Hello! We’re Kristen and Clifford. We wanted to let you know how thankful we are that you have taken the time to get to know us. We recognize that committing to an adoption plan is a choice and want you to know that we 100% support you on whatever you decide to do for your baby.

We understand from experience that life can throw curveballs. While our journey to parenthood might not be the most traditional, we’re navigating it with love, patience, and humor. We are all in and are very excited to become parents!

Thank you again. Please know that we support your decision and wish you all the very best with your journey.

With Love,
Kristen & Clifford

We found each other in 2011 on a dating app! Kristen moved to New York from Canada to pursue her master’s degree, and given her passion for child development, she thought that a teacher would be a good match! Our first date was at a Mexican restaurant in New York City. We quickly knew that our connection was something special. Kristen loved Clifford’s dedication to his students as a drama teacher. Clifford loved Kristen’s dedication to making children’s television. We are both ambitious and love encouraging children to learn and grow.

On a cloudy winter day in 2013, Clifford proposed to Kristen after a scavenger hunt around New York City. The final clue (before the ring) was a pair of tickets to a fake play called, “The Rest of our Lives.” We got married a few months later at New York City Hall in an intimate ceremony with our immediate family. The next year we celebrated with all of our friends and family in Toronto, Canada with a wedding. Our wedding was uniquely us! There were food trucks, a sprinkle wedding cake, and embarrassing dance moves.

One of our greatest strengths as a couple is finding fun in life. Practicing gratitude is important to us, and every day we name three things we’re grateful for as we get ready for work. We are so excited to welcome a baby into our lives and show them the same support and love that we show each other.

Adopting was an easy decision for us. From the start of our relationship, we knew that we would have to go about becoming parents in a non-traditional way. When we discussed growing a family, we always felt that adoption was the best choice for us. We both love education and cannot wait to experience everything again with a child, helping them fulfill their greatest potential.

I grew up in Canada, just south of Edmonton, Alberta. I work as a children’s television writer, producer, and director. I’m passionate about creating content for kids that continues to impact them beyond the screen. I have worked on shows such as Blippi, Sesame Street (I know Elmo!) and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. I love that my job involves books, toys and silly songs. I love providing space for children’s imagination in my work. I am looking forward to being a mother because I can’t wait to nurture our future child’s development and watch them learn as they grow.

Friends Describe Me As: One-of-a-kind, loving, thoughtful, and creative (always down for a craft!)
Favorite Book: Corduroy Bear
Favorite Memory: Going to Disneyland with my family as a child
Inspired By: Kids
Most Proud Of: Winning an Emmy for producing a renovation series for kids where I helped to build 36 playgrounds across Canada

“Kristen finds joy in each and every experience. She views the world with optimism and heart. As a parent, she will instill these values every day.” - Clifford

I grew up in New York with two older brothers. Before deciding to become a teacher, I was an actor in New York City while working part-time jobs. I’ve worked in charter schools for 12 years in Central Brooklyn and South Los Angeles as a theater teacher. Recently, I was named “Teacher of the Year” at my school! I love helping students find their voice through the arts and am committed to helping students from diverse backgrounds achieve their dreams. I am excited about becoming a father because I have a lot of love to give and cannot wait to share that love with our future child.

Friends Describe Me As: Funny, passionate, ambitious, and caring
Favorite Movie: Edward Scissorhands
Favorite Memory: My first trip to Disney World with my family as a child
Inspired By: Sunsets over the ocean and spotting sea lions in the marina
I’m Most Proud Of: Taking students to an international theatre festival in Scotland

“Clifford will be an excellent parent. He’s so kind, nurturing, and sweet. He’s generous with his time with students, friends, and family. He’s very funny and is always up for an adventure. He’s detail-oriented and will ensure that any details for a child will be well documented and taken care of.” - Kristen

We make at least one trip to both Alberta, Canada and New York every year for family. One of the great things about having family in both Canada and the U.S. is that we get two Thanksgivings since Canada celebrates in October!

In 2013, Kristen’s mom and Clifford’s dad both passed away from cancer, which was the hardest thing either of us have been through.

We are very close with Kristen’s dad and sister, who live in Canada. They will both be involved in the baby’s life and are very excited for our family to expand! We try to see each other three times a year and love to travel together to either the mountains in Canada or the American Southwest.

We are very close with Clifford’s family as well. Clifford’s mom lives in New York, and we see each other a few times a year, seeing theater, and going on cruises. Clifford also has two brothers, one in Connecticut and one in Colorado, and two nephews! We are all close and they can’t wait to see our family grow!

We are grateful to have friends living all over the US and Canada. As we both come from smaller families, the friends we’ve made doing theater, teaching, making television, and attending college and graduate school have become an extension of our family.

Our dog, Cadbury, is one of the best things in our life. He’s eight years old, and is a unique, small, white malteze/shih tzu. He had a rough start in life before finding his fur-ever home with us. He is full of energy and loves to play, but also loves to snuggle or sit in a sunbeam.

We live in California in a two-bedroom, colorful, and cozy condo with a shared pool area. When we’re home together, we like to watch HGTV over a home-cooked meal and take care of little projects around the house.

We love the calming views of palm trees and the neighbor friends we’ve met here. We are within walking distance, or short drive, from two playgrounds, a dog park, Venice Beach, a marina full of boats, and an amazing elementary school. Our neighborhood is very diverse with people from all over the world. We can’t wait to raise our future child here!

Thank you for taking the time to get to know us. It means a lot that you would be considering us, as we know you want the best for your baby. If you decide to move forward with an adoption plan and you choose us as hopeful adoptive parents, this is the commitment we will make:

• We will seek out the best possible educational opportunities
• We commit to a lifetime of laughs and humor
• We promise to show off how cool our world is with trips near and far
• We promise to help uncover passions and talents
• We commit to living in a diverse community as friends from different backgrounds enrich us all
• We will always have a dog. We look forward to sharing the happiness of a dog’s love.
• And lastly, we commit to sharing our favorite stories (and finding new ones!) through books, television, movies and theater

Please know that we are deeply committed to honoring who your child is and the story of their journey.

We recognize that you’re in a tough situation. Whenever we’re in a tough situation, we always try to see things through with humor. Any hardships we’ve had along the way have made for richer stories later. While life isn’t tied with a bow, it’s still a gift.

Thank you for considering us, and we hope we get the chance to meet you!

With love,
Kristen & Clifford