Al & EmilyWe will welcome you and your child with clear eyes and loving hearts7

Hello! We’re Emily, Al

& Eloise!We were thrilled when Emily became pregnant and our daughter Eloise was born. Becoming parents has been transformative, opening our hearts and binding us together more tightly. We love our family, and we have a space meant for another child. We’ve watched close friends adopt children, and having witnessed the joy and heartache surrounding adoption, we will welcome you and your child with clear eyes and loving hearts.

Take it

Outside • We Love to be in the Great Outdoors

All About Us If all her

vacations included rock

climbing, Emily would

be very happy!

Road Trip!

Emily was rock-climbing when Al first saw her, and he liked the way she scrambled up the rock wall. Flirting over dinner led to a series of hiking, padding, and backpacking dates where we fell in love on trails and around campfires.

Our courtship was fun and quick; we were both ready to settle down and start a family. Al surprised Emily with a romantic proposal on a beach (handing her a locket inscribed with ‘Will you marry me?”), and we eagerly started our life together.

We met through an outdoors group, and we love mountain vacations!

Take it

Outside • We Love to be in the Great Outdoorshiking in Linville Gorge

We love having outdoor adventures! Since Eloise was born, we’ve mostly hiked and car-camped; she’s been enjoying the woods since she was a tiny baby. We also love music, and Eloise frequently leads us in “band practice” with one parent on guitar and the others on percussion. Board games and puzzles are also a big hit at our house. We enjoy having friends over for cookouts and homemade ice cream.

Riding Bikes on our Annual Family Beach Trip

About Emily (by Al) Emily is a caring wife and mother. Emily is devoted to her family, trying to be the best mother she can be. She is a source of calmness when things get tense. Emily is the mother that is always prepared when we go out. Whether it be an apple, Kleenex or drink of water, she seems to instinctively know when her family needs something. Our daughter, Eloise, has come to love books, yoga and exercise, just like her mama...

Born and raised in North Carolina, Emily has a master’s degree in information science and works in software development at an academic library. Emily loves teaching ESL (mostly as a volunteer) and learning languages; she studied Spanish in Ecuador and majored in French. She loves traveling; some of her favorite adventures were snorkeling in the Galapagos and backpacking through a slot canyon in Arizona. Emily loves making up stories for Eloise, singing, reading, and using her imagination. She feels lucky to have close, supportive friends nearby who have known her for many years.

Emilymeet Snuggle

Time!

Emily ‘s work schedule allows her to have Fridays free to play with Eloise (they love going to museums, playgrounds, the library and meeting up with friends on their special days). Once there is a new baby in the family, she plans to cut down on her work hours considerably.

Eloise Loves Her Mama!

Almeet

Farmer Eloise Takes the Tractor for a Spin

Eloise has been hiking since she was tiny! We love weekend trips to state parks.

Al is Definitely Someone You Can Count on When You Need a Lift!

About Al (by Emily) Al is hard-working, loyal and outgoing. He’s a really fun dad with a genius for hide-and-seek and a love of knock-knock jokes. Al is generous with his time and likes helping out wherever he sees the opportunity –he’s the kind of guy who will help cars get up a hill on a snowy day. He’s dedicated to his family and has served as a mentor to several of his nieces and nephews. Eloise adores him, and there’s nothing she’d rather do than sit on his lap.

Born in the farm fields of the Midwest to a large Catholic family, Al came to North Carolina 15 years ago looking to experience new things. He had just graduated college with a business degree. Eventually, Al started his own successful carpentry business. A strong work ethic instilled in him by his parents has helped him find contentment in his job. As a business owner, Al has flexibility in his schedule and arranges to spend as much time as possible with our daughter. Al enjoys outdoor adventures. Whether it be camping, hiking, or kayaking, he enjoys life outside and getting his hands dirty.

A

l & Elo

ise Sha

re a

Love of Knock-Knock Jokes.

Since Al haaates having his picture made, Emily tries to be sneaky. Here he is enjoying morning coffee on a rock-climbing trip.

She Loves Animals! A Happy Girl

Exploring at the Zoo

Meet Eloise Eloise amazes us everyday. She has a kind heart, a strong will, and a deep love of lions. She lives in a richly imaginative world which requires many tea parties, pillow forts, and fox costumes. At three, our big girl eagerly wants to be a “good friend” to the babies we know and is asking for a sibling. She will lead a little one into many adventures!

Our Beach Babe

Art Gone Wild!

Our Big Girl wants to be a "good friend" to babies and is very proud to hold her little cousin. She will be overjoyed to become a big sister.

Eloise takes a wild ride on her motorcycle. We live on a quiet cul-de-sac where many children ride and play.

It’s great fun supporting Eloise’s love of art and music -- we want to give our children opportunities to explore their interests (even when it gets messy!).

Exploring at the Zoo

Our Family Life

Beach fun

DaduGiga

Both Al and Emily come from loving, close knit families. The new baby will have many cousins! Al comes from a large farming family with more than 30 cousins. Most of Al’s family is concentrated in the midwest, there are always card games, board games, and sports no matter what the occasion! Emily’s parents live a few hours away and are very involved with their grandchildren. For Eloise’s first three years, Emily’s mother spent several days each week at our home caring for Eloise while we worked. Emily’s sister lives in Northern Virginia with her family, and her two teenage sons are Eloise’s heroes. Emily’s extended family gathers on alternate years in the NC mountains over Thanksgiving for a weekend of practical jokes and elaborate meals. At Christmas, we love all the classic traditions: baking cookies, singing carols, decorating the tree. Emily and Eloise have started a tradition of making ornaments for Christmas presents. Emily’s family always joins us on our annual beach vacation for a week of swimming, bike-riding, and playing board games.

Art Gone Wild!

Lulu keeps watch

Our annual beach trip with Emily’s family is a highlight of the year.

Although Emily’s parents (Eloise calls them Giga and Dadu) live several hours away, Giga has been very involved in childcare.

Visiting Grandpa and Grandma in Wisconsin for the first time.

Our children will have many cousins! We have family across the south, east coast, and

midwest whom we see regularly.

Our house has a big backyard in a quiet neighborhood with friendly neighbors. Every afternoon, kids are out on their scooters and bikes. Two families with preschoolers live close by, and we enjoy going to their houses to pick blueberries and visit their chickens.

Al continually has a project in mind for the house – last year he built us raised garden beds, and next year he plans to build a chicken coop! Our fenced-in backyard is perfect for little ones, and we’ve had some great cookouts and birthday parties there.

Eloise’s 1st Christmas

Our Home is our Happy Place!

Our close friends include several adopted children, and we’re so grateful for all that we’re learning from them.

The swingset in our backyard sees a lot of action.

Thank YouWe Would Love to Hear From You!email usallenandemilyadopt@gmail.com

visit our websitewww.allenemilyadopt.com

text “Pregnant” to919.971.4396

or contact our agencyA CHILDS HOPE877.890.4673 (toll-free)

As parents, we want to provide a happy, healthy childhood where our children can learn through direct experience. Our parenting style is about encouraging reading, developing imagination, and providing hands-on learning experiences. We are both blessed with supportive families and we want our children to grow up surrounded by loving relatives and friends.

We’re so grateful you’ve considered us as adoptive parents and for the opportunity to bring a child into our family. We are awed by your courage in considering this difficult decision.

We promise to love your baby wholeheartedly and to support them in every way. We will nurture their growth and set the stage for a happy, meaningful life.