Terrence and I met the old-fashioned way—at a bar in Berlin. I was living in the city at the time and was out with my friend Nora, while Terrence was visiting for the weekend with his friends. I noticed him right away and remember thinking that if he would just look my way, I’d go introduce myself. He never did, so I went back to Nora and told her all about this handsome stranger I had spotted.

Not long after, Terrence walked over to our table with his friends and asked if they could join us. One look at my face was enough for Nora to realize this was the guy. From that moment on, Terrence and I connected instantly and talked for hours. Thanks to Nora—who kept his friends busy talking—we had all the time in the world to get to know each other. By the end of the night, we exchanged phone numbers and made plans to see each other again. From then on, we visited each other every other week. About two years later, I moved to the United States for Terrence, and together we navigated my immigration process, his military training, and the adventure of building a life in a new state. Now, we’ve even started the adoption process.

Who would have thought that a simple night out with friends would turn into all of this?

We share our home—and our hearts—with two cats, Willie and Myrtle. At 17, Willie is our beloved ''grandpa''. We rescued him from a local shelter, and these days he enjoys a life of well-earned comfort: plenty of cuddles, his own spot on the couch, and leisurely walks in the garden.

Myrtle, on the other hand, is our spirited two-year-old who found us as a stray. We like to think she realized she’d struck gold when she joined us for a cross-state road trip during our last move.. She earned her name for being endlessly talkative, her constant stream of meows echoing the chatter of the Moaning Myrtle from Harry Potter.

To us they’re more than pets—they’re family. They greet us in the hallway when we come home, keep us company in the garden, and curl up between us on the couch each night - exactly where they belong.

We are committed to sharing your child’s adoption story with honesty, care, and respect. It is deeply important to us to honor your courage and the love behind your decision, and to express our sincere gratitude. While we cannot fully understand the weight of this choice, we recognize how significant it is. We want you to know that you will always hold a meaningful place in our lives and in your child’s story. We will speak about you with respect, care, and gratitude, so your child grows up understanding the love behind your decision. As the child grows, we will talk about adoption in age-appropriate ways, always being honest while ensuring they feel safe, loved, and supported in understanding their story. We will share the story of the day they joined our family with joy, and include as much of your story as you wish for us to carry forward. We will support their natural curiosity about where they come from and help them explore their identity in a way that feels right for them. We also understand that adoption, while rooted in love and new beginnings, can come with feelings of loss and grief. Because of this, we will create an open and safe space where he or she can ask questions, express any emotions, and know that all of their feelings are valid. We are committed to approaching this journey with sensitivity and respect for all of those emotions.

Esther‘s family lives in Germany as well as Terrence mother‘s side of the family. When we moved to the US we first moved to California, where Terrence's American side of the family lives. Esther especially enjoyed the benefits of a big family with lots of children and we saw them every other weekend.

We keep close contact to our family members and friends in Germany and FaceTime with them on weekends. We are visiting them every other year and enjoy coming back to our home towns. When we celebrated our wedding in California, it became a beautiful moment of connection between our families. It was the first time Esther’s parents met Terrence’s American family, and although language was a challenge, everyone made a genuine effort to communicate and connect. Despite the differences, warmth and kindness spoke louder than words. In a particularly special moment, Terrence’s grandmother and aunt took Esther’s mom on a shopping spree—a shared experience that needed no translation. It turned out to be a language all three women spoke fluently! Because no one could pronounce Esther’s father’s name - still to this day everyone calls him Big G.

No matter who we’ve shared our plans to adopt with, the response has been overwhelmingly joyful. Friends and family alike light up with excitement and offering support. We know that when the time comes, this child will be surrounded by warmth, kindness, and a strong sense of belonging from the very beginning.

We moved into our home in New Mexico in December 2025. Nestled in a quiet suburban neighborhood near a small city, the area feels peaceful while still being connected and lively. During the warmer months our neighbors children are playing outside. Just a short distance away, there’s a wonderful outdoor pool that’s perfect for families. It offers swim lessons for little ones starting as young as six months, along with two fun water slides and plenty of shaded spots for relaxing afternoons. Within walking distance, you’ll also find a playground right next to a library. What we love most about our home is the abundance of natural light. Large windows fill every room with sunshine while still maintaining a sense of privacy. Our backyard is a cozy retreat, complete with a fireplace and a variety of shrubs, and our bedroom opens onto a balcony where Esther especially enjoys spending time reading. Downstairs, our kitchen and living room are one open area. A space where we spend most of our time, cooking, watching movies or eating together. When the weather is nice, we love opening the garden door and letting our cats wander in and out, enjoying the fresh air right along with us.

Thinking about an adoption plan for your child is not easy and we can only begin to imagine what you might be going through. We hope that by getting to know us, you may find some comfort and reassurance. While we know there are no words to make this decision easier, we want you to know that you will not be alone in this process.

We met in Germany in 2021 and got married almost three years ago in California. At the time, Esther was living in Berlin while Terrence was preparing to move back to his hometown of Sacramento. Even though we lived far apart and were working different shifts, we couldn’t stop thinking about each other and began visiting one another in Germany every two weeks. After three months, we traveled to Turkey together, and during that trip we officially began our relationship. From the very beginning, we knew there was something special between us.

Through a long-distance relationship across two continents, Esther’s immigration process, and then again time apart during Terrence’s military training, we always knew we belonged together. From the very beginning, our relationship has been built on trust, love, and unwavering support for one another. No matter the challenge, it felt natural to do whatever was necessary to build our life side by side. Looking back on those early years together, we feel overwhelming gratitude and joy that everything led us to where we are today.

We are both ready and exited to become parents. We often imagine our lives with our child - running errands with our baby in the carrier, teaching them how to walk, traveling to other countries, having movie nights as they grow older and celebrating holidays with family. We promise your child will always be deeply loved, supported and encouraged to become who they are meant to be. Our home will always be a place where they feel safe, comforted, celebrated and unconditionally loved. Open communication and honesty are valued by us and we want to share the story of how we became a family with the child from the beginning.

Choosing an open adoption was something that came naturally to us. While we are open to sending emails, letters and pictures as well as future visits and phone calls we are ready to commit to what feels best for you and the child. We hope to build a connection that everyone feels comfortable with. It is important to us that you know that your story and love for your child will always be talked about and honored in our home. If you choose us you will always be part of their story and we would be incredibly grateful for the privilege of raising your child.

No matter what decision you make, we wish you strength and support on this journey. Thank you for taking the time to learn about us - we hope this has given you a sense of who we are, and that we may have the chance to get to know each other.

With most love,

Terrence & Esther