David and Raphi

Hello! We are David (right), Raphael (who goes by Raphi, left) and Simon (center).

We met 16 years ago while living in New York City. During our first date over mozzarella sticks and nachos, we immediately bonded over the movie “Mean Girls”, our love for sushi, and our desire to become dads. Though David is now allergic to gluten and dairy, our dreams for our family have not changed.

We moved to Portland 10 years ago and have made it our home. On weekends, you will find us “urban hiking” and exploring Portland’s street fairs where Simon loves to spin the wheel at every booth and try new Mexican food trucks together. We finish up many evenings dancing to Beyonce, reading countless storybooks, and eating more blueberries than we ever thought possible.

Raphi is a former teacher who works for an education company helping adults advance their careers. David fell in love with Raphi’s easy laugh, snazzy style, knowledge of all things science, and was impressed by his double black belt in karate. Raphi grew up in Florida, which we visit in the winter for sunshine and time with Simon’s grandparents. Simon has inherited Raphi’s love for cooking and they spend lots of time in the kitchen developing new recipes.

David owns his own business, a company focused on celebrating gay dads and our families. Raphi fell in love with David’s dry humor, his passion for family (David’s 102 year old grandfather is his best friend!), and his love for boy-bands. He also was struck by David’s passion for both gossip magazines and Sports Illustrated, and his group of close lifelong friends. David grew up in Ohio and has lived in 7 states and 3 countries. Simon and David play softball together and cheer for Cleveland sports teams.

We live in a house built in 1927 on a sunny street filled with young families and children. Simon’s public elementary school is only 3 blocks away and we love to walk to and from school as a family. Friends in Portland play an important role in our lives. We’ve built a community with other adoptive and queer families and love getting together on Sunday morning for pancakes and playdates.

We have a close and wonderful relationship with Simon’s birth mom. Though we don’t live in the same city, we see her several times a year at Simon’s birthday, meet for playdates, and share photos. She has become part of our family and surrounding Simon with people who love him has shown us how much value there is in open adoption. We are excited to see their relationship deepen as Simon gets older.

Thank you for taking the time to learn a little about us. We can’t wait to meet you!

David, Raphi, and Simon