Gabin & Samantha

We can be reached at Friends in Adoption: 1-800-844-3630

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From Us to You...

Greetings from New York!

We are excited at the opportunity of you taking time to consider us and the loving home we want to provide for your child. It will be filled with warmth, happiness, laughter, family, friends, adventure and, above all, unconditional love.

We understand that this is not easy for you; no one can walk in your shoes. Your child will always know that you loved him or her and chose adoption as a result of that love. We have the utmost respect for you and admire your strength in making this decision.

We hope that our story helps you to see the future you envision for your child. Thank you for giving us the chance to introduce ourselves through words and snapshots of our lives.

How We Met

Destiny seems to have a way of making things happen...We lived in the same three cities at the same times, yet our paths never crossed until 1997, when we were both working as attorneys in the same firm and our co-workers chose to introduce us.

It took only one laughter-filled evening -- we 'clicked' and have been inseparable ever since. Over the past eleven years, we have created a home together, traveled, made new friends, stayed in touch with old friends and built memories for a lifetime. We celebrated our marriage in front of our families and friends in 2005, surrounded by rolling fields and the gentle wildlife we have come to love.

"They are what a couple is meant to be”
Samantha’s brother, Alex,
on Gabin & Samantha

The Story of Us

In front of a castle in Canada

Hitting the easy bike trails in Connecticut

Squawking with the birds in the Dominican Republic

Catching a match at the US Open Tennis Championships

Gabin Speaks...

First and foremost, you should know I am and always will be a kid at heart. I am the one who eats cotton candy without hesitation or embarrassment, enjoys carnival and arcade games (my favorites include skee ball, air hockey, Guitar Hero, Ms. Pac Man and any pinball machine), won’t pass up a chance to see a drive-in movie and love to play mini-golf just as much as I love hitting balls at a driving range.

When we travel, I seek out locally-made donuts or ice cream and look for independent movie theaters filled with charm. I also firmly believe that a great way to spend an evening is with friends, hanging out and catching up.

Additionally, I believe that humor is essential to life. It can get you through the tough times and make the good times even better. For that reason, it has always been important to me to laugh often, laugh out loud and, most importantly, make others laugh too.

Gabin with her "nephew" Noah

Playing around with Maggie

Reading a classic with her "nephew" Aidan

Standing up to a suit of armor

Samantha Speaks...

I am a dreamer and a true optimist. Variety is the spice of life and I love trying my hand at anything new, be it knitting a scarf, cooking a new recipe, playing a new sport or game, traveling or learning a new craft technique. An avid reader, I also savor my quiet time to curl up in a chair with a book. Each of these things is made better by sharing it with Gabin and one day, with our child.

As much as I love nesting at home, I enjoy being out and about, exploring unknown parts of the city, hiking or bike-riding in the woods and parks or going on a picnic. We have a blast hunting down new restaurants, going to the movies and choosing to fill our lives with music.

It means a lot to me that my friends, family and co-workers choose to come to me with their problems and seek my advice. I am very empathetic and a natural caretaker and I am so excited to be able to guide and care for the child we will love.

Samantha & her brothers skiing

Taking a nap with Maggie

Laughing with her "nephew" Micah 7

Rooting for our home team with Cheryl

Our Home Life

We live just a stone’s throw away from where Gabin grew up and in precisely the community we set our eyes on. With ample natural light and breathtaking views, our home creates an inviting and peaceful environment – and even better, it was specifically designed with child-friendly features.

On six acres of property in the middle of New York City, our building complex provides us with the unique experience of having a taste of suburban life in the middle of the city. Next to our home is a new state-of-the-art playground, picnic tables under tall oak trees and basketball courts.

We are a short walk from local parks with additional playspace and playgrounds, as well as
excellent public and private schools for children of all ages.

We are part of a close-knit community within our neighborhood. But even more important is the fact that three generations of our families live within a short distance - in fact, Samantha's brother is right across the street and Gabin's parents live a few short blocks away, in a home they have occupied for over 40 years.

