Michael and Debra
Hello from New York! We are Debra, Michael and hopeful big sister, Maren. Thank you for letting us share our story and lives with you. It’s impossible to share our hearts in just a few pages of a book, but we hope it will provide comfort and an understanding of who we are. We are inspired by you for considering adoption for your child.
HELLO
from New York
- WE ARE -
DEBRA, MICHAEL &
HOPEFUL BIG SISTER,
MAREN
It’s impossible to share our hearts in just a few pages of a book, but we hope it will provide comfort and an understanding of who we are. We are inspired by you for considering adoption for your child.
Thank you
FOR LETTING US SHARE OUR STORY AND LIVES WITH YOU.
Your BRAVERY and LOVE are heroic. The decision to start a family was easy but the journey to having children has been difficult. We attempted to conceive for a full year before seeking help from infertility doctors. On our third round of treatment, we were blessed to be pregnant with our daughter. Becoming parents has been a dream come true, and we always hoped to have at least two or three children. It’s hard to explain how excited and ready we are to commit ourselves to love and raise another child, so we went through 8 more rounds of unsuccessful treatments. The decision to stop fertility treatments was difficult but we believe it is not genetics that makes a family, it is love. With your assistance, we will honor your child’s culture, and birth story and celebrate your child’s life together. We vow to be supportive, honest, and available to you always as we embark on this journey of providing your child a life filled with unconditional love and joy together, as a team.
- LOVE -
AT FIRST SWIPE!
Like many Millennial couples, we met through two swipes to the right and quickly began our love story. We went to dinner for our first date but didn’t get a chance to eat because we were so deep in conversation about our hobbies, goals, similarities, and love for sports and traveling!! We continued dating and quickly realized how much we loved being together, getting to know each other’s family and friends, and exploring the world. We soon moved in together, got engaged, and danced the night away during our dream wedding in June 2018. It was a magical day that still brings us pure happiness and memories of a perfect day.
- OUR -
LIFE TOGETHER
We base our relationship on COMMUNICATION, COMPASSION, and COMPROMISE. We enjoy dinner dates, solving escape rooms, cheering on our favorite sports teams, going to concerts, and playing golf together. We love each other for our differences and appreciate how it creates a strong dynamic in our relationship. We both have successful careers, but our greatest accomplishment is our daughter, Maren! To give Maren and your child the opportunity to be siblings would be a dream come true for us. We’ve been talking to her about welcoming a sibling and she’s just as excited and hopeful as we are!
- ABOUT -
MICHAEL
IN DEBRA’S WORDS
Michael grew up in New York with a big, fat Greek/Italian family – just like the movie! His godparents and cousins lived next door and their houses shared a backyard. When I first met Michael, I was immediately drawn to his personality, sense of humor, charm, and love for his family. I knew that he was the type of man that would make my parents proud so I couldn’t wait to introduce him to my family and friends. Michael is the most genuine and dedicated person I know. As a husband, Michael encourages me to be more adventurous, believe in myself, and appreciate the little things in life. Growing up Michael was involved in Boy Scouts and sports and is passionate about collecting memorabilia from his favorite athletes and bike rides with Maren.
MICHAEL’S CAREER
I’VE BEEN TEACHING MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR THE LAST 11 YEARS AND COULDN’T IMAGINE WORKING IN ANOTHER FIELD. I’m off holidays and winter/summer breaks, so I get more time with my family. Every day is an adventure, and recently, I earned my School Building Leadership degree with hopes to lead a school one day!
- ABOUT -
DEBRA
IN MICHAEL'S WORDS
Debra was born and raised in New York surrounded by family, friends, and the best food since day one! You can always find Debra listening to music, gardening, going on long walks, and trying out new pizzerias! Debra’s healthcare profession is an extension of her natural care and compassion toward others.
As a mother, she is very nurturing and dedicates each day to ensuring that Maren has all that she needs to be happy, healthy, and thrive. I am truly grateful for all the gifts she brings to our family and to others! She is the best partner, co-parent, and friend, and I could not imagine life without her by my side. Debra is passionate about playing sports, listening to music and spending time at the beach.
