Vanessa and Chris

Hi there,
Thank you for taking the time to read this! We can’t know what it’s like to be in your shoes, but you have our respect and admiration as you consider the best options for your baby and yourself. We’re sending so much love your way, whatever you decide.
We’re Chris and Vanessa. We’ve been together for sixteen years and married for eight. We have similar values and outlooks on the world, which has helped us to be great partners in building a life. We have a seven-year-old son and are very excited to expand our family through open adoption.
Chris has his own business as an architect and environmental consultant. He works on a variety of projects, right now with a community for people with disabilities in Mississippi, and also helping cities adapt to climate change. He’s from Atlanta and has lived and traveled all over the country. He’s an avid cyclist and loves projects—he’s built a barn and is always tinkering with bikes or fixing things around the house. He loves technology, music, sports (especially football and the Atlanta Falcons), video games, photography, and movies. Vanessa describes Chris as funny, smart, supportive, and nonjudgmental. Chris loves being a parent, especially reading to our son every night, and going on bike rides and other adventures with him. He can’t wait to share all of that and more with a new baby.
Vanessa works at a foundation, where she funds voting rights organizations. She was born in Texas, grew up in Dubai, went to college in Montreal, and is a proud citizen of Cherokee Nation. She loves reading, running and pilates (helps with her clumsiness…), clothes and fashion, true crime, and spending time with family and friends. Chris describes Vanessa as empathetic, loving, smart, and easy to talk to. Her favorite things about parenting are snuggling and nurturing children as they grow, and the silliness that kids bring to everyday life.
Our seven-year-old son, Thomas, is outgoing, funny, generous, and so excited be a big brother. He loves art, reading, chess, and Minecraft, but is up for anything as long as it’s with other kids. We cannot wait to see the fun and loving relationship he shares with a new sibling. We also have a Boston Terrier, Reggie, who loves kids, especially when they share their snacks!
As a family, we value generosity, respect, communication, and open mindedness. We prioritize each other’s needs. We see the family as an ecosystem and are committed to planning our future together with our children. We don’t focus on shaping Thomas so much as helping him to find himself and to be a good person in the world. We always talk through problems and are deeply committed to our partnership and our family.
We live in Menlo Park, CA, and moved here from Brooklyn, NY a couple of years ago. We love to explore this state—the beaches, the mountains, it all feels so expansive and beautiful. We travel often to see our friends and family in New York, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Texas. Our neighborhood is a wonderful place to raise kids, in a great school district with people from all over the world. We love Friday game nights, reading together, watching movies and shows (especially the Great British Baking Show), and making pancake breakfasts every morning.
We’re very close with our friends and family. Vanessa’s parents live across the street from us, always ready for grandkids to come over to make crafts or cookies. Chris’s parents live in Atlanta and we visit them all the time. Nana plays a great game of Go Fish and Grandpa is the goofiest jazz musician you’ll ever meet.
Adoption has always been a part of our extended family. Chris’s brother is adopted, as is the child of two of our closest friends, who is like a cousin to Thomas. We are committed to open adoption and bringing to that relationship the values of communication, honesty, and humility that we try to live with everywhere in our lives.
We would love to hear if you think we’d be a good fit for you. You can call us toll-free at 1-855-204-4283 or email at vanessachrisadopt@gmail.com. You can also reach our adoption counselor, Lisa Clark, at 1-800-969-6665. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and learn about our family! We hope to hear from you!
With love,
Chris & Vanessa