Trang
Rebel
Gender:
Female
Status:
State:
Wisconsin
Religion:
Buddhism
Education:
Master’s Degree
Profession:
Child Psychotherapist
Political Affiliation:
Very Liberal
Lucas
Caregiver
Gender:
Male
Status:
State:
Wisconsin
Religion:
Spiritual
Education:
Ph.D. or higher
Profession:
Writer and Lecturer
Political Affiliation:
Very Liberal
Introducing Charles to the nieces and nephew. A fun day at Lucas's brother's farm
First dance to ""Moon River"" in Kona, Hawaii. Trang doesn't remember why she was laughing!"
Chilling with Charles in our living room--a typical night for us
Favorite season and why?
Summer because of cooking out and gardening in our backyard.
-Lucas
Do I have kids? How do they feel about a sibling?
We don’t have any children right now, but we plan to have at least two children so that your child can grow up with a sibling.
-Trang
My best friend would describe me as...
impossibly idealistic, loud when I talk about something I’m passionate about, and loving
-Trang
My neighborhood is a good place to raise a family because…
It’s a safe, diverse, down-to-earth neighborhood in a progressive city ranked as one of the best places to live in the US. We have lots of parks and there’s an elementary school right next door.
-Lucas
Star gazing on Mauna Kea, Big Island, Hawaii, around midnight. It was breathtaking--and cold
Island hopping during Lucas's first time to Vietnam
Catching a WNBA game with our friends' kids. A free ""day care service"" we provide!"
My favorite place in the World is...
diving in the ocean somewhere warm
-Trang
Do you consider yourself religious or spiritual?
I am open to all possibilities of why we are here on Earth, in *this* Universe, from the Buddhist’s theory of karmic learning to a multiverse system or something else not yet imagined. How exciting!
-Trang
Do you consider yourself religious or spiritual?
I’m spiritual but don’t belong to a religion. I like to meditate, which helps keep me grounded. I also think that science is full of wonder.
-Lucas
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you look at the night sky?
I feel small but in a good way. My problems are manageable.
-Lucas
My philosophy on parenting is...
Attunement, curiosity, and nonjudgmental love
-Lucas
My philosophy on parenting is...
I will guide the child to better understand their thoughts and feelings. I cannot wait to show them the wonders in life and help them trust themselves and grow emotionally and intellectually.
-Trang
In five years our relationship with our child’s birth mother will…
Direct, honest, and as involved as you want
-Lucas
Verne (left) cracks a joke during the wedding photo shoot
Our beautiful spring backyard, featuring blossoming apple tree and raised garden beds
What is the best word to describe our family?
Growth-oriented
-Lucas
Complete the sentence, “I can’t live without……”
Books and films.
-Lucas
Three years from now, I hope our child’s birth mom is…
at peace with your decision and have no regrets.
-Trang
We are the best choice because…
We care deeply about the person our children will grow up to be, not their achievement. And we’ll strive everyday to help them become independent of us and love them exactly for who they are.
-Trang
In five years our relationship with our child’s birth mother will…
be what you feel most comfortable with.
-Trang
I'm super competitive when it comes to...
Ping pong and trivia
-Lucas
What scares you?
the possibility of not being able to show up for the people I love when they need me, and bungee jumping
-Trang
If you had to live on an RV or sailboat for the rest of your life, which would it be?
A docked sailboat. So, a houseboat. Or just a house, if that’s an option.
-Lucas
Complete the sentence, “I can’t live without……”
ideas, my home country/Vietnamese food, and my mother
-Trang
Dogs or cats?
One dog in particular: Charles. (Shhh, he’s sleeping beside me.)
-Lucas
My neighborhood is a good place to raise a family because…
We chose this neighborhood specifically to raise children - safe, diverse, good public school, full of nature, and engaging community centers in a beautiful mid-size city.
-Trang
If I could have dinner with anyone—dead or alive—I would pick...
My favorite philosopher William James.
-Lucas
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you look at the night sky?
What would it be like to be on a distant planet right now looking back at Earth…
-Trang
If I could change one thing about the World, it would be...
Replacing an economy of worker exploitation and mass consumerism with one that serves genuine human needs for everyone.
-Lucas
If I could change one thing about the World, it would be...
End the class struggle and any other form of exploitation, be it based on race, gender, ethnicity, etc.
-Trang
I'm super competitive when it comes to...
Playing games and mathematics
-Trang
My favorite place in the World is...
In a good discussion about something that matters with someone I care about.
-Lucas
My best friend would describe me as...
Smart, funny, and caring
-Lucas
The most special thing I own is...
a pendant given to me by my godfather 6 months before he passed away because of cancer
-Trang
Dogs or cats?
Both.
-Trang
If you had to live on an RV or sailboat for the rest of your life, which would it be?
Neither. I’d opt out for a houseboat, preferably in a community living cooperative like my godfather lived in.
-Trang
When we argue, what’s it about?
Sometimes we argue about abstract/intellectual things. Other times, one of us misses something that’s important to the other. Then we pause and listen. Long ago, we decided to never go to bed angry.
-Trang
We are the best choice because…
We’re not the best choice for everyone. But if you value learning, imagination, and cultural diversity, we may be the best choice for your child.
-Lucas
If I could have dinner with anyone—dead or alive—I would pick...
Trinh T. Minh-Ha, Alexandre Dumas, Chinua Achebe, and Simone de Beauvoir
-Trang