Shivani
Ruler
Gender:
Female
Status:
State:
California
Religion:
Spiritual
Education:
Master’s Degree
Profession:
Mental Health Therapist
Political Affiliation:
Not Political
Chris
Caregiver
Gender:
Male
Status:
State:
California
Religion:
Spiritual
Education:
Bachelor’s Degree
Profession:
Firefighter Paramedic
Political Affiliation:
Not Political
Hi there! We're Chris and Shivani and we're happy you've given us a look. Based on our answers, we hope you can see that we are two kind and fun people who are truly excited to grow our family! We hope you take a chance on us and know that your child will be forever cherished, loved, adored, and spoiled endlessly! One piece we've learned from both of our jobs- as firefighter paramedic and mental health therapist- is that 'stumbling blocks are re-routes to a better destination.' Life can be a total roller coaster of emotions and we're here through it all. A little of our story: We met in college, our first day in fact, and had an Astronomy class together. Though we were both a little shy, we spent months smiling at each other and silently hoping the other person would gain the courage to start a conversation. After our college winter break, we came back to have another first class of the day together! You can bet the smile we gave each other was full of excitement, hope and 'is this meant to be?!' At the end of class that day, finally, after four months of sweet smiles and stealing glances, we actually said more than 'hi' to each other, for the very first time. We talked about our time in our Astronomy class and how we remembered seeing each other all the time, then Chris walked Shivani to her next class and the rest was history. It was as if we had known each other forever and instantly clicked. We had our first date at a Thai restaurant and then went to watch the movie Avatar. The rest of the days and years following that date night, you could say, it was all in the stars- right from the beginning! Funny enough, Shivani thought she was going to Taco Bell instead of the Thai restaurant next door, and even though she excitedly jumped out of Chris's truck, she was redirected to the Thai restaurant. That first date happily continued on despite Shivani not getting her crunchwrap supreme. (Full disclosure, we went to Taco Bell the next night, before date number two!) We can't wait to connect with you and answer any questions you may have. Hugs and love coming your way! xo, Chris and Shivani
Shivani & Chris
What scares you?
Spiders are the worst! I'd also hate to lose the ability to travel. I feel there's so many places to visit
-Shivani
My favorite place in the World is...
Hawaii, big island.
-Chris
Complete the sentence, “I can’t live without……”
My husband and my dog are my world. I enjoy a life full of laughter and light, with a mix of realistic thinking
-Shivani
My favorite place in the World is...
Hawaii has always created peaceful, fun and beautiful memories for us! Another favorite, is the feeling I get of being wrapped up into my husband’s arms as soon as he gets home from the firehouse. It’s that feeling you get when you feel like you can take a big deep breath and feel so content.
-Shivani
The most special thing I own is...
I have gold bracelets that my grandmother gave me, and it was the most important piece of my wedding jewelry. It's a family heirloom I hope to pass down to my children as well. My heart. I get to give so much of my love and care to so many, and I'm beyond grateful to have been blessed with such a big heart to share with all those who come my way.
-Shivani
Complete the sentence, “I can’t live without……”
Coffee and tacos!
-Chris
If I could choose one type of food to eat for the rest of my life, it would be:
Hands down, burrito. I could eat one everyday for the rest of my life and be perfectly happy. Pizza and sushi are a close second.
-Chris
Dogs or cats?
I'm an animal lover through and through. I'd have a sanctuary if I could, but I'd choose dogs. Our German Shepherd is my baby and sidekick
-Shivani
I'm super competitive when it comes to...
Anything that requires athletic skill. I enjoy anything fitness related, sports related and all around having a good time.
-Chris
What is the best word to describe our family?
Loyal. We strive to always make sure one another is taken care of and knows their worth. we feel we have beautiful hearts, are quirky, and well rounded.
-Shivani
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you look at the night sky?
Peace. The stars in the sky have a way of looking strong and bright with a peaceful energy. I’m always hoping to catch a shooting star or two, and I still believe in wishing upon a star. There’s just something so fascinating about looking up and wondering what else is out there.
-Shivani
Do I have kids? How do they feel about a sibling?
We have one fur baby (the dog) and he’s already been well exposed to very young children and knows how to behave around them so I’m sure he’s going to be real excited to have some human siblings.
-Chris
Do you consider yourself religious or spiritual?
Spiritual. I don't personally subscribe to any specific religion but I'm respectful of all of them.
-Chris
In five years our relationship with our child’s birth mother will…
...be whatever we all decide and logically agree on. We'd love to be realistic and keep the birth mother in our lives depending on everyone's comfort level. We want to hold the utmost respect for her decision
-Shivani
My philosophy on parenting is...
Love and logic. We strive to give endless love, care and compassion, and also guide, teach and educate.
-Shivani
If you had to pick a famous person to play you in a movie, who would it be?
