Pilar & Bram

Bram and Pilar have been married for 9 years. Bram always knew he wanted to be a dad. Pilar also knew she wanted to be a mom, and about 10 years ago, she became certain that she wanted to be an adoptive parent. Due to health conditions, carrying a child to term would have likely been complex given her medical history. Both Bram and Pilar believe that loving a child and giving them a safe and loving environment to grow up in is important. At this time, Bram and Pilar are financially able to welcome a fourth member to the family. They are proud parents of a beautiful calico cat.

About Pilar

Job: Communications Officer at the United Nations & Printmaker/Artist

Hobbies: Swimming, traveling, and spending time with Bram and our cat

Fun Fact: Pilar was born in Chile, and she grew up in Honduras and Egypt. She has also lived in Japan, France, and Washington, DC. Pilar is an artist and printmaker and is excited to teach her child about art.

About Bram

Job: Ph.D candidate in Old Testament, Dutch Teacher, and YouTuber

Hobbies: Reading, writing a novel (even if I never finish it), and learning new things about the world

Fun Fact: Bram used to be an average student who was especially bad at languages. Now he’s a multi-lingual theologian who studies ancient languages for fun!

Our Lives

On a day-to-day basis, we both engage in work full-time. Bram teaches from home twice a week and spends the bulk of the rest of his time on his Ph.D. In his free time, he likes to read books (fantasy, sci-fi, non-fiction) and even likes to write fiction. He also enjoys his hobby YouTube channel, which is focused on education.

Pilar goes into the office 2 days a week and works from home the rest of the week. Outside of her day job, she is a practicing artist/printmaker. She spends some of her weekends at print shops in Manhattan and Brooklyn working on her art. She also enjoys swimming 2-3 times a week.

Together, we like to go on occasional walks, and watch TV series or read books. When possible, we like traveling together and enjoy discovering new foods and new places in New York City.

Our Family

Our third family member arrived in our home in late 2021: a beautiful, spicy calico cat. Although she runs the household, she is also ready to be a big sister.

More information on our human family below:
Bram’s father is a small business owner and a go-getter with no tolerance for dishonesty. His mother has a degree in teaching, but opted to become a stay-at-home mom. She’s the loving type and enjoys her peace and quiet. She’s an avid reader and likes to garden. They love reading, doing crafts (different crafts each), and are happily married. Bram’s brother works in sound and vision at festivals/concerts. He is unmarried and has no children. They live in the Netherlands.

Pilar’s dad holds two Master degrees, one in Philosophy and one in International Relations. He is approachable and easy-going, and has consistently shown that he is a steady and reliable dad. Her mom earned her Bachelor’s in Chemistry and a Master’s in Pharmaceutical Control. She has taught Chemistry at the University and High School levels in Honduras. She’s Pilar’s best friend. She has been with us during some of our most difficult health challenges. Pilar’s parents have been married since 1982 and are now living their best retired life. Pilar’s brother co-founded a design and construction firm. He’s an architect, unmarried, and has no children. They live in Honduras.

Final Thoughts

We like to see life as a gift. We didn’t ask to be born, alive, as humans, but we were. It is both the greatest gift and the greatest challenge to be given a life to live. On top of that, we were born in this world. We cannot think of a greater gift to leave to this world than the legacy of a child we raised.

-Pilar & Bram