Steven & Zach
Hi! We are Steven and Zach, and it is so nice to meet you. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for taking this moment to look through our book. We know you’re on a journey that must be filled with so many powerful emotions, and we are just so grateful for the chance to introduce ourselves.
We want to start by saying how much we admire you. We can only imagine the strength, courage, and incredible love for your child that has brought you to this moment. We know you have a profound and difficult decision to make.
Thank you for your selflessness and for taking the time to see if we might be the family you’re looking for.
With love and gratitude,
Steven & Zach
Our Adoption Story & Promise to You
Being dads is something we’ve talked about since the beginning of our relationship, over eight years ago. From our very first conversations about the future, we knew we wanted a family. We didn’t know exactly what it would look like or how we would get there, but we knew that being dads was at the center of it.
After we got married last October, we got serious about making that dream a reality. We met with agencies and lawyers (Zach is an attorney, but this is far from his expertise!), exploring both surrogacy and adoption. It became clear to us pretty quickly that adoption was the right path for our family. It just felt right in our hearts. For over a year now, we’ve been saving, planning, and dreaming every single day. We are just so excited to be dads and to pour all our love and support into a little one.
So, what would life with us look like? Well, we are adventurers at heart! We love to travel, be outdoors, and explore new places. We have a pontoon boat that we love taking out on the lake, and we’re always looking for a new hiking trail or a new city to explore. We want, more than anything, to share this life with your child. For years, whenever we’re out, whether it’s hiking, at a sporting event, or just on the boat, and we see families with kids, we always look at each other and smile. We’ll say, “Look at that little one,” and then we’ll spend the next few minutes talking about how much fun it will be when it is our turn to be parents.
This all ties into our two core family values: kindness and togetherness. We find the most joy in life when we are creating memories with the people we love. Most of our free time is spent with our wonderful, supportive extended family and friends. We want to raise a child who knows they are part of a big, loving community, and who learns to treat every single person with compassion and kindness.
And so, here is our promise to you: We promise to give your child a happy, healthy, and supportive life. We will be their biggest cheerleaders, whether they want to be an astronaut, an artist, a firefighter, or anything in between. Our goal is to give them a life filled with laughter and unconditional love, where they feel safe and empowered to be exactly who they are.
Just as importantly, we promise that your child will always know their story. They will grow up knowing that their life started with an incredible act of love from you. We want them to know their origins and feel connected to their identity. We truly hope to maintain a connection with you, in whatever way you are comfortable, whether through letters, pictures, or more. Your child will always know the profound love that connects you both.
About Us
Our story began in Syracuse, New York. Zach was in law school at Syracuse University, and Steven was working in community mental health. For our first date, we met at an Irish pub called Kitty Hoynes. Zach had lamb sliders and an IPA, and Steven had fish and chips, which, looking back, are the perfect illustrations of our individual personalities! After a few more dates and Zach’s trip back home for winter break, Steven remained persistent and kept himself on Zach’s radar. Finally, in early 2018, we made it official, and we’ve been a team ever since.
We love that our “couple vibe” is a mix of two worlds. We are definitely adventurous and active, but we have a big side of “let’s stay in and order takeout” that we treasure just as much. It’s all about balance! When we’re in “adventure mode,” we love going to concerts or getting friends and family together for a soccer or football game, either at our house or a local hangout spot. We love to cook and host, especially for big sporting events. But we’re also just as happy in “recharge mode”.
A typical weekend for us shows this balance perfectly. Saturdays are our recharge days, where we give ourselves permission to be a little lazy, watch TV, play some video games, and maybe meet up with friends or family for a low-key dinner. Then, Sundays are our “prep days.” We tackle the laundry, plan our meals, and get the house ready so we feel organized for the week, all while hanging out with our kitties. It’s the perfect, quiet end to the week that gets us ready for the next one.
