Being a parent is the greatest gift and one we cherish so deeply. We were fortunate to have our son, Carter, 4 years ago. He is kind, perceptive, loving, playful and so funny. He will make the most amazing big brother! We look forward to each morning, when our son crawls into our bed to give us morning cuddles, to tell us he loves us, and to talk about our day ahead. At the end of the day, we look forward to putting him to bed where we read stories, sing songs, and talk about all of the things his curious little mind wonders about. These are the moments that are fleeting, and we appreciate each moment we have together.

We thought we were going to have the opportunity to complete our family as Jocelyn was pregnant with our second child this past year. She unfortunately went into pre-term labor and our daughter was born much sooner than expected. She lived for 5 hours and passed away knowing nothing but love from her two parents. This incredible loss has reaffirmed our commitment to becoming parents again, this time through adoption. We feel fortunate to have this opportunity and appreciate the gift of adoption more than we can describe. We want nothing more than to be parents again and to give our son a sibling. We cannot wait to have the opportunity to share all of our love with another child.

Jocelyn is the foundation of our family. She is a devoted wife and mom who is caring, supportive, and loving. She was born to be a mother; and she loves our son deeply. Jocelyn is also patient, understanding, genuine, and warm. People instantly feel comfortable around her, and are drawn to her calm demeanor. She invests her time in people, which is why she has so many life-long friends.

Jocelyn is optimistic even in the darkest of times. Her resilience during the loss of our daughter was incredible, and helped all of us know that things would be okay. She is a person who genuinely loves life and lives life to the fullest. She is very organized and is the ultimate vacation, party, and family activity planner. She is adventurous and spontaneous, always wanting to try new things and create new memories. There is no shortage of fun in our family and in our lives with Jocelyn around.

Antonio is charismatic, optimistic, and so down to earth. He has a disarming smile and laugh that lights up any a room. Antonio is the type of person who makes friends wherever he goes, and is willing to help out anyone in need. He is welcoming, warm, and has the ability to make people feel comfortable in any setting.

Antonio is also a loving father and husband who works hard to provide for his family. He is a supportive partner, who is patient, thoughtful and a true team player. He is devoted to the betterment of his family in everything that he does.

We have a number of family members and friends who have been adopted or who have adopted children. Jocelyn's uncle and his sister were both adopted. He found his birth parents about 10 years ago after always wanting to know where he came from. His biological family is now an important part of his life, and his birth parents and sister attend all of our family gatherings. It has been beautiful to see his birth mother and adoptive mother connect over their mutual affection for their son.

Jocelyn's sister-in-law is also adopted. She was an only child and speaks of her adoption fondly. After we told her that we were pursuing adoption, she told us stories about how her parents made her feel special and she always felt incredibly loved. She knew about her adoption from an early age, and to her, it just became part of her story. She also found her birth family about 10 years ago, and now travels to see her birth parents and siblings a few times per year.

Several of our friends were adopted, and two of those friends have gone on to adopt children. It has been wonderful to witness these full circle moments with our friends and their families. All of the people in our lives who have been adopted or who have pursued adoption to complete their families see adoption as a true gift, one that is to be celebrated.

We live in Pennsylvania in a suburb outside Philadelphia and absolutely love our town. Our home is a 3 bedroom single family home with a great front and back yard for playing. Our son loves to ride his bike around our long driveway.

Not only is our town very child friendly, but it is centrally located near a lot of local activities. You do not need to travel far to access both the city or the country. Our neighborhood hosts a number of annual events that we like to attend, including 4th of July & Fall Fest. We are members at a local zoo where we annually attend their fall's "Boo at the Zoo" in addition to lots of summer trips. Our neighborhood is home to a lot of kids, so Halloween is a big event with tons of trick or treaters. We are close with a number of our neighbors who also have young children, so it is fun to get together with them and let the kids play together in the yard.

