Hi There!
We’re Lauren and Marty and this beautiful little girl is our daughter Olivia. Not the furry one…that’s our Goldendoodle Spencer! We’d like to thank you for considering us as you evaluate whether an adoption plan is the right decision for you and your baby. As parents, we recognize the gravity of your choice and respect the love and strength that you have for your unborn child. We promise to be open, honest, and authentic so that you can determine if our lives are what you envision for your little one. We hope to showcase our strengths and uniqueness as well as our desire to be parents again. We are hopeful for an open adoption but will ultimately respect your wishes if this is something you are not comfortable with. We hope that you have the love and support that you need as you navigate your adoption journey and we look forward to getting to know more about you and your hopes and dreams for your baby.
Lauren in a Nutshell
Lauren is compassionate and empathic. She works as an Accessibility Counsellor, at a reputable university, helping to support students facing mental health challenges. She is passionate about her work and builds strong relationships with her students due to her authenticity and relatable nature. Lauren is an incredible Mom to Olivia. They share a strong bond and can often be seen snuggling or roaring with laughter throughout the day. In fact, one of Lauren’s greatest skills is making others laugh. It brings her great joy to put a smile on someone’s face. As a partner, Lauren is kind, loving and affectionate. Her smile brightens up any room and always puts me in a good mood. She has helped me open in ways that I didn’t even know were possible. She has so much love to give and is looking forward to being able to share that love with another child.
Marty in a Nutshell
Marty is the guy you call when it’s moving day and your movers have just cancelled on you. He is loyal, dependable and will drop everything to help a friend in need. Though he certainly has a serious side, he also has a youthfulness about him that makes him fun and entertaining to be around. Marty loves to play a variety of sports. On vacation, you will find him on the volleyball court no matter how hot it is outside. He’s also an avid runner and has shared his passion with Olivia. The two of them can often be found running on the track near our house. For me, Marty is the partner that I’ve always hoped for. He’s kind, caring and we work well as a team to keep our busy household running. I know that I can always count on him to lift me up when I’m having a difficult day. He has this even keel about him that I’m still trying to master!
Ms. Olivia
Olivia is an incredible kid…and I’m not just saying that because I’m her Mom. She is smart, funny and has one of the best imaginations I’ve ever come across in all my years of working with kids. Give her some empty boxes, some markers and tape and she will build an entire wildlife sanctuary complete with heart rate monitor, x-ray machine and blood bank! Olivia is a kind-hearted soul. She can often be found helping someone to the school’s office for ice or standing up to anyone who isn’t nice to her friends. She is fiercely protective and will make a wonderful big sister. When we told Olivia, we were thinking of adopting she immediately began practicing for life with a baby. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for her and who she decides to become.
Spencer Doodle
If Spencer had a motto it would be, “The Snuggle is Real.” This dog has a personality like no other. He’s friendly, playful, and extremely outgoing. He will let Olivia and her friends do just about anything to him as long as they include him in their games. Spencer is gentle with small children. Though he has been known to startle a few in the neighbourhood by sneaking up and giving them kisses!! He adores being outside and swims for hours when given the opportunity. We can’t imagine our lives without him!
Our Reasons for Adopting
To complete our family- We see adoption as a unique way to complete our family and an opportunity to provide a child with a safe, loving, and supportive environment that will allow them to grow into the person they are meant to be. Both of us have a ton of experience with children from nannying and coaching to raising Olivia.
For Olivia to have a sibling- When deciding on whether to expand our family, we discussed our experiences as children. Growing up, Lauren always felt like she had someone to lean on. When she was sad or needed help, her sister was the first person she would turn to. Marty, on the other hand, grew up as an only child with his brothers living outside of the house for his entire childhood. He shared that he often felt alone and wished he had someone who could relate to his experiences and support him. We believe that having a sibling is one of the greatest blessings in life and would love for Olivia to be able to share her loving and spunky personality with a younger child.
To experience the journey together- Like many couples, we have experienced fertility struggles and have had to have some tough conversations along the way. When we began discussing the idea of adoption, Marty confessed that while he loves his role as a Stepdad, he often feels disjointed having never had the opportunity to experience the role of Dad. Adopting will allow Marty to become a father, but it will also bond us in a unique experience that we will navigate together. For these reasons, we feel that our experiences have led us to adoption and that this is where we are meant to be.
Our Home
We love living in the city. Our neighborhood is culturally diverse and family friendly. There are lots of fun things to do in the area including swimming at the local pool, skating on the outdoor rink, or playing in the park that is steps from our front door. Each day, the neighborhood is full of kids riding bikes, playing hockey, or chasing one another, but the best thing about our neighborhood is the sense of community. It is not uncommon for there to be an impromptu water fight, outdoor concert, or food truck parked at the curb where everyone gathers to spend quality time together. Our home is warm and welcoming. We often have Olivia’s friends over for a meal, a play date, or to watch a movie. Lauren’s sister and her family live seven minutes away so we spend time with them as often as we can. Everyone is aware of our plan to adopt and is excited to meet the new member of our family.
Why We’re different
We are open and experienced when it comes to having multiple families who love and care for the same child. As a mom who’s gone through a divorce, one of the hardest things Lauren had to come to terms with was not being with Olivia as much as she would like to. In the beginning, it was difficult to say goodbye to her knowing that she was off to spend time with another family. She worried constantly that Olivia would be influenced in negative ways. But what we’ve learned is that living in two houses has enriched Olivia in many ways that she would not have had if her parents had stayed together. She now has two sets of parents that adore her and an extended family that plays a pivotal role in her everyday life. Divorce is certainly not an ideal situation, but Lauren and Adam have worked hard to put their differences aside and to put Olivia first. Now, instead of experiencing awkward pick-up and drop-offs, we celebrate family milestones together and vacation as one big family. We feel this experience has laid the groundwork for a successful open adoption.
Thank you…
Thank you for taking the time to read our profile. We wish you the very best as you move forward in your decision-making process. If you feel we are the right family for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
Marty & Lauren
