Why We Want to Adopt We are givers. We love to share our knowledge and our adventures. We love to play, create and connect. As soon as we were married, we knew we wanted to grow our family. Thankfully, we connected with close friends who grew their families through adoption. As we learned more about this beautiful way of becoming parents, we felt called to open up our lives and our hearts to this possibility. Adoption is a chance for us to share the wisdom and experience we have gained. We’re blessed with resources and we would love to use them to create opportunities for your child.

Meet Dina I’m a nurturer who loves to connect on a deeper level. I pack my husband breakfast and lunch every day and write cards to friends just to let them know I care. I'm a life-long learner. That definitely played a role in choosing a career in education. As a community college professor, I value taking time after class to get to know my students better. With hard work and patience, many of my life dreams have come true. Now I’m ready to give motherhood my all. I have

always dreamed of teaching my child about different cultures and the arts. I hope to have a close and open relationship. I imagine long walks together sharing our thoughts and feelings. I can see us telling stories and traveling the world together as a family. With a flexible schedule and working from home part-time, I’ll be fully present: diaper changes, homework help, PTA meetings, and bedtime stories! About Dina by John Dina is amazing. You might not notice it at first because she's gentle. I was instantly attracted to her warm smile. She is the best listener and my biggest supporter. Whenever I have a problem, she is the first person I turn to. She is calm, cool, and level-headed, ready to help me and anyone else in her close circle. This makes me certain she will be a safe place for our child. In fact, all her adoring kid fans love to tell her their secrets. Dina has a beautiful sense of self and purpose. She honors the sacrifices that her parents made so that she could have a good life. She is charming, hardworking, and resilient. She dreams of being a mother and passing on these values. Meet John I am a curious and compassionate person who loves projects and adventures, whether it’s setting up a science experiment for students, or getting out in nature and skiing. Building a community of family and friends is at the center of everything I do. I grew up in a loving family in rural Tennessee. After college I joined the Peace Corps and helped farmers plant trees in Africa. I was fast-tracked into parenthood when I discovered I had a 7-year old daughter in Southern California. I re-imagined my life as a dad and coparent and moved to Claremont in 2011. Even though I missed out on my daughter's younger years, I’ve learned so much from her about how to be a loving dad. Now, I am so excited about the possibility of raising a newborn side-by-side with my wonderful wife. About John by Dina John is one of a kind. He is so outgoing that he makes friends wherever he goes. He’s creative and full of energy. When he is working on house projects, teaching, or planning family vacations, he is figuring out ways to make things better. John is thoughtful. He hides love notes around the house and encourages me to try new things like horseback riding and skiing. I feel safe and cherished around him. I admire how he built a relationship with his daughter. His nieces and nephews adore him! During the pandemic, he set up a Zoom school for them. They were so excited. I can’t wait to see him cheering on our child while learning something new and teaching them how to be brave and kind.

