We’re Erin and Robbie from San Francisco, California (and during the summers, can often be found at our cabin in Lake Tahoe). We’re so grateful you’ve given us this chance to tell you about our life!

We’ve been married for (almost) 10 years and are eager to start our family through open adoption. Robbie (as his own boss) has a flexible work schedule and Erin (who runs her company out of our home) will be a work-at-home mommy.

We can only imagine the thoughts and feelings you must be experiencing as you make this important decision. If you decide adoption is right for you, we’ll make sure your child knows of your deep love and sacrifice. Being parents is the greatest desire of our hearts and we’re committed to nurturing your child in a home filled with love, laughter and happiness!

Our Story

It all began in 2006 on the 4^th of July in San Francisco. After watching fireworks, Erin and her friend were having a bite to eat at a restaurant. Robbie and his friend walked into the restaurant and Erin thought, “Hmm, that guy’s pretty cute.” Little did she know Robbie was thinking the same thing about her!

The restaurant was nearly empty and the four of us easily struck up a conversation. As the end of the night approached, we knew we wanted to see each other again. So we exchanged phone numbers and Robbie called Erin the next day to set up an official date.

We quickly fell in love, which put a hitch in Robbie’s plans to return home to England! He happily stayed in the USA and we married just 2 months later. It was the best decision we ever made and we’ll soon be celebrating our 10-year wedding anniversary.

About Erin (by Robbie)

Erin is a California native and the first thing I noticed about her when we met was her “sunny” disposition. She’s creative, energetic, and full of life.

Erin is very special to me and I admire her very much. She always seems to find the time for other people – even while managing a very successful company. She’s organized and navigates life with ease. Our child will never miss a play date, a sports event or any other activity with Erin as a mom! Erin makes things run like clockwork, but she does it all with a smile and a laugh.

She’s truly the glue that holds our family together. She’s the perfect balance of serious (gets the job done) and fun (keeps what’s important in life in perspective). She’s a natural leader, but she leads with gentle persuasion and love, inspiring people to do their best. I know she’s going to be the type of mom our children look up to and adore.

In the summer, you’ll find Erin outside. She loves to be outside, whether it’s walking our dogs at the beach or sitting in the sunshine with a good book. In the winter, you’ll find her involved in some type of home project like organizing a closet or going through recipes to find a new meal that she hasn’t cooked yet. Erin is a rock star cook! She takes after her Italian Mom and Grandmother, and her specialty is spaghetti sauce made from scratch.

Children love being around Erin because she’s so fun and inventive. She can always come up with an “on the spot” game to play or song to sing. I can’t wait for Erin to be a mom and share all that she has and all that she is with our child!

About Robbie (by Erin)

Robbie moved to the USA in 2004 for a work opportunity. Just when it was time for him to move back to England, we met. And the rest is history!

When you meet Robbie, you instantly like him. You just can’t help it! People (young and old) are drawn to him. He’s energetic, funny, and has a heart of gold.  He won’t hurt a fly. Literally! He’s very loving and patient and will be such a kind and gentle father, teacher and mentor for our child.

I love that Robbie loves his work. He’s so enthusiastic and passionate about fixing cars! Robbie’s father was a mechanic, so Robbie has been around cars since he was in a stroller. Back in England, he worked as an apprentice in a garage in his small village. Now, he owns an auto repair business in the SF Bay Area. I’m so proud of him for achieving his dreams and admire his dedication and passion – qualities I know he’ll share with our child.

Robbie loves sports.  I thought that being married to a “Brit” would mean we wouldn’t have to watch American football on Sundays. Not true! We not only watch football, but also watch baseball, basketball, golf, and soccer. I tease him that he’s more American than me!

Robbie is pretty much up for anything and rarely complains! Whether it’s boring daily chores, helping out a friend, or jumping in the car for a spontaneous road trip, he’s game! I love his adventurous spirit and I feel lucky to have him in my life. I know he’ll share this enthusiasm with our child and we’ll have many wonderful adventures together as a family.