About Steven
Hello, I’m Steven. My career is a huge part of who I am. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, I run a wellness practice where I get to help people navigate life’s challenges. I am also deeply passionate about advocating for my profession, so I volunteer as the President of the New York Mental Health Counselors Association. My work is all about helping people grow and feel supported, and I can’t wait to bring that same energy to fatherhood.
At home, I’m the one who is always trying a new recipe in the kitchen. My other big passion is a bit… unique. For the last three years, I’ve been working very hard to learn to play the bagpipes! I’m now part of a pipe band and love being able to attend events and competitions with the group.
If you asked Zach to describe me, he would definitely say I’m the planner. I’m the one who loves digging into the details, finding good deals, and figuring out the logistics that turn our big adventure dreams into reality. He’d also be the first to tell you that I’m the one most likely to cry during a movie, even if I’ve seen it a hundred times! More than anything, I hope he’d say that my best qualities are my kindness and my patience.
When I think about being a dad, I get so excited about all the moments, big and small. I can’t wait to be your child’s biggest cheerleader, rooting for them in whatever they choose to do, whether it’s on a field or on a stage. I’m so looking forward to the simple, perfect memories, like helping with science projects, building their first snowman, and spending our summers teaching them to swim at the lake.
About Zach
Hello, I’m Zach! I guess you could call me the “social” one in our relationship. I’ve always been a people person; I just genuinely love to talk and can find common ground with almost anyone. Steven jokes that when we go to parties, people just seem to migrate my way, but I just enjoy making new friends! While I’m definitely known for being funny and quick-witted, I try to balance that with kindness and a good dose of silliness. Our two cats, Chalupa and Baja Blast, definitely get to see that softer side!
By day, I’m an environmental and energy lawyer, which means I do a lot of reading and research. That “well-read” habit spills over into my personal time, too. I’m always reading the news or some random article. When I’m not working, I’m usually relaxing with my Nintendo Switch (it comes with me everywhere) or keeping up with sports. I’m a big football fan, so I’m always checking scores and rosters.
Steven is my favorite person in the world, and we make a great team. He’s the planner, and I’m the one who’s always flexible and ready for a new adventure. I like to think my energy helps us try new experiences, while he keeps me grounded and focused on what’s important. He’s my rock, and I feel so lucky to be on this journey with him.
When I think about being a dad, I am just so incredibly excited. I can’t wait to share all of my passions with your child. I can already picture us playing video games together or having a big family board game night. I’m really looking forward to teaching them all about sports, getting them on a snowboard for the first time, and just being a really involved parent who’s there for school events and all the activities they want to try.
Home Sweet Home
We absolutely love our home. It’s over 100 years old, so it’s filled with a lot of character. We have made it feel warm, inviting, and incredibly cozy. It’s not just us who think so! Zach’s dad lives only 20 minutes away, so he’s over often, and every time he visits, he tells us how much he loves our house.
Our favorite room is hands-down the living room. We have a big TV for watching sports and movies, and three big couches, so there’s plenty of room for everyone to get comfortable. When we have friends and family over, that room gets full to the brim with people, and you can just feel the love filling the space. It’s our favorite feeling.
Our home is in Albany, the capital of New York. Even though it’s a city, our neighborhood feels like a small, family-friendly community. There are lots of other kids and growing families around, and we love that we’re just a few blocks from the nearest elementary school and several parks. We’re also within walking distance of a bunch of restaurants where we often meet up with family.
One of the best perks about where we live is how easy it is to travel and connect with all our loved ones. We can get to Boston, Syracuse, or down to Long Island to visit Steven’s family in just a few hours. And, for our weekend adventures, we’re only an hour away from Sacandaga Lake, where we keep our pontoon boat and spend as many summer weekends as we can.
Chalupa & Baja Blast
We rescued Baja Blast and Chalupa (our little ones) when they were seven and four months old. We rescued them from a home that had too many cats and couldn’t care for them. We planned to rescue only one cat, but when they were brought to our house to meet us, we were excited to welcome both of them!
