Hi there! We're Harrison and Rachel in the Netherlands. We are an American couple living overseas and are so grateful for the opportunity to introduce ourselves to you. Although our careers have taken us around the world, we know our biggest and most wonderful adventure would be becoming loving parents. Our families encouraged us to follow our dreams no matter where they take us, and we promise to do the same for your child while raising them in a home filled with love, laughter and the opportunity to experience everything the world has to offer.

We have seen the wonderful impact adoption has had within our own extended family. After getting married we immediately began thinking about how to grow our family, and after facing fertility challenges we realized we were meant to become parents in this special way. We have three adopted nephews and have seen first-hand that love is the foundation of a family. With open hearts and a commitment to a lifetime of love and support, we are grateful for the opportunity to welcome your child into our loving community while celebrating their own story.

It had to be fate for us to meet, because the odds were stacked against it ever happening. Rachel traveled the world for work and only happened to be in New York City for three years, where Harrison had lived for the past decade. The stars aligned, though, and after swiping right on Bumble and a first brunch date on the Upper West Side, we were inseparable. We realized we were the missing puzzle piece in each other’s lives. In the years since, we’ve gotten married (during brunch, of course), played many competitive games of Scrabble, biked around the world and built a beautiful home filled with our shared love of art and photography. No matter what challenges get thrown our way, we know we are stronger together. We know our bond will be the foundation for many wonderful years as a family.

Our lifestyle is very active, and we enjoy getting outdoors as much as possible. Here in the Netherlands, bike riding is a huge part of the culture, and we love riding along the canals and through the tulip fields. Even the dogs love to jump in the front seat and come for the ride! Our favorite spot to ride bikes is along the beach near our home, where we stop for ice cream and enjoy the amazing views. We’re passionate about skiing, having both grown up in families where winters were spent on the mountain. But we both agree our favorite part of skiing is the hot chocolate breaks! We love learning how to cook new foods and signing up for cooking classes together. Whether it’s homemade pasta, Dutch cheese or Pad Thai, we’re always trying new recipes and exploring different cultures through food. One of our first dates was to a board game cafe, which is fitting since both our families love to play games together and are friendly competitors, especially at Scrabble.

I’m excited to become a mom and instill in our future child a sense of adventure and to encourage them to follow their dreams. I grew up in Southern California and was a dreamer from an early age. Whether it was running a lemonade stand empire or convincing my parents to let me go on a two-month camping trip through Europe, I have always been excited by new experiences and living life to the fullest. My job as a US Diplomat has allowed me to travel the world and live in fun spots like Dubai, New York and now the Netherlands. I enjoy serving my country and knowing that I am contributing to a greater cause. I love reading, classic Hollywood movies, and all things British royalty. My childhood dream was to ice skate so when I was an adult I started taking lessons. While I’m not quite ready to head to the Olympics just yet, I have one performance under my belt and take every opportunity to drag Harrison onto the ice.

One of Rachel’s many great qualities is how engaging she is. Whether it’s friends, family, or me, she is the best at nurturing relationships and being there for other people because she cares so deeply. She does so much for others, whether it’s in a professional or personal capacity, and she brings out the best in everyone. When our niece was born, she went out and bought a dollhouse, but not one already put together. Rather, she spent months painstakingly building it herself, which also speaks to how dedicated she is when she puts her mind to something, and one of the reasons I know what a wonderful mother she will be. Her infectious personality brings me out of my shell and gets me to do activities that I otherwise wouldn’t be doing such as ice skating, or going to see a classic movie like Casablanca on New Year’s Eve, or pushing me to go the extra mile (or miles) on a bike ride. She is the perfect mix of goofy and dedicated, sweet and sassy.

My favorite childhood memories were my parents teaching me how to ride a bike and to ski. I can’t wait to create amazing memories like this with our future child. I was raised in Maryland and grew up loving sports, playing baseball, football and soccer. Despite now living in the Netherlands, I’m still very much a Marylander at heart, loving nothing more than a bushel of crabs on a summer day or heading to the beach. My favorite part of my career as a designer and an editor is getting to express myself creatively through words and images. I’ve also developed a strong interest in photography that my father shared, and I enjoy traveling to different cities and parks in the Netherlands with my camera to try and capture the best photographs. It’s an activity I’m looking forward to sharing with my own child one day, as well as being able to photograph all of their biggest moments.