Our Home & Our Dogs

We live in a cozy home in a family-oriented neighborhood in San Francisco.  Our neighborhood is full of young children and families, with local parks, great schools and a vibrant main street. As a neighborhood, we get together for BBQs, multi-family garage sales and Halloween.

We spend a lot of time in our backyard gardening and playing with our dogs. It’s the perfect place for our child to play ball with Robbie or plant flowers with Erin.

When we’re together inside our home, we love to cook. Robbie’s “go to” meal to make is a healthy stir fry. He also loves to BBQ. Erin likes to cook Italian food - mostly recipes passed on from her Grandmother, Aunt and Mother. She also loves salads, so she’s always chopping up vegetables. From April through October, the TV is tuned to baseball (go Giants!). And when the Giants aren’t playing, the house is usually filled with music.

Our home away from home is a beautiful cabin in Lake Tahoe that’s less than a mile from the lake.  Every 4^th of July week, we gather with Erin’s family to have fun on the beach, swim and go boating. In the evenings, we take turns making dinner and play board games and cards.

You’ll also find us at the cabin between Christmas and New Year’s Day. If there’s snow, we can’t wait to get out and explore! On New Year’s Eve, we make homemade pasta and Erin’s grandmother’s delicious spaghetti sauce.  We dream of the day when we can share this magical place and these special occasions with our child.

We have two dogs: Rosie and Buddy.  Rosie is the cutest little mutt you’ve ever seen! She has light brown hair with a little pink nose and green eyes.  She’s cuddly, curious, and is always up for a game of “tug of war.”

Buddy is a playful 6-pound Yorkie. He looks like a Teddy Bear, so we call him Buddy-bear. Both dogs are gentle and very good with kids. We’re looking forward to watching our child form a special bond with these energetic and sweet pups.

 

At Work

Robbie owns an auto repair shop and loves being his own boss! As the owner, Robbie works Monday through Friday, 8am – 5pm, and has the weekends off. His predictable work schedule means he can be home with Erin and our child in the evenings and on weekends.  Robbie is a real car nut and having been born in England, he especially loves European cars.

Erin is the owner of an event and video production company that she runs out of our San Francisco home. On a daily basis, Erin is meeting with clients, collaborating with colleagues, or has her head down in planning mode. Her company produces corporate videos, parties, and business meetings. Erin loves the freedom of working from home and will be able to adjust her work hours so she can be very hands-on with our newborn son or daughter.

At Play

When it’s time to relax, we love to meet up with friends for dinner, play in the pool at Erin’s parents’ house and unwind and explore at our cabin in Lake Tahoe.

We enjoy cooking together, watching baseball, and going on walks with our dogs, Rosie and Buddy. We also love spending time with our niece, our godchildren and our friends’ children. Many little people who have a special place in our hearts will warmly welcome our son or daughter into the family.

One of the things we most look forward to is traveling to England to see Robbie’s parents. We make the trip about every other year. In between, Robbie’s family usually comes to the USA for a visit. Robbie, especially, is looking forward to sharing the sights, sounds and tastes of his home country with our child.

We love spending time with Erin’s family. We’re lucky that Erin’s parents and sister live close enough to get together for weekend visits and vacations at our cabin.

Having our child join us in all these activities is something we can’t wait to experience!

What Matters to Us

Athough we grew up 6,000 miles apart (Erin in California and Robbie in England), we’re always amazed at how similar our family values are. At the heart of our relationship is love and trust. We both strive to be honest and decent people that treat others with respect and kindness. Our family motto is “When you have a choice to be RIGHT or to be KIND, choose to be KIND.”

As prospective adoptive parents, we want you to know that we promise to provide a life of love, happiness, laughter, stability, kindness and opportunity to your child. We’re committed to starting our family through open adoption and will help your child gain their own personal identity and an understanding of their unique experience.  From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for taking the time to read our story!