Living in New York, your child will have the advantage of going to great places like The Children’s Museum, the Hayden Planetarium, Central Park and exploring many other fun, sport and educational activities.

At our home's playground, we get to spend time as honorary 'aunts' to our close friends' kids.

Our "Home Away from Home"

We are fortunate to be a short car ride away from our country home -- our own six acre oasis. On weekends and holidays, we can relax and enjoy the beautiful countryside - hiking, skiing, playing tennis or swimming.

But, we have the best time when we get to share it with our friends -- nothing beats playing games for hours on end, cooking a big meal together, sitting by the fire and dancing around in our pajamas in the living room.

Our country house is very special to us and we cannot wait to share the peaceful outdoors, introduce our child to nature and instill an appreciation for the environment.

Our Pup Maggie

Maggie is our two year old Jack Russell Terrier. Maggie is the perfect remedy to any problem, big or small, with her sweet kisses, cold nose and warm body snuggled next to you. She is a very social little girl who loves playing with other dogs and people.

Our Family

Our family has always played a central role in our lives, individually and as a couple. We are extremely close with our families, who live nearby and whom we see weekly, be it going for brunch or dinner or to the movies.

Collectively, they are thrilled that we found each other and have been supportive of our relationship through the years.

They have been very involved and supportive of our attempts to build our own family. As the first grandchild to come into either side of the family, everyone is eagerly awaiting the arrival of this child into all of our lives!

With Samantha's Brothers

Gabin's Family

Alex's Thoughts

When Alex, Samantha’s 26 year old brother, heard we were writing this profile, he insisted we include his thoughts.

If you were to make a list of ideal qualities for a person to have, prospective parent or otherwise, I imagine it would look something like this: caring, patient, intelligent, funny, open-minded, nurturing, responsible, loving. Ready to rush to your aid in your hour of need without hesitation, bringing comfort and security. Able to cheer you up on even your darkest of days.

Always giving freely of themselves with a kind word or a wise piece of advice, but never forcing their own will upon you, Samantha and Gabin encompass all of these qualities, and far more that I simply lack the space to describe.

I consider them the couple with the best relationship that I have ever witnessed - like a cliche in a Disney movie thought not to exist in the real world, they really do share that warmth and tenderness, that easy rapport - yes, they actually finish each others sentences.

They go out of their way for others without a second thought. They live each day with gentle grace and bright smiles, and that attitude is infectious for those around them.

In short, they are what a couple is meant to be, and individually they are two of the finest and most well-rounded people I have ever encountered.

Our Family

Gabin:

As an only child, I had the complete attention and affection of both my parents, Chuck and Marcia. They remain essential in my life, as they have always given me strength, unconditional love and support. I was raised just a few blocks from mycurrent home, and I continue to spend a lot of time with them, both in the city and upstate. We spend many of our summer weekends together at our country home swimming, playing tennis, planning special dinners and going to movies.

I joined my dad in running the family business which he formed when I was a child. Together we protect the rights of musicians. I am fortunate to have a job that is not only my passion, but provides flexible hours and allows me additional time to bond with my family.

Gabin with her mom, Aunt Karen, Uncle Jeff & Cousin Adam

Gabin & her Uncle Jeff cutting some rug on the dance floor!

Fun & games with Samantha's dad at Sunday night dinner

Our closest friends celebrating Gabin's birthday

Samantha:

I was raised by my mom, Andrea, who had the difficult task of holding down a fulltime job and supporting my brother and me on her own. My mom was very devoted and made sure to instill the importance of family, loving one another and responsibility.

When I was 11, my mom met Steven, a very kind man, whom she married. My youngest brother, Alex, was born and solidified our family of five.

Adoption is not foreign to my family. Steven, with my birth father's consent, legally adopted Josh and I, raising us as his own.

In addition, my aunt and uncle, who also live a few minutes away, adopted their third child (my cousin) at birth.