We have a farm within walking distance that has the best ice cream and we love to take our son there to visit the animals or check out the Farmers Market. Our home is a short walk to two great playgrounds along with the elementary, middle, and high school where our children will attend. We have a number of bike paths that we enjoy for bike rides or long walks. We also have a neighborhood pool, but typically take our son to the pool in Jocelyn's parent's neighborhood since she is off in the summer and MomMom (Jocelyn's Mom) loves visits.

We are very fortunate to have a close-knit family. All of our parents live within 30 minutes and are very active in our lives. They help with babysitting, home improvement projects, and often come over throughout the week to just pay us and our son a visit and have dinner together. Jocelyn has one brother who lives on the west coast with his family, but we travel out to visit them, and they travel back to the east to visit as well. Jocelyn and her brother are close and have always had a supportive and loving relationship. Jocelyn's brother and sister-in-law, along with their two children are so excited to welcome another child into our family. Jocelyn's sister-in-law was adopted, so she is especially excited for us to be on this journey towards adoption.

Jocelyn also has a large extended family, most of whom live within a few hours. We get together with them often, and the cousins love to play together. Antonio has several aunts, uncles and grandparents who live in PA and we see them for family gatherings. Our best friends are like family, and many of our friends have young children, so we spend a lot of time together. Our kids call one another cousin and treat one another like family, too. Some of our favorite activities to do with friends & family include, going to concerts or sporting events or watching them at home, going to the beach, pool, or zoo, or attending a local event in the community.

We are Jocelyn and Antonio and feel so fortunate to be on this journey towards adoption. We want nothing more than to complete our family and welcome a new baby into our home and into our lives. We are parents to a happy, playful, and loving 4-year-old boy. He will be the most amazing big brother. We are also parents to a little girl in heaven who we lost shortly after she was born. We have experienced immense love and loss, which makes us that much more grateful for the opportunity to adopt a child.

We have been married for six years and together for nine. We met through a mutual friend who thought we would be a perfect match. It didn't take us long to realize we were meant to be together. In our time together, we have built a committed bond, one that is derived from mutual respect and appreciation. We approach life as a team, and parenting is no different. We love being parents and building memories as a family.

In the summer, we often go to the beach or the pool, or visit the zoo or the aquarium. Jocelyn is a high school counselor, so she has the summers off to be with our son. They are off doing something nearly everyday it seems! We ride bikes together on the walking trails near our home, or take a walk to a local park or community event. We visit family and friends for backyard cookouts, movie nights in, or to watch a sporting event while we cheer on our favorite teams. We are fortunate to have a lot of close family and friends nearby, so there is no shortage of events to attend and memories to be made. Our parents and extended family members are an active part or our lives, and we feel fortunate that our son is able to grow up with so many loving grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Our weekends are full of quality time spent together and new experiences to be had. We work hard to be able to provide for our family and enjoy our free time. We love to take vacations and value these opportunities to bond as a family.

Something that makes us unique is Jocelyn's vast experience with children and families as a licensed mental health therapist and school counselor. She has spent her entire career working with and helping at-risk youth and their families. Her devotion to her career and this work is demonstrated through her compassion and dedication to the health and well-being of children. As her partner and biggest supporter, Antonio has also learned a lot about the complexities of childhood and the challenges that some children and families face. We bring this empathy and understanding with us as we look forward to building a relationship with our future child's birth family.

Additionally, Jocelyn's experience working with children in school gives an advantage in understanding how to support our own children as they navigate future school stressors and pressures. Jocelyn has a pulse on what children and teenagers go through and how to help. We will be our children's biggest advocates, always willing to listen and provide them with whatever resources they need.

We believe that adoption is a gift; the ultimate act of selflessness. We also believe the adoption relationship is one to be nurtured. We are committed to an open adoption with communication in whatever form works best for all. We will send letters and pictures, and are open to future visits. We want our child to know their birth family, and to have a relationship with them while they grow up.

While nothing is certain in life, one thing is certain for us; our love for our children is limitless and we have so much more to give. In addition to our love, we can promise you that there will be no shortage of family and friends to shower this baby with love and support. If we are chosen to be parents for your baby, rest assured they will grow up knowing they are valued, appreciated, protected, and adored.

With gratitude,

Antonio & Jocelyn