We each have large extended families and lots of traditions that go along with that. We both grew up with a strong Italian American heritage thanks to each of our grandmothers, so several of our traditions come from this heritage. We both grew up with family dinner every Sunday, which was always pasta and included all of the extended family nearby.

While we don't have much family nearby now, we still regularly do pasta dinner Sundays, often with Kerri's homemade pasta and Ben's homemade sauce. Kerri's family has always had a large family Thanksgiving, which consists of numerous courses of far too much food, which we still attend every year. We also still travel every year to attend Kerri's family's huge gathering for Christmas Eve, complete with the Italian tradition of the seven fishes, both secret Santa and white elephant gift exchanges, and a visit from Santa Claus. We also grew up with yearly family vacations to the beach (Kerri) or lake (Ben) each summer.

We love to travel whenever and wherever we get the chance. We’ve been lucky enough to experience new countries or cities several times a year, and look forward to continuing that tradition with a child. Once they’re old enough, we’d hope to instill a love of travel and exploration in a child, and bring them with us on adventures. Outside of travel, our leisure time is split between several interests. Kerri is part of a book club, and Ben regularly plays D&D with friends.

We also have season tickets to our local minor league soccer team, along with a group of friends who all sit together. We enjoy swimming, hiking with our dogs, going to the driving range, and relaxing at home together. Ben is a big sports fan, and hopes to get to see a game in each of the NHL hockey arenas. Kerri loves doing puzzles, and she and Ben often play cards or backgammon together.

We have two dogs; both were rescued as puppies. Zoe, our older dog, is an eleven year old, black and white terrier mix female. She is about 25 pounds and has a very sweet temperament. After her rescue she was very uncomfortable around other people, but now as time has gone on she has warmed up to people and loves snuggling in and getting pets from just about anyone. Our younger dog is Nyx, a six year old cattle dog mix female. She is about 45 pounds and also has a very sweet temperament. She loves people, once she spends a little time with them. Upon first meeting Nyx, she will duck behind Ben to make sure he is comfortable with the newcomer before she approaches for pets. Both of our dogs are very sweet dogs but a lot makes them uneasy. They have never been aggressive, and prefer to back away or go to Ben or Kerri in situations where they're scared. Both dogs have also proven that they get along great with children in an our home.

Our family backgrounds and similar aspects to our childhoods is one of the things that brought us together. Ben grew up in upstate New York, and in addition to his parents and sister, had lots of extended family nearby. One of Ben's cousins is still his best friend, and his childhood was heavily influenced by time spent with his grandfather, and cooking with his Italian grandmother. His parents live fairly close to us, and we get to see them regularly. His sister lives across the country, but we FaceTime often, especially to see our nieces. Kerri grew up surrounded by family in New Jersey.

In addition to her parents, brother, and sister, she has several cousins she's close with, and spent every Sunday afternoon at her grandmothers house for family dinner. She and her family loved going to the Jersey Shore every summer. While Kerri's family is now rather far away, we make it a priority to visit a few times a year, especially at the holidays. We have a lot of Thanksgiving and Christmas traditions, and love spending time with our nephews.

We live and work in a quiet suburb of Alabama. Our house is a one level, single family home on a plot of land roughly a half of an acre. Our house has four bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms and plenty of space for us and our two dogs. Our neighborhood is frequently used as a place to take your dog for a walk, go for a jog or even push a stroller. Our community is well equipped to support family life. Not only are there plenty of places that offer developmental activities such as sport complexes or swimming pools, but there are events throughout the year that will always offer a unique experience (conventions, food tours, and science events).

Local semi-pro sports teams (baseball, soccer, hockey) are also an option to enjoy on a regular basis. We also have many areas in our community that offer cute, unique experiences; an old warehouse that has been converted into an independent art community, an outdoor area with shops and parks that show projected movies in the summer and a shopping/dining area that hosts events at its amphitheater. The community we live in is well suited for and supports raising a child.

Thank you for taking the time to read our profile. We have immense respect for the courage, love, and selflessness it takes for you to consider adoption. We can’t begin to imagine all the thoughts and emotions you may be carrying, but we admire the strength it takes to navigate such difficult decisions. We hope this letter gives you a glimpse into who we are and the life we have built together.

Our names are Ben and Kerri. We’ve been married for five years and together for eight. Although we both grew up in the Northeast, we didn’t meet until we had each moved to Alabama. Adjusting to life in the South was an experience for both of us, and when we met, we found a little piece of home in one another. We met through friends at work and quickly bonded over our shared experiences growing up in households dominated by Italian-American culture, to include family traditions, and, of course, delicious food. With similar values and matching senses of humor, we became inseparable friends who were always laughing together. We got married a few years later and have built a comfortable and joyful life together. From the beginning, we always dreamed of having a family. After trying for several years and experiencing the heartbreak of multiple miscarriages, we spent a great deal of time reflecting and talking about what came next for us. Through that process, we came to feel that our path to parenthood was simply meant to look different. We are incredibly grateful and excited for the opportunity to grow our family through adoption.

We own a home in a lovely older neighborhood on a quiet street with lots of tall trees and large yards. There are always young families or children out walking or biking by, and lemonade stands are a staple during the hot summer months. Our fenced yard gives our two dogs, Zoe and Nyx, plenty of room to run and play safely. We are also fortunate to have close friends nearby with children of their own, along with beautiful city parks and libraries that we enjoy often.

Kerri works as a forensic scientist, and loves baking, doing puzzles, and reading. Her chemistry background comes in handy when trying out new recipes! Ben works as an analyst, and spends his free time watching sports, grilling/barbecuing, and playing video games/tabletop games with friends. He loves to cook and try new foods, and is the primary cook in our household. We both love to travel and have been fortunate to be able to explore new places a few times each year. On weekends we enjoy spending time together at home with our dogs, hiking in our local state park, or meeting up with friends for book club, brunch, or a movie. We are so excited to bring a child into our lives, to share our community of friends and family and passion for exploring new places. We would look forward to sharing photos of their adventures as they grow and describing their experiences in letters or emails to you.

We have been incredibly fortunate to experience so much love and support in our lives, and we truly look forward to providing that same foundation of love, laughter, and adventure for a child. Thank you again for taking the time to read our story and for considering us. We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to share a small snapshot of our lives with you.

Sincerely,

Benjamin & Kerri