DEBRA’S CAREER
After completing my bachelor’s degree in nutrition and master’s degree in Community Health, I became a certified Medical Assistant and Phlebotomist. Over the last 11 years, I have been working at the largest healthcare system in New York and have grown in my career. Today, I am a Senior Manager of the Medical Staff Services Department and have the benefit of working from home. I appreciate my career and how much it allows me to be present in my daughter’s life!
Home
AND
COMMUNITY
WE LIVE IN A CHARMING SUBURBAN TOWN WHERE WE GET TO EXPERIENCE ALL FOUR SEASONS.
Our four-bedroom home is a place of love, laughter, and comfort. We have an awesome playroom in the basement and a fenced-in patio that’s perfect for hangouts with our family and friends. Our absolute favorite spot is cozied up in front of the fireplace, especially around the holidays! Our community is super friendly and filled with people who care for one another. Our school system is regularly ranked as one of the top schools in the country.
- MEET BIG SISTER -
MAREN
Maren is the HAPPIEST, SILLIEST, and most ENTERTAINING 3-year-old around.
She enjoys reading books, soccer, swimming, and playing with stuffed animals. She attends daycare three times a week and spends the other days with her grandparents. She is so excited to be a big sister and gain a forever friend.
- A FEW OF OUR -
FAVORITES
SPORTS TEAM
DEBRA: New York Islanders
MICHAEL: New York Islanders
MAREN: New York Islanders
VACATION SPOT
DEBRA: Woodloch Pines, PA
MICHAEL: Hilton Head Island
MAREN: Hershey Park
HOLIDAY
DEBRA: 4th of July
MICHAEL: Christmas
MAREN: Christmas
SEASONAL ACTIVITY
DEBRA: Relaxing on the beach
MICHAEL: Playing golf
MAREN: Splashing in the pool
MUSICAL ARTIST
DEBRA: Dave Matthews Band
MICHAEL: John Mayer
MAREN: Encanto Soundtrack
TV SHOW
DEBRA: Top Chef
MICHAEL: Ted Lasso
MAREN: Paw Patrol
MEET OUR
FAMILY
DEBRA’S FAMILY
My parents have been happily married for 46 years and are the best “Gigi” and “Pop Pop” to all of their grandkids. Maren gets to spend every Monday with them, which is easy since they live 5 minutes away from us. My parents adore Maren and will adore and love your child to the max! My sister and brother-in-law work with children with special needs, with a focus on children with Autism. They live super close, so this makes for frequent get-togethers and play dates with my nephew (6) and niece (4).
MICHAEL’S FAMILY
My parents have been happily married for 48 years. My mom is known as Nee Nee to the grandkids and my dad is better known as Pop Pop! They are incredible parents and grandparents, and we are lucky to see them multiple times per week! My sister has been married to my brotherin-law for 20 years. She is an elementary science teacher and he works for the Supreme Court. They have two boys (11 and 13) who are the best big cousins around and we adore taking trips with them to Hilton Head Island, SC.
OUR FAMILY
TRADITIONS
THE HOLIDAYS MEAN A LOT TO US. It’s a time for family and friends to be together to celebrate the most important moments from birthdays to seasonal celebrations such as Halloween and New Year’s and religious holidays like Christmas and Easter with traditions new and old. We have a unique tradition of celebrating two Easters: Christian Easter and Greek Easter. Each family has different traditions, and we enjoy taking part in all of them!
- OUR -
THOUGHTS
ON
PARENTING
WE VOW TO BE PRESENT FOR OUR CHILDREN IN EVERY LIFE SEASON LETTING THEM KNOW WE BELIEVE IN THEM FULLY AND WILL SUPPORT THEM IN THEIR DREAMS.
We recognize that each child’s hopes and dreams will look different but at the end of the day, we just want them to be the best version of themselves. We believe in honesty, respect, compassion, tolerance for others, and showing grace. We will raise our children with these values by practicing what we preach.
THANK YOU
LEARNING ABOUT US!
We are excited about this opportunity to grow our family through adoption and if you choose to be, we would like you to be part of our family too. We want you to know we are people of our word and that we will never make a promise to you or your child that we can’t keep. We know this is an important decision, and we
thank you for your brave and loving choice – no matter what you decide. Please believe that we are open to as much or as little communication as you wish and will always respect your decisions which includes letters, photos and updates.
FOREVER GRATEFUL,
DEBRA, MICHAEL AND MAREN
WE WOULD LOVE TO
HEAR FROM YOU!
