Welcome! Meet:

Kareem + Liz

Student/Musician / Office Associate

Minnesota

Multi-Ethnic / Caucasian

Muslim / Christian

All About Kareem & Liz
Why Adoption?
Gallery
Family and Home
How We Met
Advice to Future Child
Perspectives on Open Adoption
Favorites

All About Kareem & Liz

Thank you for taking the time to learn about us! We are Kareem and Liz from Fridley, Minnesota, and we live in a small neighborhood near a playground, elementary school and easily accessible walking trails. We are excited to be on this journey to learn more about ourselves and the nuances of the adoption process with each step of the way. We have a loving, friendly, and gentle pit-bull/terrier named Boba (like Boba Fett from Star Wars). Liz works as an office associate, with a flexible work schedule and a very healthy work-life balance. Kareem has a bachelor’s degree in Music Performance, is pursuing a second degree in Journalism, and plays guitar with his two bands.

Family is one of the most important parts of our life, and we are fortunate to have both sets of our parents living nearby, as well as Kareem’s sister Aziza and her family. Family is a high priority for us and we have developed a close relationship with our niece and nephew on Kareem’s side. Liz’s brother lives with his family in Texas, so we aren’t able to see them in person as often. We still prioritize time with them through regular phone calls and video chats.

We love to travel and be outdoors, making time in the spring and fall for weekends camping and hiking around Minnesota and Wisconsin State and National parks. When it’s simply too hot or too cold (that’s the fun part of Minnesota weather), we have found that Minneapolis and Saint Paul are great places to go museum-hopping! We are both lifelong learners and very much enjoy taking our time at museums to learn something new.

Why Adoption?

We have always known that adoption would be part of our family story. Our struggles with infertility have pushed forward our expected timeline to pursue this option. Liz has family members who joined the family tree through adoption, and both of us have friends on either side of the adoption circle. We want to expand our family, and adoption is the path we have chosen. We would love an open adoption, allowing our child to learn from their familial and cultural background, bringing new traditions to our family. We believe it is important to know where we come from, and maintain a healthy relationship with our families.

Family & Home

We live in a split-level (four-storied) home, in a small neighborhood. Our community is racially diverse, and over the past few years there has been a widespread shift from the boomer generation selling homes to the millennials purchasing them in our neighborhood. Across the street from our house is a small city park with a playground, tennis/basketball court, and a baseball diamond. The local elementary school is walking distance from our house. We are fortunate to have family (parents, siblings, cousins) who live close and we see them often. Our family and friends have been very supportive of our adoption journey from the start, we are fortunate to have a wide support system in them.

How others describe me

Liz about Kareem: Kareem is one of the most caring people I know. He allows space for others to express their own beliefs and opinions, while holding strong to what he believes is true. He is creative and artistic, and I love seeing that side of him shine! He is great with children, especially with our autistic nephew, showing patience and an ability to get into their world. I’m certain he will be a great dad, and I’m excited to see him step into the role!

Kareem about Liz: Liz is someone who dedicates her whole self when it comes to the well-being of those she cares about. Her experience in the childcare profession taught her how to be silly and fun with children, while being educated in not only defining rules but also directing children back to appropriate behavior. She is open minded and well educated and uses her knowledge caringly and wisely. Her motherly attributes come out naturally when she’s with children and I believe much of this is from her own excitement to be a mother.

How We Met

We met while working at the same Jimmy John’s store. There was a mutual interest in each other from the start, and from there the relationship grew. Our differences in religious upbringing (Kareem is Muslim and Liz is Christian) have only served to bring us closer. We support one another’s growth and find joy in discovering the similarities between our two traditions, celebrating this diversity at our wedding with back-to-back religious ceremonies.

Advice to Future Child

Asking for help is growth. Your friends and family care about you, love you, and want you to succeed.
Stand firm in your values and beliefs. We stand behind you for support.
You are valued, loved, and worthwhile. Let your actions reflect these.
Success builds confidence, failure builds knowledge.
Don’t take life too seriously. Laugh at the absurdities.

Perspectives on Open Adoption

We would love to remain open and in contact with you! We believe that an open adoption is important for all parties involved, and we want to keep in mind the appropriate level of openness that will be beneficial for everyone. Within our support system, we have seen the impacts of both closed and open adoptions. We have also learned about additional benefits of open adoption from our continued learning through our agency, such as cultural background, knowing where they come from, and maintaining a relationship with the whole family. We firmly believe that an open adoption is the best path when available.

Favorites

Kareem

Favorite Movie: To Kill a Mockingbird or The Big Lebowski
Favorite Holiday/Tradition: Ramadan/Eid al-Fitr
Hobbies/Interests: music (listening and performing), reading, writing, language and linguistics, religious studies, anthropology
Dream Vacation: Egypt and Saudi Arabia for cultural, family, and religious experiences
If I Could Choose a Superpower: teleportation

Liz

Favorite Movie: The Princess Bride
Favorite Holiday/Tradition: favorite holiday tradition is attending the evening church service on Christmas Eve, to sing the old traditional carols by candlelight
Hobbies/Interests: Lego, reading, going for walks, crafting
Dream Vacation: a week in southern Spain, to enjoy the food, culture, and architecture
If I Could Choose a Superpower: invisibility