Please meet Craig and JJ, a married couple living in the Upper East Side who have been together since 2019. From our very first date we’ve had love and laughter in our lives. We share an appreciation of many things in life – movies, TV, reading, art, music, creative pursuits, and a passion for the work we do… plus dogs. We also share a deep appreciation for our families and a strong desire to grow ours. We’re a balance of introverted and extroverted – appreciating our time home with Stella (our dog) playing an ever-growing board game collection, as well as enjoying meals with friends and family. We’re both down to earth and committed to each other and growing our family. We can’t wait to share our love with a child who we’re committed to loving, teaching and guiding through life. 

JJ

Age: 43

Job: Partner at an immigration law firm 

More About JJ: JJ enjoys public speaking and writing scholarly articles in his field. He volunteers his time providing pro bono legal services. He enjoys playing boardgames, exploring new music, making playlists for friends, reading science fiction and fantasy novels, watching TV and movies, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Fun Fact: JJ used to be a sailing instructor and lifeguarding instructor during college.”

Craig

Age: 45

Job: Clinical Psychologist and Associate Executive Director of a Nonprofit Mental Health Clinic

More About Craig: Craig’s hobbies include art projects, enjoying movies and tv shows, a growing music collection, working out and spending time with friends and family.

Fun Fact: Craig enjoys creating art using different materials and methods, including steel welding, woodworking, and oil painting.

Our Lives:

We live in a family-friendly apartment building on the Upper East Side in Manhattan. We’re fortunate to live in a bright, sunny, plant-filled home (Craig has the green thumb!), with plenty of room to grow a family. We live down the street from a large community playground and a few blocks away from Central Park. 

During the work week, our evenings are spent together having dinner, playing board games, and watching the occasional TV show. On weekends, we enjoy spending time with our families and friends. We can often be found exploring Central Park and the city’s many museums and restaurants. During holidays, we celebrate traditions with our extended families in New York City, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.  

Our Family:

We are both very close with our large, extended families, consisting of siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, and many (many) cousins. We are fortunate to have such a strong and loving support network in the area, most of whom we see often for regular get-togethers, FaceTimes, school plays, and holidays.

JJ’s side of the family celebrates Christmas – with Christmas Eve being the main event. Carrying on the tradition started by JJ’s late father, JJ and his siblings work together to prepare a big Christmas Eve dinner of Alaskan snow crab legs, flank steak, and more. After dinner, we all open presents from each other, and on Christmas morning the kids open presents from Santa Claus.

Craig’s family is Jewish, but somehow the biggest family holiday has become Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving day is usually spent in its entirety laughing together in comfy clothes, with the rest of the long holiday weekend spent going out to dinners together and visiting each other’s homes. 

Further, our friends are like family to us. They are a diverse melting pot of warm, giving, and caring people – most of whom we’ve known for decades – and who will no doubt remain a part of our lives for many more decades to come. 

We’re extremely grateful for our truly wonderful support network, and we cherish our shared memories and traditions with them. Everyone is excited to welcome a new baby into our family and surround them with love as dedicated grandparents, aunts, uncles, and big cousins. 

Final Thoughts:

We know you’re going through a difficult process right now and we thank you for taking the time to read our profile. Our hope is to raise a child who will be proud of who they are and where they come from in every respect, as it makes them who they are. We look forward to providing a child with a loving, happy, and supportive family.

– JJ & Craig