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Hello, we are Lu and Shalini. Thank you for choosing to learn about us as prospective parents to your child.

We can’t imagine the weight of the decisions you’re trying to make at this moment. As you consider the various options for your child, we’re grateful that something about us has grabbed your attention enough to consider our profile. We considered and tried many different options for growing our family, but when nothing worked, we realized that shared biology wasn’t necessary for our ideal family, and we chose adoption. Since then, we’ve adopted...

We met in Miami, in 2003: Shalini had just started a new freelance career in web development and was living with her best friend, Lanette. Lu was diligently pursuing her Masters in Psychology while working full time at a community health facility with her friend, Erika. One day, Lanette told Shalini that her sister, Erika, and her friend, Lu, were coming over and we were going to the beach… and it turned into a spontaneous beach-camping road trip.

After that first trip, we went on many more adventures together, and our friendship solidified. Then in 2005, we became...

When meeting Shalini, the first thing you notice is that, no matter your age, there is something about her that pulls you in. You just want to be around her! My theory is that it’s because she passes no judgment and is genuinely interested in what you have to say. You can have the silliest or the deepest conversations with her. Because of this, she is beloved by all. Shalini has a large group of family and friends in the DC area that she has known since childhood, and yet she’s always making new friends.

As a partner, Shalini is loving, funny, and reliable. She...

Lu can come across as very serious if you don’t know her. But, once you do get to know her, you discover her soft and playful side. You might find yourself laughing out loud when you get it (like it’s some sort of inside-joke), and then feel a rush of warm love and affection for her. She’s creative and artistic, but also a total goofball. She is a big fan of puns and wordplay and watching people trip over and/or fall off things. (Ask me how I know.)

Kids love Lu because they can totally be themselves around her. I knew this before Amir joined our family, but now I...

Amir is sweet, funny, creative, and a very independent child. He draws in anyone who meets him - we think it’s because of his ability to make really good eye contact and his genuine curiosity about others.

With a new sibling, Amir would be a loving older brother. He would probably want to feed the baby constantly because he loves food. He would read them books because he reads at least half a dozen a day himself. He’d dance for, and with them. He’d take them out to explore the outdoors, either in our backyard or around the neighborhood. Amir would show them the...

The best word to describe our house is cozy. We like having comfortable seating and easy-to-move-around-in space; there’s usually music playing in the background, the aroma of something cooking. We keep the place clean and organized, but there are times when toys and books and projects are scattered all over the place. Some people are surprised if they notice there’s no TV, but we’re not total weirdos — we do watch stuff on our laptops, and we have a couple of projectors and a sound system set up for movie night (all-you-can-eat popcorn included!).

We have a...

Since we’re an Indian/Mexican/American/Hindu/Catholic household we have quite a mix of holidays and events. We take birthdays pretty seriously — we take the day off to have a good meal together or try some fun new experience. On Easter, family and friends go hunting through our backyard for eggs, including cascarones (eggshells filled with confetti).

On Diwali (the Hindu festival of lights) we mix together the fireworks of July 4th with the gift-giving of Christmas and the fresh hopes of New Year’s. We usually go to Shalini’s parents’ house for...

Travel is important to both of us; it’s something we really enjoy. Before we met, we’d traveled independently to Iceland, Argentina, Hungary, Cameroon, Ireland, France, and Switzerland (and more). Now, as a couple, we still love to travel; everything from spontaneous day trips to random nearby attractions to weeks-long adventures around the world.

We go camping every year, usually in early summer or fall, and can’t wait to teach the kids how to set up a tent using some of grandpa’s camping gear from the ’80s (it’s still going strong!). We also...

Thank you for making it through our attempt at describing what life would be like for your child if they were to be raised by us. We’ll make sure that they know that they are loved -- they’ll get lots of cuddles and kisses, we’ll make them yummy food, and encourage them to try new things. We’ll nurture their hearts and their uniqueness so they can be their true selves, and we’ll give them tons of opportunities to learn in various formal and informal ways. We’ll go on all sorts of adventures with them, from big to small, and surround them with loving...