dear expectant mother
Dear Expectant Mother,
We are so grateful to you for considering us as parents for your child. We know this is a big decision for you and your family and want to thank you for taking this moment to get to know us.
Our dream for our children is that they will always feel safe, loved, hopeful, and happy. We want them to know how big and diverse the world is and that no matter how they choose to make their mark, they’ll be loved and supported by us. We want you to feel the same and know that we aren’t looking to erase or replace anyone. We have an infinite amount of love to give and would be happy to include you, and anyone else in your family, as part of ours in whatever way you are most comfortable with.
We are just a couple of dorks who enjoy doing life together. We crawl through homemade forts, use our stair slide, get drenched by the hose, and go to bed exhausted from all of the beautiful chaos. Every day we laugh together. Every day we tell each other we love one another. We give our children everything, knowing that they owe us nothing in return.
With love,
Carla (she/her) & David (he/him)
About Us
We met online while Carla was attending Central Michigan University and David was serving overseas. We fell in love quickly and got married in 2009, after a year and a half of long distance. We’re opposites in a lot of ways, but our core values are the same and that works for us. David is extroverted and energetic. He loves Star Wars, gardening, jiu jitsu, the ocean, and connecting with his Hawaiian heritage. Carla is more shy and recharges her batteries by reading, watching documentaries, woodworking, and is currently learning Spanish. Our daughter, Phoenix (Nixie), was born in 2019, and her adoption was finalized that same year. She’s the light of our lives. Nixie is very curious, active, and kind. She loves playing her drum set, enjoys any sport or physical activity, is fascinated by tardigrades, knows her own adoption story, and keeps asking for a brother and/or sister. Because of David’s job with the military, our children will have full insurance coverage, free college if they want to go that route, and we are a single-income family that is debt-free. We are also fortunate that he is in a non-deploying job so we have plenty of family time.
Our Home & Pets
Our house has three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a fully fenced backyard with vegetable garden, living room, stair slide, and a play room. The front yard opens up to a neighborhood playground, dog park, and half basketball court. We go out front almost every day so that Nixie can play with the neighbor kids who vary from newborn up to twelve years old. Our neighborhood is very diverse and has many other parks within walking distance, as well as a splash pad, pool, community center, and a small shopping center. We have two dogs. Ogre is our old man - an American bulldog who has gone deaf in his old age and is on thyroid medicine. He was adopted at four years old from animal control and is the most loving and bomb-proof dog. Pip is a terrier-dachshund mix and is a year old. She is super playful but also enjoys curling up on our laps for a snuggle. We adopted her earlier this year from the local humane society. She has brought a lot of joy and energy and laughter to our home. If they are not cuddling together, Ogre can be found snoring in a patch of sunlight and Pip would be following our daughter around in the hope of dropped snacks.
Our Extended Family
Carla grew up on a Christmas tree farm, in a smaller family with her parents and one older brother. Coming from a small town, she made close relationships she still has to this day. Many of those friends are now like family, and they have been such an important and appreciated group, especially after we all became parents around the same time.
David comes from a large family with four siblings, both parents, multiple aunts and uncles, and many cousins. Family is very important, both on his Hawaiian and Southern family sides. In his culture, to be adopted or “Hānai”, is to be loved and accepted by the community. The concept of “Ohana” is the family that is both biological and those who are held dear - this is why there are so many “aunties/uncles/cousins” who have no biological ties. David’s family is diverse and is filled with many loved ones who are a part of that “Hānai” connection.
Because of our time as foster parents and our adoption, we have a huge extended family we’ve created. We have great relationships with the parents of the children we took care of, some of whom we still get regular updates from. It’s a unique bond, and we’re very appreciative of it. While we currently reside in Hawaii, we are planning to return permanently to Michigan in a few years when David is able to retire from the military. Not only is it where Carla is from, it’s also where our daughter’s biological family resides. We would love to be as close as possible to the family we’re from and the family we’ve found.
Our Adoption Story
Adoption was always part of our plan so that made it easier when we found out Carla needed to have a hysterectomy in 2014. We spent some time as foster parents before meeting our daughter, whom we met through mutual friends outside the foster care system. While we’re proud of our time as foster parents and still keep in touch with some of the parents whose children we looked after, we saw the immense pain the system caused and decided that we wanted to adopt in a way that was consensual.
Fun Facts
About Carla
| Occupation | Military |
|---|---|
| Education | Bachelor of Science in Business |
| Race | Caucasian |
| Favorite Food | Traditional Hawaiian |
| Favorite Hobby | Martial arts |
| Favorite Movie | Labyrinth |
| Favorite Sport | MMA |
| Favorite Subject in School | Marine biology |
| Favorite Activity | Beach day |
| Favorite Tradition | Lei Day |
| Favorite Animal | Dragon |
About David
| Occupation | Full-time mom |
|---|---|
| Education | Bachelor of Science in Family Studies |
| Race | Caucasian/Pacific Islander |
| Favorite Food | Pizza |
| Favorite Hobby | Woodworking |
| Favorite Movie | Labyrinth |
| Favorite Sport | Dance |
| Favorite Subject in School | English |
| Favorite Activity | Movie night |
| Favorite Tradition | Christmas tree cutting |
| Favorite Animal | Dog |
Contact Carla & David
Choose a Family for
Your Baby With Confidence
As you browse our list of hopeful adoptive parents, you can feel confident in knowing that all of the adoptive families working with Angel Adoption are prepared to offer your baby a safe, stable, and loving environment along with a wealth of opportunities for a happy and fulfilling life.
Each adoptive parent has been thoroughly evaluated through a home study course conducted by a licensed agency. A completed home study means the family is emotionally, physically, and financially ready to adopt a baby.
The home study process includes assessments of each parent’s character, marital stability, financial situation, lifestyle, and medical history. The agency also runs background checks to verify there is no record of criminal activity or child abuse. In addition, a social worker will inspect the family’s home to ensure it is a safe environment for a child.
Furthermore, Angel Adoption requires each family to be educated on adopting and parenting. After a baby has been placed with the adoptive family, a social worker will continue to monitor and supervise the family. We go to great lengths to make sure all the families you have to choose from are going to be excellent parents for your baby!
Not sure how to start? See our How to Choose an Adoptive Family resource page.
If you need more help, you’re always welcome to contact us any time!