My name is Maria and I live in Jacksonville, Florida. Thank you for taking time to look at my profile!

I have a large, youthful, & loving family. My mother, twin sister, adorable four-year-old-nephew, younger sister & brother all live close to my home in Jacksonville, Florida. My dad, step-mother, and majority of my extended family live in Charleston, South Carolina. My family is supportive & excited about my adoption process, they cannot wait to have another young child in the family to love and spoil.

I work in early childhood development & social services. I understand the importance of providing a child with love, nurture, and positive experiences

I love international and domestic travel. I teach yoga, cook, & create art. I am passionate about making the world a more vibrant, beautiful & healthy place for ALL individuals to experience.

I live near the beach & close to parks, farmer’s markets, outdoor activities, & friends; many of my friends have young children.

I have always hoped to raise a child; however, I wanted to develop myself as a healthy & strong woman first to ensure that I could offer my child everything.

I understand adoption must be the most challenging & thoughtful decision you will ever face. You love your baby & are making a tough choice for the best interest of your child’s future & yourself. I will honor & share your story as the birth-mother.

Learn More About Me

“Stay close to anything that makes you feel glad you are alive.” – Hafiz

A CLOSER LOOK AT ME

I have lived a vast and creative life, full of experiences and adventure. I did volunteer work in Colorado and North Dakota when I was in college, I lived on a campground and worked for a family in Ireland when I was twenty-one years old, and I lived in Southeast Asia for five years after I graduated from college. Here I ran a non-profit with my sister, bringing volunteer teachers to rural villages to live with families and teach in local schools. I have traveled to many countries including Italy, Australia and Guatemala.

I worked to obtain my Masters of Social Work and graduated in 2016. I am currently working to become licensed as a therapist through my work with Head Start. I am dedicated to working with vulnerable children and families, which has been my career for over 15 years. I believe in the work that I do, my work brings me purpose and joy.

I also teach yoga, I am passionate about bringing peace, healing and good health to all individuals. I have taught for over 10 years. I also practice art. I love using paint, ink, chalk pastels, and charcoal. I often use art in my work with young children. I have a small garden as well, with basil, thyme, mint, rosemary, dill and flowers. I use these herbs in my food, as well as enjoy getting my hands in the earth and watching everything grow. Between yoga, art, and plants, I enjoy the opportunity to get sweaty, messy and playful, while overall improving my health.

I live near the beach and often walk, bike, and play in the water.

I would love to share my passion for the world, nature, creativity, and health, as well as my understanding of nurturing environments, with your child.

The  Place I Call Home

I live in a sunny remodeled beach house only 2 blocks, walking distance, from the beach. I have two bedrooms, with a third room that could be converted to an office, playroom, or art space. I have a backyard with space to play and a beautiful oak tree. The front yard is expansive as well, and I am currently working on a small garden in the side yard. Nearby, within eight blocks, there is a small beach town center. Within the town center, there are coffee shops, restaurants, small yoga and surf shops, and little boutiques. On the other side of the main street, there are community gardens and a weekly farmers market. I am also in a school district with highly rated schools. I am out in the beach community often, biking, doing yoga, swimming, and paddle boarding.

Currently, I am renting. In my professional position as director, I am preparing my department for an expansive new grant which will increase my salary when it happens. I share this because it relates to my future goals for my home, I am looking to buy. It may not be a house that is two blocks from the beach, but it will be near the ocean nonetheless, as beach culture has always been an important part of my life.

I live by myself with one sweet kitty. As mentioned in my profile, my twin sister, nephew, younger sister, and mother live within three miles. My yoga community is within two miles from my house, and I have many friends with young children within a couple miles as well.

I cook often and like to have people over to share in the celebration. I cook fresh seafood and love to play with different variations of recipes. My house is full of life.

I AM A WORLD TRAVELER

I lived in Southeast Asia for 5 years. During this time, my twin sister and I started and ran a non-profit in Indonesia; a volunteer program which provided education to rural areas. I also taught in Thailand, South Korea, and Taiwan. Recently, I have traveled to Spain, Italy, Holland, Australia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Cuba! Recently, I have also spent more time in this country. I went snow boarding for the first in Colorado and took a lovely road trip through Oregon. Travel helps me to understand my own culture, as well as gain a global perspective.

I HAVE DONE YOGA SINCE I WAS 16

I have been teaching yoga for ten years. A few evenings a week, I teach at a studio, but also for residents in a substance abuse facility. Yoga helps me to take care of my body, but also keeps my mind healthy, as well as contributes to my spiritual growth.

I HAVE WORKED WITH CHILDREN, BIRTH THROUGH FIVE, AND THEIR FAMILIES FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

I am passionate about this age group as I believe brain-development is rapid, including the formation of relationships, expression, and trust in the world. I believe in positive discipline.

As a potential adoptive parent, I believe in the importance of community support, as well as creating experiences in which a child can see him or herself in the world. For this reason, diversity is important. I understand the importance of having friends, classmates, toys, books, and technology in which my child will see other children who look like him/her, in the case that he/she looks different than me. I believe my child’s birth story is important, in sharing this story, I will ensure my child knows he was loved by his birth mother.

A Few of My Favorite Snapshots….

In Closing

Thank you for taking your valuable time to get to know me a little better.

I am aware that the decision you are about to make is one of the most important and difficult choices you will ever face.

I am fully committed to creating a colorful, creative and loving life for your child. I have a stable career, a curiosity for beauty and adventure, and a deep knowledge of child development and the importance of a nurturing environment. I have a solid unwavering community of support. I feel blessed to have this opportunity to offer my world to your child.