Hello and thank you! We are Carissa & Hunter from Newark, California. You don't know us yet, but we already know you're incredible. This isn't easy, yet here you are, looking at us as potential parents for your child. We deeply admire your courage and strength in considering this path, and we're here to offer our unconditional love and commitment. We're overjoyed at the possibility of welcoming your little one into our lives, and we can't thank you enough for bringing their light into this world. We look forward to getting to know you a little better soon.

We’re adopting because the possibility of becoming parents fills us with such a profound sense of completeness, we couldn’t imagine our lives without a child. We knew from the beginning we’d be unable to conceive on our own. As our relationship developed, so did our desire to become parents. So here we are, ready to begin this amazing journey as adoptive parents. We want to fill our home with love and excitement and joy, nurturing and supporting this beautiful life together. This is going to be a life-changing adventure and we are so excited to get it started.

Six years ago, we crossed paths at a mutual friend’s house party and bonded over our time pitching in college. We spent months driving hours to see one another every other weekend before finally moving in together and starting our careers in the Bay Area. Now we have two beautiful dogs, play D&D with family and friends, go camping and fishing when we can, do our best to vacation to new parts of the world, and spend our free time cuddling on the couch in front of Netflix. Our home is filled with laughter and love and sometimes an excessive amount of dog hair. We share the same values and beliefs, which have served as a strong foundation for our relationship. We are so excited to start our next adventure together — parenthood.

I grew up in Central California as the youngest of 7 siblings. I was fortunate to experience what it’s like to chase a passion early in life. For me, that first passion was softball. My love for the game resulted in a college scholarship, and that college experience set me on a path to graduate school to pursue a new passion - science. My family has always been a steady support system and an incredible source of strength, especially as it grew with the addition of nieces and nephews along the way. Helping them explore the world as they’ve grown and encouraging them to chase their passions has been the most rewarding experience of my life thus far, and I’m beyond excited to take on that same approach as a parent.

Carissa is determined, compassionate, resilient, and is always ready for adventure. The day after we met, I invited her to come hiking with friends in Yosemite. It was a Sunday. She agreed as long as she made it home in time to finish experiments for her PhD. She pulled an all-nighter to complete her work, and we texted the entire time until she invited me to school to watch the sun rise. Nothing can stand in her way when she sets her mind to it. Although the youngest of seven, Carissa is respected and admired by her family. She’s been an aunt since she was 4 and is determined to fill her nieces and nephews lives with as much love and support as she possibly can. She’ll drive hours for one of their softball games and sleep on the couch so she can make the kids breakfast in the morning. I'm excited to see the light and love in her eyes as she nurtures and supports a child, providing them with all the opportunities possible to grow up happy and healthy.

I was born and raised in Southern California and was the quintessential scholar athlete. My parents, both teachers, made sure to keep me active and engaged on the field and in the classroom. I did well enough to pitch in college and earn Master’s Degrees in both English and Screenwriting. I also was able to live and study in Rome, Italy with my little brother and discovered a passion for travel. Since then, I’ve visited 17 countries and am eager to see and learn more with my beautiful partner. Now, I am a professional writer, adult softball player, gym goer, gamer, D&D game master, and hopefully future father. I have always wanted to become a parent and found true fulfillment in helping children grow. From my time as a camp counselor to a teacher at a treatment center for at-risk teens, my biggest joys come from helping young people reach their potential. That’s why my personal motto is “to inspire greatness and instill the desire to achieve it.”

The first thing I noticed when I met Hunter was the kindness in the way he spoke. Two weeks later we were floating down the river with my family and I watched him listen intently to my mom as she told him stories, bond with my sister over their shared experience as red heads, and effortlessly transition to conversations about fishing with my brothers. The end of a family float could be chaotic, but this time felt strangely calm. I remember looking up from the raft I was deflating to find that Hunter had all the kids lined up in front of him playing ‘Simon Says’. They were belly-laughing and trying not to move. That was the moment I started to fall in love with him. He is intelligent, charismatic, funny, and incredibly loving. He communicates with sincerity and compassion, especially in our relationship. His presence is calming and, wherever we are in the world, he feels like home. I've known from early on in our relationship that he'd make an amazing father and I can't wait to be on that journey with him.

