Hello! We are Tara and Mark from Northern California! We are very grateful and honored that you want to know more about our story. We understand you need to choose the right path for you and your child and we admire your strength and courage. We have always wanted to expand our family and though we are unable to have a child biologically, we have always felt adoption is a very special way for us to add our missing piece. We believe everything happens for a reason and that reason has led us to you. Thank you for considering us as adoptive parents to your child!
Dear Birth Mother...
Fun Facts About Us
- We love to go to Disneyland together and watch the shows
- We eat dinner together at the table without distraction to discuss the day
- We go camping as much as possible in the summer always in a new area
- We love taking our nieces/ nephews to baseball games
- We host taco and game night—always family-friendly games and a large taco bar. Yummy!
- We must always have popcorn to watch movies!
- We love our garden and our family has an annual competition to grow the biggest pumpkin!
Our Story, by Tara
We met by chance at our mutual friend’s house. Our eyes met and we smiled but were so nervous and shy we never spoke a word to each other. I left and later that day our friend called to invite me to Mark's birthday party. This time when I arrived Mark walked over to me and with a big smile said, “Hi, it’s nice to finally meet you.” We spent the rest of the night talking and that was the start of our friendship.
When we officially started dating our friends were excited! And when Mark proposed on Thanksgiving Day surrounded by our loved ones, everyone cheered when I said, “Yes!”
We were married on a beautiful autumn day in a small charming church, filled with flowers and surrounded by love. We have been happily married for 18 years and still spend our days talking, laughing, watching our recorded shows, and just being there for each other. We are very thrilled to be able to bring even more fun and love into our family with the addition of our first baby.
Meet Tara, by Tara
I was born and raised in Northern California and love the endless possibilities it provides me. When I was young, my family loved to travel and explore. On the weekends we were always searching for our new adventure either at the beach or hiking in the mountains. I have always dreamed of being a mom and love to be around children. My mom and I ran a fun-filled home daycare for over 15 years, and I loved being there. During that time, I also pursued my degree in Early Childhood Education and Business Accounting. I ended up leaving the daycare after my first nephew was born, so my sister could be with her kids. I finished school and started an exciting career with the state of California.
Meet Tara Through Mark’s Eyes
Tara is one of the most honest and compassionate people I know. I love that she cares so much for everyone and is always there to help. Tara is very magnetic, and people love to be around her and confide in her. I am so excited for our future child because I know that Tara will be an amazing mom and each day will be filled with laughter, love and encouragement. I know Tara will be a wonderful mother!
Fun Facts About Tara
- Tara loves watching fireworks, especially at Disneyland
- Occupation: Office Technician, with flexible hours and the ability to work from home
- Siblings: 2 sisters
- Favorite Holiday: Halloween!
- Tara loves dressing up for Halloween
- Tara loves the sound of the ocean, it rejuvenates her soul
- Favorite Food: Tie between pizza and tacos
- Tara loves drinking hot chocolate, even in the summer!
- Hobbies: Traveling, hiking, reading, dancing, horseback riding
Meet Mark, by Mark
I grew up in a small rural town on my family’s cattle ranch outside of Sacramento, California. I was always surrounded by a large extended family who all lived in the same town. I was grateful to be able to grow up in the country because it provided me with many opportunities and above all, a love in God and strong family values. I think back to all the happy memories I had and hope to one day be able to provide my child with the same.
Meet Mark Through Tara’s Eyes
Mark is a very caring and supportive person. I love the way he always puts family first and is always there to help. He is very patient and takes everything in stride. Mark will make a great dad that will always be there for our future child. He is excited to be able to play, teach, and be there to give guidance and love. He is my rock, my best friend, and I’m so glad he is by my side for our journey.
Fun Facts About Mark
- Mark Loves to collect Christmas ornaments from every state he's visited, 8 so far!
- Occupation: Foreman Electrician, and I work for a family-friendly company with plenty of vacation time
- Siblings: 4 sisters
- Favorite Movie: Back to the Future
- Favorite Holiday: Christmas
- Favorite Food: Marinated Tri-Tip or sugar cookies
- Mark loves to fix stuff around the house
- Hobbies: Camping, traveling, watching movies, going off roading to explore
Sweet Home California
We live in a 5 bedroom home right outside of Sacramento, California. Our neighborhood is quiet and safe. We are located close to top rated schools and large beautiful parks. The regional park is across the street and our front yard is a great place to watch the annual firework show after our 4th of July block BBQ party. Our central location allows for a short drive to the beach, mountains, lakes, museums and amusement parks. We are excited for the endless possibilities of exploration and fun this area will provide our future child.
In This Home
- Family comes first
- Communication is key
- Love is always unconditional
- Laugh daily
- Explore life and all it has to offer
- Support each other always
- Dream big
Meet Our Furry Family – Tigger and Minnie
We love our two rescued kitties that came to us at five weeks old and have been with us for over 10 years. They are purr-fectly happy around everyone and they love attention. They also love the water and like to turn on the sink to play. Silly kitties! They will make great kitty companions to our future child!
The People We Love
We are lucky to have a great group of supportive family and friends. They are all very excited for our journey to parenthood and can’t wait for a little one to snuggle and love. We are also lucky that both our parents live within a few minutes, as do our (combined) 4 siblings and 7 adorable nieces and nephews. Tara’s parents live right across the street and her sisters(families) also live on the same block. Our family of close friends have been a big part of our lives for over 20 years and they are also very excited to expand our group and that our future child will have so many new friends. Staying close is very important to us all. We look forward to our family dinners, parties, holidays, summer BBQs and birthdays. We love our family and can’t wait for it to grow with our future child.
Fun Family Traditions
- Christmas cookie day, always a large group and lots of yummy cookies for Santa!
- Annual trips to Disneyland
- Annual Easter egg hunt
- Large Thanksgiving feasts, usually at our home
- New Year's Eve game night and countdown
Before You Go
We would like to thank you again for considering our family. We hope you can tell from this small snippet into our lives that we will be committed to giving all the love in our hearts to your child. We will be forever grateful for such a blessing and your child will know the story on how our paths crossed out of love.