- New York -
Hi! We are Joy and Craig; thank you for reading about us. We're very excited about the prospect of adopting and appreciate the effort you are making to find a loving family for your child. We met about six years ago and got married in August 2020, which was slightly delayed because of the pandemic, but provided a better story than we would have had otherwise. We got married via Zoom!
By Craig: Joy is almost always happy, which is one of the things I love about her. She’s constantly smiling and excited, which is infectious. This trait is one of the first things that comes to mind when I envision her being a mother…I think it would be nearly impossible for a child to be unhappy having Joy as a mom. Like myself, Joy is very deliberate about investing in her relationships with friends and family. As a result, we are very fortunate to have such a large network of friends and family that are eager to support us in raising a child. She is also deeply empathetic, which will not only be an advantage for us in understanding a child’s needs and emotions, but is a quality I am confident that she will pass on. Finally, Joy is well organized and very responsible, which has fueled her career success—currently, she has a leadership role in the recruiting department of a fast growing tech company. Through this work, she has found enjoyment mentoring those early in their careers and helping them grow, a quality that is also important in parenting. I feel very fortunate that we found each other, and the idea of being parents together makes me feel that way all over again!
By Joy: Craig is my favorite person in the world. He is passionate and thoughtful while also being level-headed and calming. He is practical and disciplined, yet truly able to shift gears and focus on the things that make him happy, like cooking his favorite dishes for our friends and family or exploring new coffees from around the world. Through hard work and diligent saving, Craig has done very well at building financial security for our family, and with this foundation, he left the corporate world in 2016 to pursue his passions for food and beverage. Today, he runs a successful consulting business. Nothing gives me more pleasure than listening to him talk about how he is helping his clients (small business owners) thrive and grow. He truly loves his career and the flexibility it brings—something that will be especially valuable in raising a child. Whenever there is a tough moment or stressful situation, Craig is able to help me or others see the bigger picture and the bright side. Whether good times or challenging ones, he thrives on seeing those he cares about happy and I know he will always do his best as a father.
Hi! We are Joy and Craig; thank you for reading about us. We’re very excited about building a family and appreciate the effort you are making to find a loving family for your child.
We feel fortunate that we both came to our relationship with a desire to grow our family through adoption. We also recognize the benefits of an open adoption specifically, and we’d be eager to work with you if you’re also interested.
We feel we are set up to take wonderful care of a child: we are established professionally, financially, and have a very large network of friends and family who cannot wait to welcome a little one into the family.
We both believe there are children in the world that need a happy, loving home, which we would be excited to provide!
We live in a fantastic, spacious apartment in Brooklyn, New York. We have an open floor plan, which is nice because even when you’re by yourself, you don’t feel alone. We have two bedrooms and two full bathrooms. Our 30 houseplants bring greenery and beauty to our home.
Our “backyard” is a plethora of outdoor spaces. Private to our building are two beautiful rooftop patios and a courtyard, which we make good use of for relaxing, working, and entertaining. One block away is a large park with multiple playgrounds, tennis, and basketball courts. A short walk away is a massive park with full size ball fields and a track, which we frequent for picnics with friends! We’re also near a new riverside park, with enormous play areas for children, including fun water features.
The neighborhood we live in is diverse and thriving. New restaurants and stores have opened up, and our farmers market expanded, so we are spoiled with great, healthy food options. In very close proximity are several ethnic communities (Dominican, Jewish, Italian, and Polish), which provide an abundance of opportunities to experience different cultures.
Our home is centrally located in New York City, so we have great access to everything the city offers, such as world class museums, performances, sporting events and limitless cultural activities. New York City will be such a fun place to grow up. The city is our playground, and we can’t wait to bring a little one along.
We are extremely fortunate to have a wealth of family in New York City, including Joy’s mother, an aunt and an uncle; Craig’s sister and her family of four; as well as first cousins for each of us. Joy’s brother’s family of four isn’t too far away (Boston), and Craig’s parents are considering a move here. We see each of these groups multiple times a year, and most of them at once for some Jewish holidays—we even took those gatherings outside through the pandemic so we could still celebrate together.
Joy’s mom, who loves to cook for the whole family, can’t wait to have another loved one to feed. And the other three grandparents will surely lure us to them every chance they get: Craig’s parents have hosted Thanksgiving for the whole family for decades, while Joy’s father is constantly pitching family vacation ideas.
Everyone, from the prospective grandparents to the would-be cousins, is eager to welcome a new family member. Craig’s sister and brother-in-law have insisted that they are first in line for any babysitting opportunities, but we’re also excited to have Craig’s teenage niece babysit, to further develop our relationship with her, and help her build one with her new cousin. All of our loved ones are excited to welcome a little one into the family with open arms.
Living in New York means we have great access to travel options, and we take advantage of that. Since meeting, we have traveled together to Spain, Japan, Greece, Vietnam and Mexico. We also have done some nice road trips since the pandemic, including going half-way across the country to visit Craig’s parents. Finally, we’ve explored our region together as well, from western New York to northern Vermont to DC. We can’t wait to bring a child along on our adventures!
At home, our primary interest is food, particularly exciting, delicious ways to explore different cuisines through cooking and dining out! Not only have we learned to appreciate each other’s passions, but we have learned how to encourage each other through the good, bad, exciting, and boring! We believe this is great training for raising a child, where striking the right balance of teaching and enjoyment is critical.