We are a pair of athletic nerds. We can spend an entire day on the couch or pack up the fishing poles, tent, cots and dogs and go camping for the weekend. We’ve been playing Dungeons & Dragons almost every Sunday with family and friends for the last year and a half — Hunter is the Game Master and Carissa is a tiefling rogue. Hunter is writing a young adult novel series, so he definitely gets to flex his creative storytelling muscles. If there’s some free time available, Hunter will also play games on his computer or console. Carissa can be found in the backyard trying to turn her brown thumb green.

When we aren’t relaxing at home, we can be found at either the softball field playing in a league, working out at the gym to prepare for a Spartan Race, or traveling the world. Our latest adventure was Iceland, where we saw the Northern Lights and swam between tectonic plates! As exciting as all this is to do together, we are beyond thrilled to welcome a little one to experience the world with us. We want to find out what excites them, what their passions are, and nurture those. Will they love fishing too? Maybe they’re amazing at soccer or love cooking. Wherever their interests lie, we want to support them.

We recently moved into a home in Newark, California because we knew we needed more space. Not just so the dogs have a yard to run in, but for your child to grow and call home. We love that there is a park a block away with a playground, or we could hop in the car and drive ten minutes to see the ocean. It’s a family-friendly neighborhood as well, with smiling people walking dogs and pushing strollers. We also chose this place because it’s in a good school district. Since we are brand new to the area, we’re excited to learn more about the community’s concerts in the park, outdoor dining, community parks, and other things to enjoy on a warm California day.

Rocky is a sweet, goofy Plott Hound and Ripley is a smart, energetic Australian Shepherd. They are both incredibly friendly and will be great with a child!

Hunter works from home full-time as a writer for one of the nation’s leading homebuilders and has excellent benefits to support our family. As a scientist devoted to advancing treatments for brain disorders, Carissa benefits from the adaptability of a hybrid work schedule.

Carissa's Family: Most of Carissa’s family lives less than two hours away, so we make it a point to drive out and spend time with them as often as possible. We are a close-knit group and love spending quality time together, whether it’s at the house, by the lake, or on a float down the river. The two brothers that live in Oregon will periodically make the trek down to hang out as well. This family truly believes that it takes a village to raise a child, and it's worked well for our eleven nieces and nephews. It can get loud and chaotic and full of unique personalities, but there’s always plenty of love between everyone.

Hunter's Family: Hunter’s parents and younger brother live in Southern California, and we do what we can to see them during the holidays. We’re always greeted with big hugs and full plates of food. His brother is also part of our weekly D&D game, so we get to catch up with him regularly.

For all the hopes and dreams we’ve had as parents for our future child, it really comes down to these three desires: we want to nurture curiosity, support passions, and provide unconditional love. We want to give them the opportunity to explore the world and ask questions. To grow and learn by doing things that excite them, scare them, and make them wonder. There is so much to learn and experience, and we want them to be excited for it all. Having passion and a zest for life gives purpose and drive to succeed. No matter their passion, we want to give them every opportunity to find success in it. Whether it’s a hobby or turns into a career, finding something they love and knowing we want them to explore it can lead to a truly happy life. Adoption is a unique experience that’ll lead to a lot of questions, but above all else, we want the child to know they are loved. No matter the level of connection in our constellation, the child will always be the center, surrounded by love.

We understand this may be the hardest decision you’ll ever make and you want to ensure your child is cared for and loved. You’re looking for a family to provide them with the best future possible, one filled with joy, kindness, support, and potential. We believe we can be that family for you and your child. We also want to respect your level of comfort with an open adoption. We know it takes a village to raise a child, and you’re part of that village too. We want to get to know you as well, if that’s what you want. At the end of the day, there is one thing for certain: love will undoubtedly surround this child. We hope you’ll consider us to be your child’s adoptive parents. Let’s fill their world with all the love and happiness possible.