Adding to my extended family unit, I reconnected with my birth father and established a relationship with him and his family over the past ten years. Gabin and I have since visited them every few years in Colorado to maintain regular contact.

My mother has always been my best friend; my family, my home base. We are all extremely close and get together often – whether it is to go out to movies, bowling or to try new restaurants. Every Sunday evening, the entire family, including my grandmother (Nani), has dinner together to enjoy stories, laugh hard and often and to just catch up.

Samantha with her brothers (Josh and Alex), mom (Andrea) and dad (Steven)

Visiting Samantha's cousins, Andrew & Mark, along with Nani.

Three generations -- Aunt Judy, mom, Nani and Samantha

A "touching" moment between mother and daughter

Samantha's birth father Bill, step-sister Rana & her family and Gabin.

Travel

One of the philosophies that we have always lived by is to take in the variety that the world has to offer. One staple of this has been to travel as often our schedules allow us to. By doing so, we’ve been able to gain a whole new perspective after seeing so many different places. Our dream is to travel through all fifty states, but we agreed to wait until we could experience it with our child, and along the way share our favorite places and create a whole new set of memories -- and pictures!

Scooting around Key West, FL

Making a new friend on Block Island, RI

Playing around with an oversized game piece in Philadelphia, PA

Hiking in Lake Placid, NY

Hiking in Santa Fe, NM

At the base of the Eiffel Tower

On summer vacation with our dear friends Gary & Stephanie in Portland, ME

Having a relaxing moment in newport, RI

At the beach at our favorite spot in Cape Cod, MA

Samantha's thoughts on Gabin

Gabin is hands-down the funniest person I have ever met. Every day she brings a smile to my face and happiness to my soul. Of all of our friends and family, Gabin is the entertainer with her incredible sense of humor and quick wit. She also has a more serious side, is extremely organized, a good listener, responsible and is always elected to plan social get-togethers. Gabin listens to the desires and wishes of others, devising ways to make them happen.

Gabin is the yin to my yang in that she balances my strengths and weaknesses perfectly. She is my safety, my security and I trust her implicitly. She is down to earth, a doer, a kid at heart, loving, strong, compassionate, supportive, a caretaker, intelligent, passionate and committed.

Children are drawn to her for many reasons – her voice, the way she plays with them, her spirited sense of fun and her ability to provide direction and boundaries. I love watching Gabin with my family and how she takes pride in being there for them. Knowing how we are together, I cannot wait for us to raise children together.

Gabins' thoughts on Samantha

When you least expect it, expect it! I was on track to start a new phase of my professional life. I didn't expect to meet someone and fall in love. Plans changed when I met Samantha, my soul mate and love of my life. It was as if we had known each other forever. We spent as much time together as possible, exploring the world and creating memories together. The happiest day of my life was the day we exchanged vows in front of our closest friends and family. It is a rarity to find someone with whom you can share your life goals and aspirations.

Samantha is truly one of the most caring, thoughtful, honest, forthright people I know. She gives me comfort, hope and love. She cares deeply about how others feel and does all she can to be there for family and friends, when needed. If there was anyone who was meant to be a mother, it is Samantha. She is the pied piper to our friends' children. The way she treats the ones she loves and what I have observed over the years with the way she interacts with her younger brothers, inspires me to be a better person. I am excited to be that better person as a co-parent with Samantha.

Enjoying the views while on vacation with family in Colorado.

Thank You

Thank you again for taking the time to learn about who we are individually, as a couple and as a family.

We hope that it gave you a glimpse as to the home we will have if you provide us with the privilege of parenting your child.

A dear friend once told us that we will not find our child; our child will find us. We are so excited to open our arms and our hearts to him or her.

We will always be thankful for the miracle you will bring to our lives. And, we will never forget the deep love and courage you have had through this process -- nor will your child.

We have so much to offer a child and cannot wait to bestow it.

We look forward to sharing more with you when we speak or even meet.

With heartfelt wishes,

Gabin & Samantha

We can be reached at Friends in Adoption toll-free at 1-800-844-3630