Friends:

We have a large local circle of friends who have greeted our ideas of adoption whole-heartedly and have been very supportive in our efforts. Several of our friends have been touched by adoption themselves, and are very understanding of the benefits it offers. Many of our friends have, or are about to have, young children and we all look forward to our children playing together at picnics and potlucks.

We met through our involvement in a historical reenactment club. Many of our hobbies stem from this common interest. We are outdoor enthusiasts and particularly enjoy many water activities such as swimming, sailing and kayaking. We look forward to building sandcastles and teaching our child to splash along with us in the water. We are creative people and enjoy making many different types of things, as is demonstrated by Hank's woodworking and Leila's costuming and glassworking. But not all of our time is spent "on the go". We often enjoy quiet evenings at home reading books or playing board games. Most importantly, we enjoy spending time together. We look forward to spending lot of time with our child playing games, painting pictures, and reading stories.

Our Home and Neighborhood

We share our home with two cats, Olivia and Isabelle, and a tank of fish. The cats enjoy spying out the windows at our many neighborhood birds or just taking a nap in the sunshine by the deck doors. We have a big yard with lots of sheltering trees and flower beds that attract hummingbirds and butterflies every summer. Leila also has a vegetable garden that provides us with fresh homegrown tomatoes and homemade pickles and spaghetti sauce. We have started setting up the baby's room, although many details will be waiting until we know if it's a boy or a girl.

Our quiet family neighborhood is on the outskirts of Durham in central NC. We are lucky to live in an area that has the serenity of the suburbs, yet is close enough to have all the benefits of the city, such as parks, museums, and theaters. Our neighborhood is a very safe area where children still go door to door at Halloween, or ride their bikes while parents take an evening stroll. Our street has families of all ages, from babies to retirees with visiting grandchildren. There are good schools within walking distance, and strawberry farms only a short drive away. It is an ideal place to raise a family.