Baja Blast (Gurl) is the queen of our house. She loves eating, playing, and chasing around her coil. She carries around Batty, her stuffed bat toy that she’s had since she was a kitten. She will bring Batty to us while we are watching TV or getting ready for bed. She has a very unique personality and makes her presence known.
Chalupa is our little boy. He is timid, bashful, and quiet. Chalupa is a cuddler and loves to sleep in on weekends and snuggle near our heads when we sleep. He likes to play with his stuffed toys and climb his scratching post. Chalupa isn’t as persistent about human food as his sister, but he does like chicken. Chalupa has asthma, but we keep an eye on him and make sure he gets his treatments.
Our kitties are just as much of our family as any of our humans. Anytime we travel, we miss them very much and make sure whoever is watching them while we are gone sends us photos and keeps us updated. They are gentle, kind, sweet, and playful. We can’t wait to introduce a new little one to our family so they can snuggle and love on a human baby.
Our Loved Ones
We said that one of our core values is “togetherness,” and our family and friends are the biggest reason why. We both come from large, loving families who are just as excited as we are to welcome a new child into the fold.
Zach is the oldest of three boys, and we are so lucky that his parents and his brothers, Sam and Jack, all live within 20 minutes of us. We see them all the time! Most of Zach’s cousins live nearby, too, so we are always getting together for holidays and major family events.
Steven is the oldest of four. His dad, his sister (Lauren), and his brother (David) live on Long Island, about four hours away, and we travel down often for family events. His youngest sister, Colleen, lives in California but is moving back to Long Island very soon, so the whole family will be back on the East Coast!
One of the best parts is that your child will have built-in best friends. Stevens’ sister, Lauren, has two (soon to be three!) little ones: Savannah (3), Luca (1), and a baby girl on the way. We love being uncles and can’t wait for your child to grow up with their cousins.
Holidays & Traditions
Our holidays are a perfect reflection of our “togetherness” value – they are filled with love, family, and LOTS of travel. The end of the year is our busiest and most fun season! It all starts with Thanksgiving, which we spend at Zach’s grandparents’ house with his side of the family. The next day, we have a fun tradition of going Black Friday shopping with his mom, grandmother, and cousins at the outlets in Lake George.
Then, we dive right into Christmas! This is a big one that involves a lot of happy travel, making sure we see everyone. We have a tradition of cutting down our own Christmas tree every year, which always gets us into the holiday spirit. We’ll travel to Long Island to celebrate with Steven’s family and then make it back in time for Christmas morning church with Zach’s family. Zach’s grandfather is a deacon at their local church, so it’s a very special morning for us.
Afterward, we all head back to Zach’s grandparents for one of the biggest meals ever. Just picture 20 or more people sitting around one giant table, sharing a meal we all contributed to, laughing, and telling stories. A week later, we get together with Zach’s parents and brothers to celebrate the New Year. It’s basically two straight months of fun and love!
We also believe birthdays are a very big deal. Zach is famous for claiming a “birthday fortnight” just so he can stretch his celebration out for two full weeks in August! We love making a big, fun fuss over the people we love.
We are so excited to bring your child into these traditions – to have them at that big Christmas table, to take them with us to pick out and cut down the tree, and to see their face light up as we celebrate their birthday. We truly can’t wait to celebrate their birthday and create a whole new set of special memories and traditions that are unique to our own little family.
Thank you again, from the bottom of our hearts, for taking the time to learn about us. We hope this book has given you a small window into our lives and the love, laughter, and support that fill it. We know we can’t fully understand the weight of the decision you are making, but we want you to know that we see you. We see your strength, your courage, and the incredible, selfless love that is guiding you on this path. Whatever you choose, we are wishing you peace.
If you do choose us, please know that we are not just ready to be dads – we are so incredibly excited to be dads. We will spend every day making good on our promise to give your child a life full of unconditional love, endless support, and all the adventures they can dream of.
Thank you for considering us.
With much love and gratitude,
Steven & Zach
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