Harrison is the most supportive and loving person I know. He is the favorite of everyone in our family (including our dogs, niece and nephews, and my dad) due to his amazing ability to connect with everyone that he meets. I love his smile and the way his eyes light up when he says something witty (which is often!). Harrison is good natured and goes with the flow — he is always up for any fun idea I might have whether it’s to sign us up for a bike ride down a volcano or driving cross-country with our two dogs. I truly admire Harrison’s passion for journalism, a love that he has nurtured since he was a little boy. Harrison is the best uncle — he is known for the most thoughtful gifts, building awesome snowmen, and spending hours at the playground with our niece and nephews. I know he will be an amazing father — one full of love, support and a desire to provide them with the best and most caring guidance possible as they grow up and navigate the world.

We live in a small town in the Netherlands named Wassenaar, which is 45 minutes outside Amsterdam and a wonderful area to raise a child. Our home is on a cobblestone street surrounded by nature, with a beautiful park across the street and the beach only 10 minutes away. Most days are spent in our garden where we enjoy entertaining friends and playing with our dogs. Our neighborhood has many young families, is very walkable and filled with fun playgrounds. We love the healthy lifestyle and riding bikes in town, whether it’s to the weekly farmers market to pick up flowers, to our favorite ice cream shop, or to a nearby farm for milk and cheese. The Netherlands is incredibly diverse, with people of all races and religions, and filled with culture and history. Our home is within walking distance of a top-ranked international school where children meet and form friendships with kids from all around the world. We have formed tight bonds with our community, which is filled with Dutch, American and other international families.

We both come from loving, supportive families who are very excited for our adoption journey and are eagerly waiting in the wings to love and support a new addition to the family. Rachel’s two younger brothers, parents, and her entire extended family live in Southern California. Rachel’s family is multi-cultural, tight-knit and loves spending time together — whether it’s sailing on her parents’ boat, swimming in Palm Springs at her parents’ home or baking holiday treats. Harrison’s parents were married for 50 years. Sadly, his father recently passed away, but Harrison’s mom is excited to be a Grammy to a new grandchild. His younger sister adopted all 3 of her sons – giving us a firsthand view that love is really what creates a family. Harrison’s family lives in Maryland and Utah, which gives us the best of both worlds — East Coast charm and mountain adventures out West! Our families are very close, and our parents have even vacationed together without us! Since moving to the Netherlands, our families are frequent visitors. Our connection as a family is very strong and there is a large community waiting to welcome your child with loving and open arms.

Dolly is a Jordanian Street Dog that Rachel rescued while she lived in Amman, Jordan. Dolly is an international jetsetter, having lived in the Middle East, the United States and now Europe. When Rachel and Dolly met Harrison in New York, they were joined by his dog Lucky, a mini labradoodle, who loves walks in Central Park and pizza. Dolly and Lucky love to snooze on the couch, snuggle and receive belly rubs from our niece and nephews, and the neighborhood kids.

It’s our greatest wish to build a family together and experience the joy of nurturing and supporting your child as they grow into their own person. We will honor you, their background and heritage, and we look forward to new family traditions. Harrison’s father always made sure to end every conversation by saying “I love you,” a small but important tradition we hope to pass on to our future child so they know just how loved they are. We look forward to reading books every night, quality time as a family and providing a safe and loving environment where they have a strong support system — not only from the two of us, but our large extended family as well.

We know this isn’t an easy process for you but from the bottom of our hearts we want you to know that you have our deepest gratitude and love for considering us as your child’s adoptive parents. While we may come from different backgrounds and have different life experiences, we hope to have the opportunity to learn about you and what your wishes are for your child. An adoption creates a bond between two families, a bond we will always honor by making sure your child is loved beyond all measure and knows their story.