Cassandra & Brian
Hi! We are Cassandra and Brian, and it is so nice to meet you. We want to begin by saying how deeply honored we are that you’re taking a moment to learn about us. Though we can only imagine the thoughts and emotions you’re carrying during this time, please know that we hold immense respect for your strength, your love, and your consideration in exploring adoption. Our hearts are open, and we are ready to welcome your child into our lives with unconditional love, stability, and joy.
Family means everything to us – whether it’s spending an afternoon at the lake, kitchen adventures, or holiday traditions passed down through generations. We promise to provide a home filled with warmth, laughter, and unwavering support. If you feel we might be the right fit, we would love to get to know you, if that is something you are open to.
All our love and gratitude,
Cassandra & Brian
Our Adoption Story & Promise to You
We feel incredibly lucky to have shared so many dreams together, and becoming parents is something we have always hoped for and talked about. Our path to parenthood hasn’t been easy, as we have faced challenges with conceiving, even with the help of IVF. Through it all, we have learned a lot about ourselves, what truly matters, and what makes a family. This experience has brought us closer together, allowing us to navigate challenging and emotional conversations, and has made us even more ready to become parents.
What we can promise is that your child will always have a safe, happy, and loving home, where they’ll be supported every step of the way. We will raise them with kindness, strong values, and a deep sense of self-worth, always encouraging their passions and making sure they have every chance to thrive and achieve their goals. Brian will likely try to get them biking as soon they can and Cassandra will try to pass along her love of reading, but truly, we are just looking forward to exploring all of their interests!
Your child will grow up knowing their adoption story and the courage and strength that influenced it. Most importantly, we want you to know there will always be space for you in our family’s life, in whatever way feels right.
About Us
Our story began in Albany, NY, in 2017. Brian likes to say that Cassandra was late for our first date, but she was just looking for parking, which was limited following a huge surprise March snowstorm! We immediately hit it off and spent hours talking. We ended up getting married during the pandemic but were able to have a beautiful outdoor ceremony with our close friends and family.
Like most best friends, we love doing everything together, whether it is a trip halfway around the world or a trip to the grocery store. We love to be goofy with each other and make the other laugh daily. In our free time, you’ll find us hosting family and friends with a BBQ or a casual get-together (where food is usually involved!). Brian is constantly perfecting his technique for smoked brisket – this is a true labor of love since it takes 18 hours to cook! Cassandra has always loved baking and has recently refined her French macarons, making different varieties and flavors and giving them out as gifts for various occasions.
We love to travel and have been lucky enough to go to destinations all over the world together. We love adventure vacations where we rent a car and drive around, exploring the new place we are in. Recently, we returned from Australia and New Zealand, which was an amazing adventure – we saw koalas and kangaroos and some of the most stunning scenery imaginable. We also learned how to drive on the left side of the road!
The thought of sharing our love of travel with your child really fills our hearts. We can’t wait to experience this through their eyes!
About Cassandra
I was raised in New Hampshire, and I moved to the Albany, NY area for college, where I majored in Biology with a double minor in Classics and Art History. If what I studied in college isn’t a giveaway, I’m a bit of a nerd and ultimately decided to go to medical school, where I fell in love with women’s health. Being an OBGYN is a deeply rewarding career that allows me to support patients through some of the most meaningful and difficult moments of their lives, from birth to lifelong health. I find inspiration in what I do every day, and I love working in academic medicine and having the opportunity to teach the next generation of physicians.
Outside of work, my two favorite hobbies are baking and reading. I am usually reading more than one book (I told you, I’m a nerd) and love to bake, especially around the holidays. I also love to spend time outdoors and particularly enjoy finding all the best waterfalls to photograph, even if it means hiking with my camera and tripod strapped to my back.
Through Brian’s eyes:
“Cassandra and I met at a local restaurant one winter night back in 2017. She was late :-), but I immediately noticed her beautiful smile. As we got to know each other more, I quickly realized how hard-working and caring she was. Fast forward, and each day, I realize how lucky I am to have her as my wife. Cassandra continually amazes me with how much she cares for me, our cats, and both of our extended families.
I also see how Cassandra is with our nieces and nephews, and I know she will make an incredible mother. Some of my favorite moments have been on Christmas day or birthdays when our nieces open their gifts. The joy on their faces when they get to see what cute outfit Aunt Cassandra picked out for them makes me smile every time. They typically will immediately run to get changed into it to show everyone else.
I love the life that Cassandra and I have built together, and I can’t imagine my life without her. I am so excited to see her in the role I know she was meant to be in, that of Mom.”
About Brian
I was born and raised in central Vermont, where my parents still live in the house that I grew up in. I have a younger sister who lives in Massachusetts with her husband and their two beautiful daughters. I landed in the Albany area after college when I started working as a Wind Engineer. I have worked for the same company for the past seven years and recently took on a leadership role where I supervise a team of six engineers who are located throughout the country. This is a remote position for me, and I love being able to work from home.