Hobbies and Interests ● You’ll often find John gardening. ● Dina loves creating her famous snack boards — we can’t wait for our kid to judge our cook-offs! ● In our downtime, we play music and sing together in our reading nook, which will make a fun playroom someday. ● Most nights, to stay grounded, we meditate and read on the back porch. ● We stay fit with Pilates and gym workouts. ● We enjoy hiking, playing in the snow, and camping in the local mountains. John is excited to have a little ski buddy one day! ● When we travel, we bring art supplies to paint and create. ● We love visiting museums, catching live music, and exploring new places and foods. ● We host themed dinner parties. ● We volunteer at school events. ● We’re big fans of escape rooms! Our Home and Community Claremont is an ideal place to grow up: top-rated schools, scenic nature, and genuine people. We live in a bright 4-bedroom home with mountain views. It’s on a quiet cul-de-sac, with friendly neighbors and kids playing outside. Our favorite part of the home is the big backyard, filled with fruit trees, veggie beds, and a pool. We love hosting there. There’s a park(one of many!)just across the street and an award-winning elementary school right next door. We’re minutes from the mountains and within an hour of both the beach and the desert. Our tree-lined college town has a vibrant downtown with shops, an indie movie theater, and a library. We have a weekly farmer’s market, concerts/movies in the park, and monthly art walk. We especially appreciate how walkable and safe Claremont is. Our Love Story We met during Covid (2020) when LA traffic disappeared and dating apps actually worked! Coffee Meets Bagel led us to a prehistoric dinosaur museum, La Brea Tar Pits, for our first date. We bonded over sharing the same zany sense of humor and the joy of just being outside . Every night we read stories to each other over FaceTime. This is how we fell in love. Many travels and adventures later, John proposed to Dina at the local botanical garden with a scavenger hunt. She thought she was going to a magic show! Our marriage is rooted in respect and faith—we believe God has a plan for us and gives us the strength to follow it. Every day we spend quality time together, say “I love you,” laugh, and share our dreams. We like to say: "Together the mundane becomes magical and adversity becomes adventure,” because we really live that way. We are truly better together! Meet Dina I’m a nurturer who loves to connect on a deeper level. I pack my husband breakfast and lunch every day and write cards to friends just to let them know I care. I'm a life-long learner. That definitely played a role in choosing a career in education. As a community college professor, I value taking time after class to get to know my students better. With hard work and patience, many of my life dreams have come true. Now I’m ready to give motherhood my all. I have

always dreamed of teaching my child about different cultures and the arts. I hope to have a close and open relationship. I imagine long walks together sharing our thoughts and feelings. I can see us telling stories and traveling the world together as a family. With a flexible schedule and working from home part-time, I’ll be fully present: diaper changes, homework help, PTA meetings, and bedtime stories! About Dina by John Dina is amazing. You might not notice it at first because she's gentle. I was instantly attracted to her warm smile. She is the best listener and my biggest supporter. Whenever I have a problem, she is the first person I turn to. She is calm, cool, and level-headed, ready to help me and anyone else in her close circle. This makes me certain she will be a safe place for our child. In fact, all her adoring kid fans love to tell her their secrets. Dina has a beautiful sense of self and purpose. She honors the sacrifices that her parents made so that she could have a good life. She is charming, hardworking, and resilient. She dreams of being a mother and passing on these values. Meet John I am a curious and compassionate person who loves projects and adventures, whether it’s setting up a science experiment for students, or getting out in nature and skiing. Building a community of family and friends is at the center of everything I do. I grew up in a loving family in rural Tennessee. After college I joined the Peace Corps and helped farmers plant trees in Africa. I was fast-tracked into parenthood when I discovered I had a 7-year old daughter in Southern California. I re-imagined my life as a dad and coparent and moved to Claremont in 2011. Even though I missed out on my daughter's younger years, I’ve learned so much from her about how to be a loving dad. Now, I am so excited about the possibility of raising a newborn side-by-side with my wonderful wife. About John by Dina John is one of a kind. He is so outgoing that he makes friends wherever he goes. He’s creative and full of energy. When he is working on house projects, teaching, or planning family vacations, he is figuring out ways to make things better. John is thoughtful. He hides love notes around the house and encourages me to try new things like horseback riding and skiing. I feel safe and cherished around him. I admire how he built a relationship with his daughter. His nieces and nephews adore him! During the pandemic, he set up a Zoom school for them. They were so excited. I can’t wait to see him cheering on our child while learning something new and teaching them how to be brave and kind.

