Liliana

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From Me to You

I don’t know how you must be feeling, but I do know it’s never an easy decision to place a child up for adoption. Thank you for having this baby and thank you for considering me to love and take care of them.

My family and close friends describe me as caring and nurturing. I have always felt the maternal urge to take care of those that I love and I have always known I wanted to be a mother, one way or another.

I often dream about what life would be like with a baby. The opportunities to pass on what I love, what I didn’t have as a child as well as instill in them a sense of curiosity and kindness. I love arts and crafts. I learned to crochet and draw from my mom and I also love to quilt and watercolor. I cherish the thought that someday a child will be kept warm by a blanket or clothes that I make for them. I want to make it a tradition to read to them every night so I have started collecting children’s books about interests I want to share with them, but also about what different families look like — single parents, same gender, different races and adopted children.

I am very proud of my Mexican heritage but I also really enjoy learning about other cultures and traditions. I do this by cooking traditional Mexican meals often, learning new recipes from my multicultural friends and taking cooking classes when I travel. I speak Spanish with my family and we celebrate traditional holidays like Dia de Los Muertos and Christmas. Cooking and baking are my love language — it’s how I take care of my loved ones and show them appreciation; I hope to pass them along to a child through active participation from an early age. I also want to teach this baby Spanish and expose them to other languages and cultures, thereby showing them the beauty of diversity.

Being outside and active in nature is rejuvenating for me. I love to hike, run, bike and go for long walks with Layla. I find working out relaxing and exhilarating and I hope to expose this child to exercise in a fun way. I also love watching families doing outdoor activities and I look forward to building similar experiences and making fun memories outdoors with a child.

Please read on to learn more about me.

With Love,
Liliana + Layla

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Why I'm Choosing to Adopt

Families are built differently and I don’t think there’s a normal type. I also don’t think love is enough, it’s more complicated than that. Families, however they’re built, must have mutual respect, understanding, patience, kindness and yes, unconditional love.

A few years ago, my sister had a foster care placement—a sweet little girl named Natalie. From the moment we met, I felt a deep connection with her. One Sunday morning, she ran across a church to give me the tightest hug, I felt an overwhelming sense of love and the desire to nurture and protect. Natalie eventually returned to her biological family, but the experience of meeting her stayed in my heart.

I’ve always known I wanted to be a mother. For me, that isn’t necessarily about biology — it’s about the deep, overwhelming love I feel compelled to give, and the belief that there’s a child out there who needs to receive it.

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Lifestyle

I feel extremely fortunate to have a career that challenges me every day but that I also enjoy thoroughly. I work with wonderfully kind and talented people I consider close friends outside of work. I teach and mentor new or junior team members and as a former high school teacher, I find that incredibly fulfilling and uplifting.

Challenges in my personal life have taught me the importance of both physical and mental health. I eat healthy and I’m physically active because it makes me feel good, inside and out. Another reason is because my mom has been disabled since I can remember and I lost my aunt and cousin to breast cancer so I’ve seen physical struggles first hand; I want to try my best to have a good quality of life. Over 17 years ago, I became involved in Team in Training, an organization that provides athletic training while one raises funds to benefit blood cancer research. As part of this group, I’ve done triathlons, biking events and half marathons, while meeting the most wonderful people that have become part of my chosen family.

I’ve learned how important it is to care for my emotional and mental well-being — whether it’s through long, reflective walks with Layla or opening up to friends. I’ve realized I can’t truly show up for the people I love if I’m not also caring for myself. Now, I make space for boundaries and try to offer myself the same love, empathy, and patience I give to others. This journey has made me more grounded, compassionate, and ready to be the steady, loving parent a child deserves.

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More About Me

Something I’ve learned later than I wish I had: asking questions doesn’t make you difficult. Feeling deeply doesn’t make you overly sensitive. Speaking up for yourself isn’t selfish. And sharing your fears and insecurities isn’t weakness — it’s courage. These lessons have helped me grow into someone who leads with empathy and strength, and I know they’ll guide me as a mother, too.

“You were built to do this, you were born to be a mother.”
–Frank O’Neill, Friend and Paternal Figure

“You know what you want but you’re also pursuing what you want. Those are not the same thing.”
–Charles Quinn, Therapist

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My Home

Layla and I live in a cozy home in a safe neighborhood with sweet neighbors. We have a grassy backyard outlined with rose bushes and small trees where Layla loves to sunbathe and sometimes runs around in circles.

We live nearby parks, reservoirs, hiking trails and small mountains that feel like we can easily transport ourselves outside the city life. We’re also driving distance to the ocean and many beaches, which we love.

Layla and I enjoy walks to the neighborhood park where there are kids in the playground every afternoon. Sometimes my friend who has a toddler boy joins us and the little boy tosses the ball to Layla, which she can catch in mid air!

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My Family

I have an older sister and an older brother and we’re pretty close. We enjoy home cooked meals, playing games and watching movies. I am also very close with my mom, we’ve always had a strong connection. I can tell her just about everything and I know she won’t judge me and loves me unconditionally. She’s dealt with a lot of physical challenges in her life but I’ve never heard her complain or blame others. She has a kind heart and is mentally strong, like the other women in my family.

I am deeply blessed to have a village of dear friends, some that I’ve known for decades. They are my chosen family because they are truly kind-hearted, sweet people who’ve supported me through the ups and downs in my life, as I’ve tried to do for them.

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Diversity and Adoption

I am Mexican, so my heritage includes Native roots (Aztec) with Spanish influences. I am very proud of my background and I love my skin color and dark hair. I am open to adopting a baby of any race because for me, that’s an irrelevant characteristic in terms of how much I would love this child. My maternal instinct is like a reflex that just wants to give love. My closest group of friends are from a variety of ethnic and racial groups so that type of diversity is already woven in my everyday life.

Because of my own rich cultural background and the diverse community that surrounds me, I believe deeply in raising a child to embrace their identity, while also learning to love and uplift others. These values guide my vision of parenthood. I think the primary purpose of any type of parent is to love, care and protect the child. Secondly, I think the parent should teach the child how to love, care and protect themselves. Finally, I think we’re all here for a reason, so it’s very important for the parent to instill a sense of empathy, community and service in the child. When we care for one another, we grow and improve as a society, ultimately creating a better place for each individual.

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Traditions

When my family and I get together, our time revolves around making traditional Mexican meals like tamales, taquitos, chiles rellenos, and mole. We like to play Chinese checkers and dominoes and we enjoy watching inspirational and action movies together. I would love to introduce a child to these traditions.

Birthdays are a big reason for celebration in our family. I usually cook or bake my siblings’ favorite dishes and desserts. For Christmas, we always set up a nativity set and try to give each other practical presents. Sometimes we sing traditional carols too!

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My Promise to You

A friend who’s been like a father to me told me recently that I was built and meant to be a mother. All I know is that I have this particular kind of love inside me that I can only give to a child, nobody else. Over time, I’ve learned that my sensitivity is actually a strength. If I were to lose that part of myself, I’d also lose the empathy, compassion, and sensitivity that allows me to relate to others’ joys and struggles — and the ability to find meaning and beauty in things that might seem small or ordinary to someone else. I hope to pass on this quality to a child as they grow up into young adults.

Another friend told me that not only do I know what I want, but I also go after it. I want to adopt, so I will make it happen and become a mother because it’s what I’m meant to be.

I can’t promise I won’t make mistakes and I won’t deny I am scared to be a single mother, but I do promise I will love, care and protect this child with all my heart. I will teach them to love, care and protect themselves as well as to care for others. I want to raise a kind, compassionate and happy person who’ll know that from the moment they existed, they were loved.