Hello! We are Aila & Jason from Oakland, California. Thank you for considering adoption and taking time to get to know us. We are honored to be considered as your child’s adopting parents. We admire your bravery and selflessness.

We want you to know we will welcome your child into a warm and loving home if given the opportunity. Through your kindest of acts, and love, we look forward to building unique connections that support your child throughout a wonderful life.

Family means everything to us, and we are excited to grow ours. We will love your child unconditionally, and we will care for them in every way, including taking them on many new adventures. We love to travel and have been lucky to experience different cultures. We will show your child the many paths they could take and support them on whichever they choose. We have been blessed in our educational and career opportunities. We will encourage your child to follow their dreams, too, while helping them grow into an impactful community member. Finally, we are both a bit goofy and will ensure your child laughs a lot!

We met after Aila graduated college, moved to Washington D.C., and started working where Jason also worked. Jason asked all new employees to play lunchtime soccer, but, unlike most, Aila said yes! Eventually, some soccer players decided to go see a game together, but our friends – trying to set us up – secretly planned to not show up. Soon after, Jason asked Aila to get Thai food on an official date. When Aila moved to California for graduate school, Jason was already planning to join her. We got engaged while visiting Aila’s sister in the Rockies and were married in New Mexico – on a cold New Year’s Day – just over 10 years ago.

I grew up in Santa Fe, NM in a very close family. My older sister, Almea, and I have always been inseparable. My parents divorced when I was little but worked hard to co-parent, and Almea and I benefited by being raised by them both. I also have an older half-sister, Heather, whose summer visits were a highlight. I have a big network of aunts, uncles, and cousins living in Hawaii and along the West Coast, where I spent holidays skiing, camping, hiking, and enjoying the beach with them.

I was lucky to attend Harvard University, then graduate school at Stanford University, working in Washington D.C. in between. I have friends from each stage of my life, many now in the Bay Area near us. With family and friends, we seek to be there for each other for the big moments – and also just for fun!

As a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, with tenure, I now have flexibility to decide what I research and teach. My job provides us with opportunities to travel, and we hope to spend future summer breaks in places such as Norway. While I find work very fulfilling, I can take a term of parental leave and, outside of classroom hours during the semesters, I can work at home and be focused on our family!

Though now a Californian, I was born and raised in Arlington, VA, outside Washington DC, in a close-knit family of four. We attended yearly family reunions and took trips along the East Coast, visiting family in upstate New York and central Florida. My older brother, Jeff, and I played sports with neighbors in our big backyard and biked in a park behind our house. I loved playing football before getting into soccer. I also played as a drummer in a rock band.

It took me a bit of time to find my dream career. My dad got sick while I was in high school and soon passed away. I worked for a while in my teens rather than going to college, but eventually found engineering, going back to college later. It gave me greater appreciation for both my education and work. I continue to love sports, especially soccer, and music, including playing the drums! I have built a life full of love, together with Aila, that is ready for the addition of a child.

Mechanical engineering provides the satisfaction of being creative and analytical. Having an established career allows a flexible schedule and a few days each week working from home. My job has generous family leave and generally a good work-life balance.

Our home is a sun-filled Spanish-style bungalow on a tree-lined street where people walk dogs, kids play, and we know our neighbors. We are regulars at a cute row of shops and restaurants in our neighborhood. It is a diverse area, shaped by a nearby school that brings families of every background together. We have a grassy yard and easy access to parks, trails, and playgrounds. Our house is near the ocean, where we love to boogie board; nature preserves where we love to hike; and mountains where we love to ski!

In the Bay Area, we are fortunate to have friends from school, work, and our soccer leagues forming an excellent support system. We are excited that one of Aila’s college roommates just had a baby boy! At UC-Berkeley, we will join an especially nurturing group of other faculty parents. This network sets up playdates and exchanges information on the best preschools. We hope to becoming more involved in youth music and sports in the area depending on our future child’s interests.

Family and close friends have always been our central anchor. We grew up close to our families, and we want our future child to build tight bonds with them, too.

Aila’s family still lives in New Mexico, and her sister, Almea, married a high school friend, Nat, who also moved back to the area. We love to visit them in Santa Fe during tranquil summers. We go hiking and find swimming holes with Aila’s mom, Stefanie. Around winter holidays, we eat tamales and walk to see candle-lit streets on Christmas Eve with her dad, John. We also always play epic board games with the family, often many rounds of Banagrams or family-favorite Settlers of Catan. Aila’s dad is a frequent visitor to Oakland, too, and we expect her family will be constant presences in our future child’s life, showering them with love and support.

Jason’s family lives in Northern Virginia. We visit for Thanksgivings and the annual family crab bake. Jason is especially close to his mom, Jane, and she lives with his older brother and his wife, Jeff and Kym, and their 14-year-old son, Alex. Jane taught Jason the importance of giving back by seeking out family volunteer opportunities, and we look forward to continuing this as our future child gets older, helping out at food drives, for instance. Of course, no trip to the area is complete without catching up with our soccer friends, and especially our best friend, Sarah. They are all so excited to welcome our future child.

Thank you so much for considering us as adoptive parents for your child. We admire you, and our hearts are with you, no matter what you choose. We would love to hear from you!