Outside of work, my main hobby is cycling. Growing up in Vermont, I spent a lot of time mountain biking, and many of my friends in the Albany area share that same hobby. There are a lot of great trails and roads in our general area, which allows me to get out on a regular basis. I also really enjoy cooking, whether it be baking bread or grilling/smoking various meats.
Through Cassandra’s eyes:
“Brian is the best person I know! He is my rock, my best friend, and my soulmate. He makes me laugh every day with his dad jokes and always makes sure to show and tell me how much he loves me! I’ve never seen someone who loves his cats so much, and it makes me love him even more. My perfect day is just spending time with him. I love how we can talk through anything and have a relationship that is built on mutual respect, trust, and communication.
He is the best older brother and a wonderful uncle. Our nieces call him Uncle Bunny, and our nephews are always asking,” Where’s Uncle Brian?” because he is so fantastic with them. Brian still has friends from grade school, and I’m amazed at how tight-knit his friend group remains through all life throws at them.
Brian is active every day – either riding his bike outside or on the trainer inside. Since I met him, I have loved that Brian has continued to grow. From only cooking a few things back in 2017 (chicken wraps were his specialty), Brian now helps orchestrate all our meals, is the grill/smoker master, and a budding bread maker. Brian is nothing short of fantastic, and I love the life that we’ve been able to build together. He is going to be the most amazing and supportive father.”
Our Home
We love our home! We were lucky enough to be able to design and build our house, and we moved in during the summer of 2022. Our home is in a small community on a golf course with a mixture of retired couples and families with young children. The neighborhood is wonderful and diverse, with an excellent school district and quick access to playgrounds and parks. The local rail trail is located directly across the street from us and is a great location for walking, running, and cycling.
We designed our home around our kitchen, which is the heart of the home, as we love to cook, bake, and entertain. Since moving in, we have worked to make the inside and outside of our home beautiful. We created a large patio in the backyard with a fire pit that is perfect for relaxing on spring and summer evenings and enjoying s’mores!
Jaxson & Winston
We joke that Cassandra shares her home with three ginger boys – Brian and our two orange tabby cats. After saying goodbye to our sweet Sunshine, Jaxson (9) was lonely, so we welcomed Winston (3 months), a playful kitten, into our family. Our cats mean the world to us, and Brian even included them in his proposal, bowties and all! They are the sweetest and most gentle pets.
Our Loved Ones
We are lucky to be surrounded by a fabulous group of friends and family. Cassandra’s family lives in New Hampshire. Her mom and dad split their time between their main home and their lake house. Her sister and brother-in-law live near her parents and have two boys. Brian’s parents live in Vermont, in the same house he grew up in. His sister and brother-in-law live in Massachusetts with their two girls. Everyone is so excited to welcome a new little one into our family, especially our nieces and nephews!
We have an incredibly supportive group of friends in the area. Brian has been living here for over 20 years and has a close group of friends – they call themselves the “Albany Family” and have annual holiday parties. Cassandra is lucky to have the most amazing coworkers who are close friends since she started at the Medical Center over a decade ago. We know that your child will be surrounded by a group of loving and fun adults and a crew of kids who would love a new playmate.
Holidays & Traditions
We are very close with both of our families, and holidays are so important to us. Both sides of the family love to cook, and for Christmas they make the classic Italian 7 fishes – although we both don’t like fish (another reason we are meant to be, lol), so we enjoy our fish-free pasta.
With Cassandra’s family, we go to her parents’ lake house each summer and take a big vacation every other year. Last year we went to Disney World, which was a blast!
Cooking and baking are a huge part of our lives, and we can’t wait to host everyone again for Thanksgiving. Brian loves to smoke a turkey, while Cassandra, her sister, and mom love to do marathon holiday baking weekends and can’t wait to have more little hands to help us! Last year, we made over 1,000 cookies in one day (definitely a new record for us!).
Making the everyday special is important to us, from trying every restaurant in the Albany area, to movie nights and takeout Fridays, and our personal favorite – roasting marshmallows over the fire pit for s’mores!
Together, we can’t wait to carry on our family traditions and also start new ones as a family of three.
We hope that through these pages, you feel you’ve gotten to know us and what kind of parents we promise to be.
No matter what path you choose, please know that we are thinking of you with warmth and respect. If you feel a connection to us, we would be honored to walk this journey with you.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for even considering us. We would be honored to know you, too, and to learn what is important to you and what your dreams are.
We feel so lucky and honored that you are thinking of us and we look forward to the future so much.
With much love and gratitude,
Cassandra & Brian
CONTACT US
We know this is not an easy decision. Everything you share will be kept confidential. Once you complete the form, call or text, we will reach out to you.
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Hudson Hearts Adoption
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