Ann-Marie & Joe

We have been together for 3.5 years and married for 2.5 years. We both grew up in the same town that we currently live in. We enjoy spending time in our town at the beach, our yacht club, and out on our boat. We go out walking daily as well as frequenting the local businesses.

We have a great relationship and enjoy doing everything together. It has been our dream to expand our family since the beginning. We have such a full life and are eager to share it with a child.

About Ann-Marie:

Job Description: Manager of Ops & Support Team

Hobbies:

• Cooking
• Walking
• Paddle boarding
• Volunteering

Fun Fact: My nephew was the officiant at our wedding, my niece was my maid of honor and my other nephew was my driver and coordinator for the ceremony. (Joe’s nephew was the ring bearer!)

About Joe:

Job Description: Field Sales Rep & Owner-Operator Barnacle Buster Inc.

Hobbies:

• Gym
• Boating
• Cooking
• Volunteering
• Diving

Fun Fact: Joe comes from a bi-lingual family (Spanish) and was born 3 months premature and weighed only 2 lbs at birth!

Our Lives

We both work from home, Joe also runs a seasonal dive business locally. 5 to 6 months of the year you will find us either at the beach or out on our boat. We both love to cook and are frequently entertaining in our home or planning BBQs at our cousin’s beach front home. We have 3 Nephews and 2 Nieces ranging in age from 22 years old to 8 months. We have countless extended family members and friends whose children also call us Auntie & Uncle. Ann-Marie is a God Mother, to her adorable God Daughter (1.5 years old). Our favorite thing to do with all the kids when not boating is taking walks to one of the many parks nearby.

Ann-Marie loves to decorate for all holidays, but tries go all out for Christmas. This past Christmas we had 9 trees up around the house ranging in size from about 3 feet tall to a 10 foot tree we cut down!

Our Family

Ann-Marie —Both my parents and Brother live within walking distance of our home. My brother has 3 children (Age 22, 19 & 17) whom have been my world! I have been so lucky that since I live close I have been able to be part of their lives growing up. From toddler classes to now hiring them to drive the launch at our yacht club. As my father is a veteran I have spent the majority of my life volunteering for veterans’ organizations. Which the past 4 years has also included helping out with the youth band.

Joseph — Parents live approx 1 hour north, but visit our town (where they used to live) frequently. Brother and wife live in White Plains, Sister and Husband live in Riverdale with their 2 children (Age 4 yrs & 8 months). Both siblings only recently moved away from City Island and also visit frequently.

We have a large group of friends whom we’ve known literally since childhood. Joe’s cousin and his girlfriend recently had a baby at Christmas whom Joe was just asked to be God Father to! We are so lucky to see him at least weekly! Another couple we spend a lot of time with is one of the kids Ann-Marie babysat as a teen, she is now god mother to their daughter! What a way to bring it full circle!

Every year during the Christmas Season, we travel up to Jone’s farm with the entire family to cut down a Christmas tree. This is a tradition that Joe’s mother has been organizing for over 30 years. Most notable holidays we celebrate are 4th of July — complete with a pirate water balloon fight on the dock / boats with at least 100 people. Family members fly in from as far away as California! Every year on St Patrick’s day we go to a local restaurant (whom opens just for us!) to have dinner together.

Final Thoughts

Please know that if given the opportunity to raise your child they will be surrounded by so much love and attention. Our greatest gift has been to grow up on City Island with family and friends that go back for generations. We are truly ready to become parents and give the child we adopt a truly great life.

– Ann-Marie & Joe