We met via a dating app in and immediately hit it off. It was pretty clear after the first few dates that this was special. Which is really good because we met in late 2019, and in early 2020 the pandemic started. So, within a few months of meeting each other we were faced with a choice - shelter in place apart and not see each other, or take a risk and basically stress test our relationship. We opted to do it together, spending nearly every waking minute together without much else to do. And we loved it.

We formally moved in together not long after that, riding out the rest of the pandemic and beyond. In 2021 we moved down to Burbank. On the day we moved we got engaged, and on April 16, 2022, we got married at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. We still love being together. We are best friends and spend most of our time together even after all of this time. 

We are HUGE Disney fans! We have annual passes to Disneyland and go at least once a month. (We love going with our little niece, and can’t wait to start taking our child and going as a family.) We also love traveling together; we’re fortunate to travel a lot for work, so whenever we can, we tag along on each other’s work trips and explore a new city together. We’ve visited 10 states and 7 countries together so far! Our dream trip is to go to the Galápagos Islands!

Individually, you’ll often find one of us in the kitchen. Aly loves baking – cupcakes are her specialty! – and Ron is the cook in the family. We like binging sci-fi shows, like Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. Aly likes to create themed menus sometimes when we have a binge session, which is fun.

Ron also plays guitar. He used to play in bands but these days he usually just picks up the guitar to play a song for the dogs!

About Ron (from Aly)

Ron is the kindest, most empathetic person I have ever met. His smile is infectious, and he brings so much joy to everyone around him. He’s the son-in-law who drives an hour and a half to help his mother-in-law put her Christmas decorations up. He’s the uncle who plays Disney princess dress-up with his niece. He’s the friend who drops everything to fly to New Zealand for his friend’s wedding – and then ends up playing guitar to accompany the bride down the aisle, with only a day’s practice. Ron was born to be a dad, and I cannot wait to see him raise a child and help shape them thanks to all his amazing qualities.

About Aly (from Ron)

Aly is simply one of the most lovely humans on the planet. Not only is she crazy beautiful, she’s so kind and funny and fun to be around. She walks in the room and just makes people feel comfortable with her smile and kindness. She puts others first always. Nothing makes her more excited than doing things for other people, even if it’s just baking for them. She makes everything more beautiful and light in the world. And that’s how I know she’ll be an amazing mother. She will do anything to make that child’s world an amazing place.

We are so lucky to have a supportive family around us that is with us every step of the way. We couldn’t have asked for more loving parents who have shaped us and provided excellent models to us. And all of them are itching to add a grandchild to the mix. When we mention the potential for adoption is like seeing a kid around Christmas time trying to keep it cool but inwardly exploding with excitement (even Ron’s dad, who tries to play it like he’s tough but is a big softy around kids). 

Ron’s brother and sister both have families of their own with kids who are wonderful and so much fun. They live in other states but we try to get together when we can, usually revolving around trips to some Disney park. Beyond that we are lucky to have people in our lives that may not be blood relatives, but are basically family. We love spending time with them, especially at our beach house in Grover Beach.

We also have a large family of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, including some in the UK that we got to reconnect with recently, reminding us how wonderful family is and how special it is to feel so much love and connection with people even when they are on the other side of the world. We talk with them when we can and are planning another visit out there in the near future.

We recently moved to Bakersfield, CA (Aly's hometown) to be closer to Aly’s family. We moved into a lovely house in a quiet neighborhood, with a big park just up the road that’s easily walkable. The house itself has a big front and back yard (with a pool!) which will be so fun for a child to play in with our dogs. The house is three bedrooms and two baths so there’s plenty of room. There’s even space for Ron to put all of his guitars out and play.

Our favorite room so far has to be the living room, which is so bright and open, with a lovely fire place that makes things warm and inviting. But there’s also a big kitchen and dining area, and plenty of space for a barbecue, which we can use with friends and family.

We chose this neighborhood because it's very close to family - Aly's mom and aunt are just a short bike ride away, and we have several friends who live within a few blocks. Our house is located in one of the best school districts in town (where Aly's dad and mom both taught), and there are so many great restaurants, shops, and bakeries within a mile. 

Thank you so much for going through our profile. We recognize that you have a big decision to make. We are tempted to say we hope that we have convinced you that we're right fit for you and your child (and we’d be lying if we didn’t say we feel that a little). But at the end of the day, we want what you want - we hope that whatever we have written here will?help you make the right decision for you and your child.

We both were raised with the philosophy that you give to and help others as much as you can. In that way, we want to create an environment where your child gets everything they need and more. We would always put the needs of the child first and foremost. Our life would be that child.?

One of the main things we want to teach the?child is that the world is a big place. This means two things. First, there is so much more to learn, to explore, to appreciate. Every time you think you’ve reached the end and learned everything there is to learn, if you look again or see it from another perspective, the world will surprise you and challenge you and you’ll find there is more to it. And that’s beautiful and exciting. So we will teach them to never stop learning, being curious, challenging themselves, learning from and with others, and pushing their own boundaries. The limit of the world is determined by how far they?push.?

Second, the world is so big it can also be a scary place sometimes. Sometimes it can feel too big and the problems so large that you may not feel safe or that you can handle it. That’s understandable and ok to feel that way. Everyone gets overwhelmed by life sometimes. Being scared isn’t what makes you strong, it’s what you do with it. We want the child to?remember that they’re?never alone. We are always with them 100%, as are their other friends and loved ones. And, most importantly, the world may be big but the strength inside of them is bigger. Bigger than we often realize. It’s not always easy to feel that strength, but that doesn’t mean it’s not there.?Keep going. Never stop fighting for what you want and for those you love. They?are limitless and we will be with them every step of the way.

We have been together for?six years now and we cannot express how lucky we feel to have each other. We are best friends and crazy in love. We mention that because?this gives us space to really focus in on the child and their needs. We also both were lucky enough to be raised with parents who were crazy in love with each other as well, and we recognize how special that was to have a good example of a healthy relationship.

We also recognize how important you are in this. We want the adoption to be as open as you’d like it to be. At a minimum, we will send you letters and pictures of their growth over the years. We will speak highly of you, talk about the bravery of your decision, and try to teach the child at an early age about where they came from. We are also open to more contact if you are, such as exchanging emails, phone calls, or even visits if you’d like. We not only think that’s important for the child, but want you to feel confident in your decision and have a meaningful part of the child’s life.?

If you’ve made it this far we want to express again how thankful we are that you’ve considered us and how much we admire you for the tough decision you have to make. We hope we’ve given you confidence in us, but mostly just wish you the best in your decision.

Ron & Aly