Family Life

Even though we grew up in different countries, our childhoods had a lot in common: both were centered around strong families and homes where we felt safe, secure, and deeply loved. 

Markian grew up in a suburban town in New Jersey with his parents, two older sisters, and grandparents 15 minutes away. His childhood was filled with Ukrainian summer camps, road trips across the country, and a deep love of learning. His parents still live in his childhood home with his grandmother, and his sisters live nearby in New Jersey. His niece and nephew are an important part of our family, and we love bringing everyone together for birthdays, holidays, and other celebrations.  

Hector grew up in Barcelona with his parents and older brother, whose family had moved from Galicia in northwestern Spain. Although Hector now lives farther from his family, they remain closely connected through daily photos, shared life updates, and regular visits. One of his favorite childhood traditions was returning to his parents’ villages in Galicia each August to spend time with extended family and stay connected to his heritage. That tradition continues today, and we are excited to share those special summers with our child. 

Both of our families are incredibly excited to welcome a new baby, and we have already begun taking small steps toward growing our own family. A few years ago, we welcomed adorable our kitten, who quickly became the queen of the house. Hector insists she loves him most, while Markian remains skeptical. She has certainly taught us one important lesson: sometimes the smallest member of a family has the biggest personality!

Lifestyle

We love to go out and explore, but at heart we are homebodies who enjoy the comfort of returning each day to our cozy apartment. 

On a Sunday afternoon, you might find music playing while Hector cooks, Markian dances and sets the table, and our cat follows us around hoping for a treat. After dinner, we might make coffee and settle into a long sobremesa conversation about future travel plans. Being from different countries has helped us build meaningful relationships with people from around the world, and we deeply value the different perspectives and experiences these connections bring into our lives. We want to continue discovering new places and learning how others live, and we are excited to share that curiosity with our child as they grow and explore the world alongside us. 

We also love living in a city and the energy and diversity that comes with it. We regularly spend time reading in the park near our home, wandering through our favorite spots in Chinatown, and getting together with friends who live nearby. Many of those close friends are beginning to have children of their own, and we are excited for our child to be part of their birthday parties, playground trips, and sleepovers.

Adoption

As we learned more about adoption, it became clear to us that it is in many ways about bringing two families together. By welcoming your child into our family, we also want to honor the family, history, and experiences that are part of who they are. You will always be an important part of your child’s story, and we want them to grow up knowing where they came from, understanding the love and care that shaped their beginning, and feeling proud of every part of their story. 

We want you to feel connected and present in moments in your child’s life through letters, pictures, and regular updates. We also welcome opportunities for us all to connect in person at events such as the Family Options Annual Picnic. Most importantly, we want to respect what feels right for you and your child and build a relationship based on openness, trust, and mutual respect. 

Our childhoods taught us that culture isn’t something you simply inherit; it is something you carry with you because the people around you make the effort to share it. Markian is grateful to have grown up connected to his Ukrainian heritage through his grandparents, while Hector has built a life connected to both Spain and the United States. Keeping those cultural connections alive takes intention, and they become most meaningful when they are woven naturally into everyday life. 

We have seen this firsthand through Hector’s two nieces, who are Spanish and Paraguayan. His brother and sister-in-law make a point of traveling regularly to Paraguay. Watching the girls grow up connected to both sides of their heritage has shown us how meaningful it can be for a child to know where they come from and how much parents can do to help those connections become a natural part of who they are. 

We want to bring that same openness and intentionality to raising your child. We will take the time to learn about their heritage, seek out traditions and experiences that connect them to where they come from, and make space for those parts of their identity in our everyday family life. We also recognize that language is one of the ways children learn about and connect with their culture. To keep the connections with Hector’s heritage we are committed to raising our child bilingual in Spanish and English and want both languages to feel natural at home.