Hobbies and Interests ● You’ll often find John gardening. ● Dina loves creating her famous snack boards — we can’t wait for our kid to judge our cook-offs! ● In our downtime, we play music and sing together in our reading nook, which will make a fun playroom someday. ● Most nights, to stay grounded, we meditate and read on the back porch. ● We stay fit with Pilates and gym workouts. ● We enjoy hiking, playing in the snow, and camping in the local mountains. John is excited to have a little ski buddy one day! ● When we travel, we bring art supplies to paint and create. ● We love visiting museums, catching live music, and exploring new places and foods. ● We host themed dinner parties. ● We volunteer at school events. ● We’re big fans of escape rooms! Our Home and Community Claremont is an ideal place to grow up: top-rated schools, scenic nature, and genuine people.We live in a bright 4-bedroom home with mountain views. It’s on a quiet cul-de-sac, with friendly neighbors and kids playing outside. Our favorite part of the home is the big backyard, filled with fruit trees, veggie beds, and a pool. We love hosting there. There’s a park(one of many!)just across the street and an award-winning elementary school right next door. We’re minutes from the mountains and within an hour of both the beach and the desert. Our tree-lined college town has a vibrant downtown with shops, an indie movie theater, and a library. We have a weekly farmer’s market, concerts/movies in the park, and monthly art walk. We especially appreciate how walkable and safe Claremont is. Our Family Our child will be supported by a big, close-knit tribe. Dina’s parents, sister and bro-in-law, live 45 minutes away, and we see them weekly. Dina and her younger sister are best friends, (her sis is expecting her first baby) and dream of raising their kids side by side. We often go on road trips and take turns hosting Sunday family brunch. Dina’s parents are retired and can’t wait to be first-time grandparents! They already come over to help around the house! John’s parents, siblings, and seven nieces and nephews (ages 2–13) live on the East Coast and in Northern California. We all meet up for Thanksgiving at our house, Christmas somewhere with snow, and each summer on an island in Maine for swimming, kayaking, and the famous ice cream race!

We’re also surrounded by dear friends, many with kids, who are ready to jump in for babysitting and playdates. Some are adoptive families, too! Meet Angel 😇 Angel is our wonderful 5 year old Doodle. We adopted her from a rescue on Mother’s Day. She is medium sized, medium energy, and hypoallergenic. She loves cuddles, long walks, and her morning play group. Her gentle soul makes her great with children. She’ll be the best buddy to our future kid. Career We’re both passionate about education. John teaches high school science and Dina teaches English at a community college. Dina teaches some of her classes online, so she will work from home 3 days a week. She plans to be home for the baby’s first year. John would like to take a paid semester off to bond with the baby. With summer, winter, and spring breaks, we'll get to spend quality time with our child. Learning and giving back will be a huge part of their life. Fun Facts Dina ● Obsessed with: Coffee (mostly decaf) ☕ ● Languages: Polish y un pocito de Espanol ● Essential Accessory: Headband for no wash hair days 🫢 ● Currently Singing: “What do Lions do?” (ask me!) 🦁 ● Creative Writer: Published my first poem when I was 12! ✍️ ● Inspiration: Babcia (Grandma) Dorka survived WW2, escaped Communist Poland, and became a biochemist! 🧑‍🔬 ● Dessert: Peanut butter frozen yogurt with chocolate chips 🍦 ● Magic Moment: Dancing to “This Magic Moment” by The Drifters at our wedding 👩🏼 ❤️ 👨Fun Facts John ● Obsessed with: my fruit trees 🌳 ● Languages: Spanish and Chichewa ● Essential Accessory: Tool belt🛠️ ● Currently Singing: “I’m in a Hurry to Get Things Done” by Alabama ● Creative Writer: Morning Journaling 📔 ● Inspiration: Martin Luther King Jr. ☮️ ● Dessert: My homemade carrot cake 🎂 ● Magic Moment: When Dina said “yes!” at my magic scavenger hunt proposal 💍

Thoughts on Parenting Our parenting philosophy is to share our best selves and be positive role models for making good life choices. We want to help our child learn important values, knowledge, and skills for success, while nurturing their dreams every step of the way. At the heart of our values is love — providing safety, structure, inspiration, affection, kindness, and encouragement.We also deeply honor open adoption. We want you to stay involved in your child’s life and cherish the special bond you will always share. Our hope is to support a relationship that feels right for everyone involved, giving both you and your child the chance to know and connect with each other. In Closing Thank you for taking the time to learn about us! We hope something here resonates with you and we get to know each other better. If chosen, your child will be at the very center of our lives, surrounded by love, laughter, and opportunity. With Dijon, (Dina + John!), and our tight-knit community, your child will always know where they came from and just how deeply they are loved.❣️

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