moe and daniel
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
hello
and wel come
Thank you so much for taking the time to read our “LIFE AT A GLANCE�. We realize that you have many options, so we are most grateful and eager to share our story with you. Before you go on, we recognize the very difficult decision that you are making and we know that you will make the best decision for you and your baby.
WITH ADMIRATION, Daniel and Mauricio (aka Moe)
fav
or hobby D • GOING TO THE GYM M • FURNITURE RESTORATION
Holiday tradition
D • FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT M • SALVADOR DALI
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ites
artist
D • CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES FRESH FROM THE OVEN M • MARSHMALLOWS FRESH FROM THE BAG
« moe restoring furniture
D • MAKING GINGERBREAD HOUSES M • CREATING WILD AND FUN HOLIDAY TREES
Board
Game Color D • MONOPOLY M • OPERATION
D • BLUE M • ORANGE
FROM THE MOMENT WE MET,
WE UNDERSTOOD EACH OTHER
FOR WE SHARED A PASSION FOR BUILDING AND CREATING.
W
e’re both hands on guys who enjoy restoring old homes from different eras, so it was the mutual interest in residential architecture that landed us on our first date together. We decided to meet over coffee and chat. On the surface, we possessed very different styles and tastes, which made for some dynamic conversation. From the moment we met, we understood each other. We shared a passion for building and creating. We later discovered that we had similar upbringings with a lot of the same values. AT THE CORE OF WHO WE ARE INDIVIDUALLY, WE ARE TOGETHER.
There was an understanding that we were headed for something very special with each other—something that indeed, neither of us had experienced previously. On our second date, we discussed wanting to be parents. It is something we have always felt passionate about. We soon made a home together that we love and enjoy with visions of building a family. As we understand and admire each other, we are thankful for the couple that we have become. And the wonderful part of it all is... we are the best of friends.
Thank you for considering us
hello
and wel come «
working on our backyard
I
was raised by a single dad with a twin brother and older sister. I admire and honor my dad tremendously for our upbringing. We practiced life lessens in what my dad referred to as Daddy’s College. School was “our job” and as such, all the family focused on doing what needs to be done first and having fun only after doing our chores. In my career I followed a family tradition of nursing. After nursing school I moved to California to start in the Intensive Care Unit. It wasn’t hard to convince me that the winters in California were warmer than Michigan’s! I loved school so much that I earned a Master’s degree too. In my current position as a manager in global pharmaceutical development, I’m energized every day at my job. I get to work within an exciting growth environment, collaborate with a multicultural team, and have a mentor that I learn from every day!
intRo d u c i ng
Dan
iel
… AND SPEAKING OF GROWTH AND BUILDING. I often find myself tackling big projects around the house. I just built a deck for the back of the house- through some trial and error, admittedly. Moe and I BBQ and dine outside as much as we can. We’re very humble cooks. But we’re inspired!
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if the shoe fits!
I typically hit the gym at 5 in the morning. Even the “early birds” are still sleeping at that time. My objective is to stay fit—but a far cry from my ole’ marathon days! I think I could spend the whole afternoon tinkering around in the garage. To support my ultimate goal of actually parking the car inside, I built a loft and shelves for storage. Next: rooms to paint and fences to repair all in days work. Friends laugh and say that I’m ambitious beyond my own sense.
If there is still time in the day, you’ll find me lounging while flipping through a magazine... something I can learn from or be motivated by. Maybe I’ll pick up a book, but it better hold my interest with laughter and upbeat energy.
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reading a good book
fun
fa
favorite
TV SHOW D • GENERATION RENOVATION
cts
« enjoys baking «
appreciates nature
favorite cartoon character
D • I LOVED GARFIELD WHEN I WAS A KID
get to know
moe
I
have been in the Bay Area my entire life. I am the youngest of 9 children so I definitely learned to be patient, especially with 6 ladies in a house with 1 bathroom! But seriously, I consider myself to be generous and understanding as a result of growing up in such a large family. My mother called them “life lessons”; I cherish them. I’ve been very fortunate in my career choice. As a buyer, I get to review and develop product assortments. I look forward to expressing my creativity every day at work, like the time I
fun
I also tend to initiate many of the ongoing home improvement projects. Thanks to Daniel, we do get to complete them together. We bring many styles and concepts together and call it “EclecTopia”. I’m easily inspired by my surroundings. Jokingly, I blame my father for encouraging this type of behavior.