Sofia Vergara. She has beauty, sass, class, and is someone who enjoys making people laugh and smile. She also shares the beauty of her culture with others
-Shivani
If I could choose one type of food to eat for the rest of my life, it would be:
Either pasta or sushi, it's hard to choose! We have a great all you can eat sushi place close to our home that we love going to, and pasta has always been a great way to my heart. I could also live off of Thai food. Basically, we're big foodies, and I do have many favorites!
-Shivani
Favorite season and why?
Fall! There's so much beauty with the change of scenery and warmth we can surround ourselves with
-Shivani
In five years our relationship with our child’s birth mother will…
Great. I would like to be able to share a letter/email once a year about how the child is doing.
-Chris
My neighborhood is a good place to raise a family because…
We are surrounded with love, support and children. It is very safe, next to a school, and everyone enjoys spending time with one another, especially on the weekend when the kids can run wild together. For example, we spent Halloween trick or treating, and putting on a Hocus Pocus movie night for the neighborhood. All the kids had a blast and the adults enjoyed a fun night together.
-Shivani
When we argue, what’s it about?
What to eat and if the dog is being given too many treats.
-Chris
Three years from now, I hope our child’s birth mom is…
Safe, happy and healthy! I hope she will be as grateful for us as we will always respect her and know this may not have been the easiest decision.
-Shivani
My favorite website is (...not your Facebook page :)):
Amazon has it all!
-Shivani
What scares you?
Glitter. Once my wife got some on my jacket by accident and I had put it on not knowing. It took a month before I stopped finding green glitter on my work clothes, inside my car and the ambulance I used to work on when I was a private paramedic.
-Chris
We are the best choice because…
My wife and I would always put this child first. I have a great stable career, my wife is able to stay at home if needed. We have always wanted to be parents and want to provide a wonderful life.
-Chris
Favorite season and why?
Season 3 of The Office. Just kidding, Fall is my favorite season. It's cooler outside, nature is gorgeous and there is still a lot of sunlight for outdoor activities.
-Chris
Dogs or cats?
Dogs. I have owned dogs for most of my life. They bring such a positive vibe to your home and are usually so excited about almost everything you do.
-Chris
My philosophy on parenting is...
Teaching my children how to be both strong and compassionate people. I hope to be strict on the things that matter and flexible on things that will allow them to grow as a person/build confidence.
-Chris
I would never...
Walk away from any commitment I make.
-Chris
I hope our child’s birth mother is…
Honest, transparent, well-intentioned, kind-hearted, and as grateful for us as we are for her. We know it's not always the easiest decision to choose adoption, and we hope she knows we have so much respect for her and pride in her. I hope she knows that I want to have a friendship with her, if she chooses to have a friendship with me as well.
-Shivani
If you had to live on an RV or sailboat for the rest of your life, which would it be?
Sailboat. Both sound great, but if I was stuck on one I think sailing would be a fun challenge and the views would never get old. We both could do either and enjoy it.
-Chris
We are the best choice because…
We like to think we’re pretty neat people who want to do right by those we love and care for. We're the ideal couple with stable careers, love between us, educated, and enjoy our hobbies and life goals together. We have the ability to provide everything a child needs and more.
-Shivani
If you had to live on an RV or sailboat for the rest of your life, which would it be?
I'd choose RV and travel the world be it the mountains or next to the ocean
-Shivani
When we argue, what’s it about?
Being a therapist, we tend to lean towards communication rather than argument. Typically it's about who loves our dog more haha!
-Shivani
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you look at the night sky?
How crazy it is that we are just a small dot in the universe.
-Chris
If I could change one thing about the World, it would be...
For everyone to laugh more. It truly is healing. Maybe a little less toilet paper hoarding and a little more funny Instagram dog videos!
-Shivani
If you had to pick a famous person to play you in a movie, who would it be?
Chris Pratt, he seems like a genuine nice guy and hilarious too.
-Chris
The most special thing I own is...
My great grandfather's pocket watch he used when he was a superintendent for a railroad during the Great Depression. I wind it once a month to keep it going and to pass it down one day.
-Chris
My best friend would describe me as...
When I asked her to help me answer this question, she said: "you're the freaking best, girl!" I strive to be compassionate, loving, dependable and easy to communicate with and she certainly reminds me of that. I want to always be there for those I love. We have known each other for over twenty years and each time we pick up the phone, it's like no time has passed. We have grown together as therapists, as women, and as friends. We laugh so much together that we've had tears come out of our eyes often. When I found my husband she said "so basically I now have two best friends," and that's the kind of friendship I wish for everyone.
-Shivani
Do I have kids? How do they feel about a sibling?
We haven't been able to become parents yet, but we are very hopeful. We have an incredible and wonderful Godson who we've watched grow up to become the most bubbly and curious three year old. He is such a light in our lives. We hope to grow a big family together. To be transparent, we've had eight miscarriages and have decided to adopt. We would like our children to have siblings to play together, learn together, travel together, play sports together if they choose, and grow together.
-Shivani