Chemical Engineer / Registered Nurse
New Jersey
Caucasian
Catholic
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for coming this far on your journey and taking the time to learn more about us and our family. Our names are Charlie and Lauren, and we have a three-year-old son named Eli. While we may not know you personally yet, we know that this is an incredibly difficult and enormous decision you are facing. We hope that our profile can help give you a sense of who we are as a family and as parents, and that we can get to know each other even better from here if you’d like.
We promise to honor your child’s story and welcome both of you into our lives with open arms.
As a couple, we have a solid foundation that began as friendship and naturally grew into something bigger over time. We are 35 and 33 years old and met in college at Rutgers University where we were friends for years before ever dating. We’ve been together for over a decade and have been married since 2015. Together we enjoy exploring places both new and old, especially hidden local gems around NJ. But more than anything, we just enjoy each other’s company, no matter the activity. Like any couple, we’ve had our fair share of ups and downs over the years. But something that we value above all else is communication. We are dedicated to always keeping the lines of communication open and honest, no matter what. This open communication and commitment to loving each other through it all has helped strengthen our marriage into what it is today. Our similar sense of humor has also strengthened our bond. One of the first things we did together as a couple was watch The Office in its entirety because Lauren couldn’t believe Charlie had never seen it. To this day, our idea of a perfect night is still hanging out watching The Office together. Although, the greatest strength of our marriage has stemmed from the fact that we truly find joy in just being together. Activities we do enjoy together are spending time with our loved ones, making music, gardening, and cooking together.
Adoption has been on our hearts for a long time as we’ve encountered the ups and downs of infertility struggles over the years. We know in our hearts that we have so much love yet to give, and we respect whatever decision feels right to you.
Shortly after getting married, we wanted to start our family. A long road with infertility led to our son, Eli, in 2018. Since then, we have had similar fertility struggles when trying to conceive more children. We have always dreamed of having a big family together, much like the kind we were both raised in. Adoption had always been part of the conversation for us from the start, and ultimately, we began to feel more and more like it was the path we were meant to take.
We live in central NJ and are blessed to be close to many of our loved ones within the state. Charlie’s parents are under an hour away, and Lauren’s parents and brother are under 10 minutes! Living so close to family has been our biggest blessing, especially when raising a family. Our son sees his grandparents and family frequently, and that strong family bond is fundamental to our parenting. Our parents are all so excited for this journey as well, and cannot wait to welcome another grandchild through adoption. As homeowners, we have enjoyed doing several projects around the house since we moved here in 2016. One of our favorite adventures has been building our own garden. The exterior garden walls are actually the same ones that Lauren’s grandfather built for her mom’s garden when Lauren was a girl, and it means the world that those same walls are now in her own family garden. Incorporating this piece of living family tradition is just one of the things we love about our yard, a place where our family gathers for BBQs and parties all year long. Another perk of our location in central NJ is our ability to take our children on great day trips to places like the beach or into the city (New York City or Philadelphia) because of how centrally located we are. There is never a shortage of ideas for a fun adventure!
We both come from big families and are excited to add even more love to the mix! We each have two brothers and have both grown up knowing the joy of having close siblings. Most of our family is local, and those who are not still come to visit often. Lauren has a very close extended family as well, and many of her family traditions include her cousins who she sees frequently. For decades, Lauren’s extended family has gathered every December to make homemade pierogies for Christmas. It is a tradition that has existed as long as Lauren can remember and has been carried on through multiple generations. Then we all gather again Christmas Eve night, and we eat the pierogies together, surrounded by love, family, and music played by the family band. It is the most special night of the year for us, and just one example of our family’s many traditions. Aside from our close families, we also have a wonderful friend group, with friendships that have lasted over decades. We feel incredibly lucky to be surrounded by such a loving group of both friends and family, and they are all so excited for this journey as well.
Lauren (By Charlie): Lauren is a nurturer by nature. She is a Registered Nurse, and her compassion and caretaker instincts know no bounds. She is fiercely protective of her loved ones and has a way of making even the most mundane things feel enjoyable. Lauren can find a way to celebrate anything for anyone and goes above and beyond to make her loved ones feel special. Whether this is through baking fun treats or creating unique celebrations, she just makes life feel fun. It’s one of the first things that I loved about her when we met in college. This is a trait that particularly shines as a mother, watching her create such fun experiences out of everyday activities and making memories for our son that will last a lifetime. She’s the first to dive into a pumpkin and squish all the guts out with the kids, and certainly isn’t afraid to be silly. Lauren is the heart of our family, and our safe place. Anyone who knows her knows how special she is and how deep her love runs.
Charlie (By Lauren): I may be biased, but I think Charlie’s the best. He is sincere, loyal, and doesn’t take himself too seriously. He’s an incredible father to our son and a hardworking professional engineer. When we first met, I was Charlie’s Resident Assistant at Rutgers University, and he was a lovable goof who lived down the hall and enjoyed drawing pictures of ferrets on my white board. To some people, this may have been strange. Some may have wondered, “why is this guy drawing so many ferrets on my door?”. But I found this trademark Charlie silliness to be endearing and decided this guy was someone I wanted to get to know better. Not only did I learn that Charlie had a beloved pet ferret at home, hence his love of them, but I also learned that he is an incredibly kind and wonderful person. And, most importantly, a really great friend. Those ferret drawings were the beginning of a beautiful friendship, and the rest after that is history.
We met at college when Lauren was Charlie’s Resident Assistant at Rutgers University. We were friends for a year or two, and that friendship naturally progressed into a relationship over time.
To our future child,
Always be yourself. We promise to love and accept you for exactly who you are, never trying to mold you into something you are not.
Stay true to what makes you happy. We promise to encourage and nurture your interests and talents, and support you as you chase your dreams, whatever they may be.
Love with all your heart. We promise to love you unconditionally. To provide a family environment where love does not need to be earned and is given freely and abundantly without judgment. Through the good times and the bad. Where you can feel safe, secure, and loved exactly as you are.
Try to find moments of joy and laughter in life. We promise to always look for this joy with you and chase it together. To cherish the laughter and joy in things both big and small.
Don’t be afraid to take a chance. We promise to navigate the waters of life with you. We will be your biggest allies and to help navigate whatever ups and downs may come so you know you always have our support and love to help weather any storm.
We cannot begin to imagine the feelings you must be experiencing during this process, but we promise to always hold space and honor those feelings with you. As adoptive parents, we promise to dedicate our lives to loving your child unconditionally and ensuring that they always know where they came from and how deeply they are loved by you. We would love to honor an open adoption and keep in touch with updates as your child grows using emails, letters, sharing photos, and annual visits depending on your comfort level. We are happy to discuss this more and honor whatever arrangement makes you most comfortable. Our goal is to ensure that your child always knows where they came from, beginning with the unconditional love you have demonstrated from the start.