favorite
room in
home M • OUR ART STUDIO
a wild moe appears
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fa cts
dressed up as a taco to promote a new menu item at work. My colleagues didn’t think I would go there. But I totally DO. I’ll do anything to promote a good cause. EVERYDAY AT WORK IS A ZOO.....REALLY, IT IS! I work for a Zoological Park and Recreation Society where I also get mentor and train young people—another passion of mine.
favorite childhood
activity fav o r i t e
TV SHOW to paint and «usei love my imagination
M • TWILIGHT ZONE (I’M A RETRO KIND OF GUY)
M • PRETENDING TO BE SUPERMAN AND FLYING AROUND THE HOUSE
EVERY CHILD IS AN ARTIST, THE PROBLEM IS STAYING
AN ARTIST AS AN ADULT » PABLO PICASSO Last but not least, I tend to relax best when painting on canvas. We have a detached art studio where Daniel encourages me to embrace this artistic outlet. Sometimes, he comes in to browse through the library of books, while I enjoy quality time with my brushes and easel. Daniel has been a reluctant canvas subject on more than one occasion.
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i love working at the zoo!
favorite
cartoon character M • THE PINK PANTHER
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catching up on the golden gate bridge with our godson
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snuggled up with our niece
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together for dad’s birthday
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an autumn visit to michigan
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a beautiful afternoon in wine country
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meeting a new friend
O
ur family is crazy—awesome, huge, and supportive. Family gatherings are a big deal. There’s tons of food: tamales, tortillas, salsa- all homemade (who does that anymore?). Of course, we love eating so, its quite ok that they do. The family is so big, Daniel still runs through the list of names as we drive to see them. We recently went on a birthday walk across the golden gate bridge. Our godson wanted to do this, in the chilly January weather (and by chilly we mean in the 50’s). Afterwards, we stopped into a restaurant pub where baseball legend Joe DiMaggio used to dine and relax. We got to spend time catching up and learned something about the history of the golden gate bridge. It was a super fun day. Both sides of our families can’t wait to be introduced to a new addition. This child will be cradled in the arms of grandma/grandpa, aunts/uncles, cousins, oh my. Our family accepts all people how they come. THERE ARE NO JUDGMENTS, ONLY HUGS AND LOVE. We are very lucky to have a family that is as supportive of us as we are of them. We love them all.
This child will be
cradled in the arms of
g randma /g randpa , aunts/uncles, cousins,
oh my fam ily& frie
nds
WE ENJOY A GREAT CIRCLE OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY ALIKE AND FEEL PRIVILEGED TO HAVE THE SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT. INDEED, LOVE IS A GIFT.
home is everywhere we are
Our home is located in a quiet historic community 15 minutes south of San Francisco. It is suburban, with what might be called an urban-chic vibe. Yeah, we’re not sure what that means either—but that’s what they say. Regardless, we love where we live because there are opportunities for just about anything that could interest a child, big or small. The ocean is just 15 minutes beyond the mountains where Daniel loves to run along the water’s edge. The desert is 2 to 3 hours away. We like to visit to the natural hot springs—oh, so relaxing. A popular mountain/ski resort area is 3 hours away (though we are
“bunny” skiers). Not to mention wine country. Amazingly beautiful... the landscapes, the food, the Chocolate! Oh yes, there is more to wine country than wine. Ted, our “love sponge” dog also enjoys the nearby beaches, hiking trails, and anywhere there is a ball, really. We are actively involved in our community and volunteer for causes that are important to us. Moe has recently campaigned for a county ballot measure to support the local zoo.
« some of moe’s creations
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what’s for dinner?
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we take full advantage of our porch
WE CONSIDER OUR HOME AS OUR HAVEN, OUR SAFETY. INDEED, HOME IS EVERYWHERE WE ARE.
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AT LAST, WE ARE NESTERS. We enjoy entertaining at home with friends. Recently we gathered to play Wii. It’s amazing how addictive those games are. All we can say is keep the glassware outside of Moe’s reach while playing tennis. We ordered in Chinese food and shrugged off the casualty.
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daniel and ted trying to find a hiking trail
family portrait
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LOVE RECOGNIZES NO BARRIERS. IT JUMPS HURDLES, LEAPS FENCES, PENETRATES WALLS TO ARRIVE AT ITS DESTINATION FULL OF HOPE -MAYA ANGELOU
reach
us IF YOU WOULD LIKE to speak with us about adopting your child or have any questions for us, please contact one of our Adoption Advisors at AdoptHelp by calling 1-800-637-7999 toll free.