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ABOUT US

John about Rich

"Rich is the most honest, caring, and loyal person I know. I can't imagine my life without him. Rich is always looking out for others and would do anything to help a friend. He is both strong and sensitive at the same time. I know Rich is going to be the best dad ever. He is each of his nieces' and nephews' favorite uncle and the younger ones follow him around like he is the pied piper. I think children see the inner child in Rich and are automatically drawn to him."

Rich about John

"John is a wonderful person who is full of life. He is smart, caring, and nurturing. He is considerate of others and always tries to be understanding of their needs. He is incredibly hard-working but believes that home and family life are most important. John is a wonderful and genuine person. For all these reasons, I know John will make a wonderful, supportive and understanding father. It is wonderful for me to watch John beam as we talk about being dads."

 


Christmas with our family at our house

We met almost ten years ago through a mutual friend. Very soon after meeting, we knew we had a very special bond. Our love for each other has only strengthened over time. Not only are we each other's committed life partners, but we are also each other's best friends. John is a lawyer and supervisor for the federal government. His job provides great family-friendly leave and benefits. Rich is a successful real estate agent and has the flexibility to work from home. He is excited to be a stay-at-home dad!

 


Uncle John holds niece Parker as nephew Will looks on

OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS
Our families and friends are very supportive of us and our relationship. Both our families and friends are so excited to welcome a new child into the family.

Rich has three siblings and eight nieces and nephews. Grandma Joan, Uncle Andy and Aunt Lisa live in the Florida Keys, where Rich grew up. They are thrilled to introduce our child to his or her cousins and are eager for excursions to the beach and fun-filled fishing trips. Uncle Bill, Aunt Jessie and their four kids live in Argentina and look forward to introducing our child to the great outdoors and cultural wonders of Argentina on family visits. Aunt Carole, from Texas, is a school teacher, and she can't wait to visit so that she can read bedtime stories to our child.

Grandpa Wally and Grandma Mequie are looking forward to being first-time grandparents. They have been together over 43 years and live in Maryland outside of Washington, D.C., where John grew up. Aunt Liz and Uncle Jeff live next door to John's parents and can't wait to explore the nearby mountain and nature trails with our child when we visit.

Our friends are from all walks of life, races, and ages. We love to spend time traveling with our friends or just having fun at our favorite neighborhood Mexican or Thai restaurants. Each of our friends is so happy that we are becoming dads. Our child will have many doting and loving "uncles" and "aunts." Our friends with children know we will make great parents and their children look forward to having a new playmate. Our neighbors, who are close friends, are also in the process of starting a family of their own. We hope our children can grow up together.

 


Uncle John & Rich pose with
baby Parker at the beach

EDUCATION
We were fortunate to have great experiences with public schools growing up and have both graduated from college. John also attended graduate school. We hope to instill in our child the importance of a good education, while at the same time supporting our child in following his or her own path and interests as she or he becomes a young adult. To spark our child's imagination and love of learning, we look forward to reading our child many books. Our friends and family have already purchased for us such classics as the Velveteen Rabbit and the Dr. Seuss books.

 

At the beach with Rich's family