We are Phil, Erika and Izzy from Dana Point, California Thank you so much for taking the time to learn a bit about us. We feel honored that you would consider entrusting us with your baby. We admire you for doing everything in your power to provide the best future for your child, and we will do everything in ours to live up to the magnitude of your sacrifice. We will make sure that your child knows how much you love them and that you are an important part of their story.

We have one daughter Izabella and more love than we know what to do with. We always wanted several children but after the difficult circumstances around Izzy’s birth and the challenges in her early childhood, we felt adoption was the best path to grow our family. We always felt a strong desire to adopt and discussed adoption even before we got married. We have a home full of love, fun, shenanigans, and lots of plants (so many plants).

We met in Hungary in the ‘90s when we were teenagers. Erika was born in Hungary, while Phil moved there from the U.S. because his Dad was invited to teach at a Bible College. We became best friends before we dated and we’ve remained best friends throughout our 22 years of marriage. We lived and worked in Budapest for 7 years and then decided to move to the U.S. in order to work and save up for a home. We sold everything, packed our life into five suitcases, spent our savings on a plane ticket, and off we flew to the other side of the world.

After a year on the East Coast, we moved to Southern California and this is where our daughter Izabella was born. We have overcome a lot of challenges with Izzy but those trying times forged us into a bulletproof family.

Erika has a graduate degree in English & education. She taught Hungarian and English as a foreign language for ten years. After Izzy was born, she became a stay-at-home mom and she only teaches for fun now. She has some online students and she also teaches free English classes to immigrants at our Community Center.

Erika is the most selfless, caring, compassionate person. She is incredibly smart, funny, and has an uncanny ability to connect with people, no matter their story. Erika puts Izzy at ease and makes her feel safe, comforted and loved.

After working with some non-profit organizations, Phil entered the field of graphic design. He started his career at an agency in Hungary and ultimately ended up at a company in Southern California where he is now the Executive Creative Director. His job allows him to work from home two days a week.

Everybody loves Phil. People are drawn to his calm, positive energy and they enjoy his quick wit and humor. Phil is a unique blend of strength, compassion, resilience, confidence, and humbleness. Izzy thinks Phil is Super Dad and their special bond is obvious to everyone who meets them. Phil always shows up, he is always present, and he is always involved.

Izzy is a sweet, quirky, funny girl with an infectious smile. Her superpower is to make the grumpiest person smile on a bad day. Izzy’s life had a hard beginning but she defied all odds and proved to be tougher than a Navy Seal. She is easygoing and appreciates tomfoolery like her Dad but she is also delightfully nerdy and loves books and documentaries like her Mom.

We Live in a sunny, laid-back coastal town in Southern California. Our home is within walking distance to the beach. We have regular neighborhood play dates, ladies’s nights, and block parties. We turn every holiday into an opportunity to hang out and mingle. Our cul-de-sac is the center of all the holiday fun: where we have our pot-lucks, where we end our 4th of July parades, where we take pictures with Santa during our Christmas parties, and where we compare costumes before trick-or-treating. It’s a safe, fun and wonderful place to grow up.

We researched all the desired traits, compiled a list of ideal breeds and spent weeks searching rescue sites. Then we stumbled upon this adorable bossypants Jack Russel mix who didn’t meet any of our criteria. So we did what any reasonable person would do: we tossed out our list and snatched up the pup.

Stella is a constant source of fun and affection. She adores her family, she is a fierce protector of Izzy, and she is almost too intelligent for a dog. She nods ‘yes’ when you ask her questions and growls at the villain while watching TV. However, she loves babies and she is very gentle with them. Stella will make a great companion to your child!

We’ve been blessed with a broad range of friends due to the many places we’ve lived in and the international communities we’ve been part of. We are very fortunate to have some close, strong friendships that have lasted through decades.

We both grew up in families where closeness, connection and quality time were priorities. We’ve held onto these values and we cherish spending time together as a family. We love going on walks together, exploring new areas, spending time on the beach, swimming in our pool, going on adventures, or curling up on the couch to watch a show.

We always joke that a bigger house would be wasted on us because we always hang out in the same room. On holidays we try to make lots of memories together. Halloween is a time when Phil’s creativity shines as he always transforms the wheelchair into a fun prop.

One year Phil converted the wheelchair into an airplane so Izzy could be Amelia Earhart. Last year our theme was Back to the Future and Phil turned the wheelchair into the Delorean. We have lots of fun on Halloween but we also enjoy the quiet intimacy of Christmas. With our family scattered all over the planet, we have regular video sessions to stay connected between visits.

Thank you so much for taking the time to get to know us. We admire your courage and strength. It would be a great privilege to share this journey with you and to build a relationship rooted in our shared love for your child. We would love to get to know you and learn more about your story.