Hello, we are Jimmy and Carrie! Thank you so much for taking the time to read our story and learn some more about us as prospective parents. 

Our life together began in 2003 when Jimmy began teaching at the same elementary school as Carrie. As funny as it sounds, we were actually set up by our principal (she thought we’d be a good match since Jimmy is 6’10” and Carrie is 6’0”). Who knew that the principal had such exceptional, match-making skills!

We became quick friends and spent a lot of time together. We found that we had so many similar interests. We both love cooking, trying regional cooking/foods, and traveling to new places. However, our greatest common interest is working with children. We bonded over teaching and it is an added bonus to share the same time off.

We were married in June of 2010 and instantly wanted to start a family. We did many things couples frequently do; we bought a house and adopted a dog and named her Penelope (Penny) Pickles. It just seemed that children would come next. Unfortunately, things do not always work out as planned. Through several years of struggling with “unexplained infertility,” we made the choice to expand our family through adoption. We knew we would make such loving, caring parents that not having a family was not an option. We want to share our passion and love with a special someone.

I can’t wait to tell you all about my husband and best friend, Jimmy. He is originally from Pittsburgh, PA. He moved to Baltimore, MD in 2001 to begin his teaching career as a Special Education Teacher. Over the years, he worked to receive his Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership. He loves working with students who need a little extra support from a male role model. Many say that he has the patience of a saint. Students naturally flock to him, it could be his 6’ 10” stature, or just his compassionate, witty, amazing personality.

Jimmy enjoys watching sports, especially Pittsburgh franchises like the Steelers and Penguins. He was always very active growing up. He played basketball in high school and ice hockey in high school and college. Still to this day he enjoys being active while traveling and spending time with family and friends and our dog, Penny Pickles.

One of Jimmy’s talents is his cooking. He is an amazing cook that prepares the majority of our daily meals and larger “feasts” when our families get together for holidays. He is always in the kitchen! I just can’t wait for the day he is teaching our children to either play ice hockey, rescue and save an animal, or cook a meal.  He is going to be the most amazing father.

I love everything about Carrie, inside and out. She was born and raised in Baltimore, MD. If you have a chance to see her work with children you would know that she had always wanted to be a teacher and a mother. She graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and began her career as a first-grade teacher. She taught elementary school for 14 years in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades while getting her master’s degree in Reading. Since 2014, she has been a Reading Specialist, a job which she really loves! 

Along with her dedication to teaching, Carrie loves to be around our nieces and nephews, as well as our friends’ children; she loves to read books with them and play games. She started a cooking club with other teachers where they get together to share their love of food and cooking (and maybe a glass of wine). She loves being around our family and friends, or just hanging out at the house with our dog, Penny Pickles, and myself.  

As I have previously stated, Carrie is a beautiful person, inside and out. She has an endearing personality that everyone falls in love with. She is dedicated to teaching her students and helping her school grow. I admire her commitment to her career, our family, and our friends.

We live in a Neo-colonial townhouse, in a quiet neighborhood just outside of Baltimore.  Our townhouse has three bedrooms on the upper level; living room, dining room and kitchen on the main floor; and a partially finished basement where we enjoy hosting friends and family for various events. We love to entertain and we have plenty of room to host family and friends.   

Our townhouse sits on a double-lot so we have plenty of room for a playset, slip and slide, and fun yard games. We also have an herb garden and a vegetable garden surrounded by flowers. Since Jimmy loves to cook, we often use the vegetables and herbs in the meals we make here at home. 

We love that there are so many family-friendly things to do within 20 minutes of our house. We are in walking distance to schools and playgrounds. The Baltimore Zoo, The National Aquarium, and all sorts of museums and moments are just a short drive. 

We enjoy going to the various professional sports venues in the area and trying all the different, new restaurants that pop up around town. Carrie is looking forward to sharing her love of steamed crabs, a regional tradition, with a child. When she was younger, the whole family and a few lucky friends would sit outside picking crabs together and just talking for hours. We can’t wait to make traditions of our own like this!

We love spending time with our family and friends. Carrie’s family is located predominantly in the Baltimore area. Her mother is close by, as well as almost all aunts, uncles, and cousins. Her brother is currently living in Minnesota for work, but he, his wife, and their daughter live full time in Delaware, and we visit often.  We love to spend Thanksgiving and Easter with them while cooking up large family feasts.

Jimmy’s family has relocated to North Carolina. We spend our Christmas holiday with them and also visit them in August. We all enjoy gathering together and cooking in the kitchen. Our twin nieces and our nephews love their Aunt Carrie and Uncle Jimmy!

We have such a wonderful support system with our friends. Jimmy enjoys planning group trips with our friends to many places like Upstate New York, Nevada, California, Myrtle Beach, and even West Virginia for skiing in the winter. We love to cook for our groups of friends, letting them experience different cuisines that we have tried. Jimmy enjoys involving all the kids in the cooking as well. Carrie has helped at birthday parties…it is not unusual to see her dressed as a clown and making balloon animals, providing the entertainment.

Our support system is wide. All our family and friends cannot wait to see our family grow. We know they will be there for us as we raise this child. “It takes a village” is truly a sentiment that we can appreciate.

We are both active individuals. We always keep our weekends busy with fun things to do, whether it be a festival, sporting event, or visiting local attractions.  

Getting together with family and friends is one of the biggest things that we enjoy. Time spent with loved ones is priceless.  

Cooking and visiting restaurants is a passion of ours. We love to try different foods and spend a good part of our time cooking together in the kitchen while listening to jazz and other music.  

Carrie’s favorite place on earth is the beach, specifically Myrtle Beach, SC. We have spent 12 summers in Myrtle Beach. Jimmy loves to shop at the local fish markets, looking for the freshest and finest that the local fishermen bring in. Carrie enjoys a good book and time to relax and reflect on the beach. We also like to go to the beach in Delaware to visit Carrie’s brother and his family.

We love spending time in the woods. We enjoy going tubing (floating) on the local streams and rivers or just taking a walk on the many trails in our area.

We both are avid dog lovers. We often visit rescue shelters to see the dogs. In fact, our Penny Pickles was adopted as a rescue. She is a big part of our family and brings us so much joy. She is such a sweet little girl and we know that she will love and protect a child.

Thank you for deciding to spend some time reading our profile, as well as the time and effort that you are taking bringing a beautiful life into this world. You are making a very important decision and we support whatever decision you may make that is best for you, your child, and your family.  

You have our word that we will give your child a loving home full of experiences that are valuable, adventurous, and fun. He or she will be loved beyond reproach!

We hope that you will want to stay in contact with our family and meet with us as much as you feel comfortable with. We will raise your child to know they are loved by a very wonderful, special person.

We hope we have been able to show the love and passion we have to share with your baby. We wish you love and comfort as you decide what is best for you and your child.