Meet the Families
When we first met in 2022, we quickly bonded over our love of playing music and learning languages, and our shared sense of humor. We now live with our poodle mix, Phoebe, in a wonderful area in Western Massachusetts where your child would grow up surrounded by a supportive community of friends and family.
We share many core values that guide our life decisions and the way we hope to raise our children. We believe deeply in every person’s worth, dignity, and right to a good life. We try to approach life with curiosity and compassion, and we do our best to prioritize our mental and physical health. We also deeply value community, and believe that children thrive when they grow up in neighborhoods, families, and friend groups where people are looking out for each other.
Some favorite memories together:
- Performing songs for a tiny audience of 3 friends at our first house concert
- Meeting our niece on the day she was born
- Eating ice cream under the midnight sun in Isabella’s birth country of Finland
- Spotting a few wolves and sooo many bison with Jillian’s family in Yellowstone National Park
- Getting married in a private town hall ceremony and then celebrating with a big backyard party
- Being there for each other through transitions, challenges, and celebrations
About Jillian
Age: 34
Place of Birth: Mississippi
Occupation: Middle school English as a Second Language teacher
How Isabella describes Jillian: Genuine, supportive, courageous
Hobbies: Learning Finnish from Isabella, gardening, reading, cross-country skiing
Special Skill: Roasting the perfect golden-brown marshmallow
Can’t wait to: Take time off from teaching to stay home with our baby 💖
About Isabella
Age: 36
Place of birth: Finland (but grew up in the Boston area)
Occupation: Mental Health Counselor
How Jillian describes Isabella: Wise, empathetic, imaginative
Hobbies: Theatre, crafts, creative writing, practicing Spanish & French
Special Skill: Can crochet anything
Can’t wait to: Make up elaborate bedtime stories 💫
About Phoebe
Age: 5
Place of birth: Buffalo, NY
Occupation: Dog
Phoebe in 3 words: Sweet, hilarious, adventurous
Loves: Having two moms 🌈, playing fetch, cuddling
Special Skill: Dancing on her hind legs
Our Family and Friends
We both grew up in musical, open-minded, fun-loving families, and we continue to have close relationships with our family members.
Isabella’s sister lives one hour away with her husband and their baby daughter. We love spending time with our niece, so we visit often! Isabella’s parents are planning to move from Boston to our area soon. They help out with our niece about twice a week. They are warm, helpful, attentive grandparents.
Jillian’s parents live in Jillian’s hometown in Mississippi. Through visits back and forth, we get to see them several times a year. They will be doting, goofy, outdoorsy grandparents. Jillian’s sister recently moved to New Orleans. We love spending holidays and other special occasions with her.
We are grateful to be able to provide a strong network of caring, trustworthy family friends for our child. Many of our close friends have young children, so our child will grow up with lots of “cousins!”
Our Home
We live in a cozy house with a big backyard that backs up to a wooded area. We imagine our child picking raspberries, spotting deer, and running and playing in the backyard. Our house is also within walking distance of our town’s center, and we live across the street from two amazing families with kids of different ages. Our three households get together for potlucks and help each other out with childcare and pet care.
