow up in families that offered stability, values, and love, while allowing us to become strong, independent individuals. Family dinners allowed our families to come together nearly every night, to talk about our days and, more often than not, to be silly and laugh a lot. Community was also important, and TJ has fond memories of going to see his dad play bass in his band. Taylor grew up in a neighborhood full of kids and spent many hours playing Kick the Can and riding bikes with friends. Her dad coached soccer and basketball for her and her siblings, making game day a family affair.

Holidays are important to both of us. Birthdays are events and our extended families sometimes combine celebrations. We love hosting Thanksgiving for both of our extended families, watching football, talking over each other, and eating lots of turkey. We are really into decorating for Christmas, inside and outside. We travel home for the holiday, where both families gather at TJ’s parents’ home on Christmas Eve and at Taylor’s parents’ house on Christmas Day. Taylor’s family includes traditions from her Swedish heritage in those celebrations.

We look forward to sharing our passions and family traditions with a child, while helping them to discover their own natural talents and passions.

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Racial and Cultural Diversity

We believe that family is not about biology. It’s about love, respect, kindness, sense of belonging, and building a life together. If we adopt a child who is a different race or who comes from a different culture, we will learn all we can in order to include those in our family traditions and to maintain a connection to their roots. We would seek out opportunities for the child to connect with others who share these traits.

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Our Pets

We have one dog, a red miniature poodle named Otis. He is a very loving and silly dog, and he loves to play with the neighborhood children, who often visit our yard in the warmer months to play with him. Otis has a brother from the same litter named Henry who lives with Taylor’s parents and getting the dogs together is always a lot of fun!

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Our Promise to You

Our promise to you is that we will love and care for your child as passionately and completely as they would be if they were ours biologically. We have always dreamed of expanding our family and welcoming children with whom we can share the love, experiences, and wisdom we were so lucky to receive in our own families. We want to share our passion for music and animals, as well as our strong commitment to community. Your child will be cared for by a large extended family, as eager as we are to grow our tribe. They will be given every opportunity to grow and learn, love and be loved, to develop and explore their own interests, and to be kept from any and all harm.

We will love your child unconditionally and without judgment. We will encourage them to be exactly who they want to be, and do everything we can to support them in doing so along the way. We look forward to getting to know you, as well as learning your hopes and dreams for your child. We want to learn about your expectations for a post-adoption plan and share our thoughts with you. We want you to feel as confident and comfortable as possible in your decision to allow us the honor of becoming parents. Thank you so much for taking the time to learn about us.