- California -
We met in 2014 at church, where Teesha was working, when she interviewed Fred to be a volunteer. We started dating shortly after that, and after three months we knew we wanted to be together forever. We got married nine months after that in February 2016. We love to do it all, no matter what it is. Going on a long road trip? Sounds great! Staying in bed late on a cold day with a cup of coffee and a book? We are here for it. We find joy in lots of life’s experiences, both large and small, both
I was raised in a family of strong women, led by my now 97 year old Jamaican grandmother. There is nothing I can’t handle if I decide to do it. I’ve completed two Ironman Triathlons, in addition to a number of marathons. I love going for a long bike ride and staying active. But, I’m also a book-worm who enjoys a lazy morning or quiet afternoon with a cup of tea. For several years I was a practicing attorney, before leaving that work and moving into full-time church ministry in 2014. In 2021 I was ordained as a priest in the Anglican church, and currently lead a neighborhood church in northeast Los Angeles.
I love being with friends, helping others, and hospitality. I have never met a stranger and am often the person others look to for wisdom and support. I am an action oriented person who enjoys getting things done for our family, our friends, and others in our community. I have worked in marketing and advertising for most of my career, but I have never let my work define who I am. In 2018 Teesha and I started a nonprofit that combined two of my great passions: helping people in need, and cooking good (and beautiful) food. I spend as much time as I can helping Teesha with everything at the church and in growing our community.
Dear Birth Mother,
Thank you.
Thank you for bringing this precious child into the world. We don’t know you: who you are; where you are from; what you look like; what makes you happy or sad; what you like to eat; or what you like to wear. All of that is a mystery to us. But what we do know is this: the world is now a better and more beautiful place because of the gift you have given to it.
What we want you to know about us is: even though we are not able to have children of our own, we desire to be parents all the same. Maybe even more so because of it.
We are Teesha and Fred. We have been married for over seven years, and it is our hope and prayer that not another day goes by without us being able to give our love to a child.
I, Teesha, am an ordained priest in the Anglican church. Our church is the center of our lives.
I, Fred, work in business. I volunteer as much time as I am able to our church and to people in our community in need of food, housing, and friendship.
Together, and as you will see in the pictures and stories that follow, we love being together with family and friends; hiking and camping in the outdoors; traveling around the world, trying new things (especially food!); and, above all, being with each other. The only thing that would make our lives even better is a child to complete our family.
We are blessed to have models of love given to us by our families, who now live both near to and far from us, and who will join us in raising and caring for our future child. They cannot wait to meet and to love their new grandchild, nephew or niece, or cousin. Our church community – people of all ages, races, ethnicities, and life backgrounds – will rejoice with us and support us when we can finally announce we are welcoming a child into our home and family.
This is our promise to you: if you trust us with the care and adoption of your child, you can live everyday knowing that your child is safe, is loved, is being raised by two people that want the best for them, and is surrounded by a community that wants to help them make the world a better place. It is our desire that we have a child whom we can raise to live a life full of love, happiness, and service to others, alongside us.
Your child will always know of the gift of life and love you gave to them, and, if it is your desire, hopefully they can meet you someday to share who they have become.
Once more, and always, thank you.
-Teesha and Fred
We know how to be relaxed, and when to be serious. We neither want to be “helicopter parents,” nor totally “free range” in our parenting style. As with all things in life, there needs to be balance, and that balance can shift over time. Parenting will come with new challenges everyday, and we are committed to loving our child, helping them understand how to make good decisions in life and treat others well, and, when needed, providing clear and appropriate redirection.
We live on a quiet street in a single-story, three bedroom, two bath, ranch style home. It’s perfect for a family, close to everything going on in the city, and located near several award-winning schools. Our home is a gathering place for friends and for our church community. We believe in and practice hospitality, and host dinners, movie nights, and are able to to provide a spare room for friends and relatives coming through town.
We are still putting everything together! But when it’s finished we want our nursery to be a place of peace, and rest, and a space where a child can grow and have fun.
This is Lucille. She is 2.5 years old and loves to snuggle.
We are who we are because of our families. They have loved us and supported us and helped us to become the best people possible.
Even though we are adults we make it a priority to talk with our families by phone all the time, sometimes daily. We all travel to visit each other so that we can be together several times a year, especially around holidays. Both of our siblings live nearby.
Many of our siblings and cousins have children of their own, so any child we welcomed into our home would be raised with a large, loving family, full of fun, parties, and special traditions.
Being outside and enjoying nature is one of our greatest sources of joy as a couple. It helps you appreciate beauty in both the small and big ways, just by looking around you and breathing in the fresh air. In 2020, during Covid, we built a bed in the back of our small car and drove all around the Western United States, camping, hiking, and visiting 15 of America’s National Parks. We will never forget that experience, and we want to make being outside and loving nature an important part of our lives as a family.
