We met when April came to Aaron's college for a summer research program. After doing lots of fun group adventures together, we went on our first date on April's last night!

We dated long-distance for over a year, but it gave us a solid foundation of being really good friends. When we did get to visit each other every few months, we made the most of every minute! We'd have long lists of fun ideas -- climbing trees, hiking, ice skating, eating ice cream, country dancing, and more.

Once Aaron graduated, he moved to be closer to April. After 6 months, we were engaged, then married 3 months after that!

Now, 9 years have flown by! We've bought a house, adopted a dog, and had lots of outdoor adventures, but also supported each other through everyday trials of life. We are each other's closest companion and are in this together for the long haul.

Our Journey To Adoption

We've always wanted to be parents, but haven't been able to have our own kids so far. From the beginning, adoption has always been something we've considered. Over the years, we've known several adoptive families and have been inspired by their beautiful stories. Now, we feel confident and content that adoption is the right path for us.

We look forward to raising a child: teaching them, loving them, and being a family.

fun o practical o organized

I'm a small-town girl who loves enjoying the simple things in life like pretty flowers and sunshine, but I also crave being a part of meaningful, life-changing things. I really enjoy cooking, baking, being creative/crafty, gardening, doing puzzles, and volunteering.

Currently, I'm working as a software engineer, but someone once pointed out to me that a lot of my skills would be really helpful as a mom too: organizing and planning events, keeping track of details, gathering people to do fun or meaningful things, and having intentional conversations. Being a mother is something I can't imagine my life without. I look forward to going all-in, dedicating my life to this child! I'm excited to live life with and for my child.

From Aaron's point of view:

Even when we were dating, I could see April would be a great mother someday. She is extremely smart, cares deeply about people and relationships, and expertly manages her time and schedule. One of the reasons I'm excited about parenting is to see April flourish and find fulfillment in using her unique gifts as a mother.

kind o thoughtful o dedicated

I'm a software security engineer by trade, and I love programming, hacking, and learning about all things computers. My hobbies include outdoors & endurance sports (running, hiking, backpacking, rock climbing), reading (mostly sci-fi/fantasy), and enjoying good food and coffee.

To me, parenting represents a grand adventure not unlike the tales in many of the books I enjoy. Like endurance running, it will be challenging, require dedication, and will be worth the effort. Through parenting, I'm looking forward to growing deeper in my relationships with April, my community, and my faith.

April's point of view:

Aaron takes great care in all that he does, and parenting will be no exception -- I already see it when he remembers all the little ways our dog needs to be taken care of (I'm quite responsible, yet he somehow catches details I forget!) Most of all though, he'll make a great dad because he's so sweet, gentle, and patient. I'm thankful for him as a teammate, because while I tend to keep my schedule full, he keeps margin and looks out for me.

sweet o happy o goofy

We adopted our husky-mix dog, Kadie, when she was 1 1/2 years old, and now she's 4. She joins us for walks, runs, and hikes and makes people feel very welcomed into our home with all her tail wags and excitement.

She's so sweet and gentle with kids. We'll just have to work on her giving a little less kisses!

We're blessed to have supportive, loving families and friends. They're excited for us and are praying for our future child.

Aaron's family lives out-of-state, but we still see them a few times per year. He also calls his parents weekly. He has one brother, who's married, and we keep in touch with them regularly too. Aaron's mom makes an impressive Thanksgiving spread and his brother keeps us laughing.

What we like to do together: playing foosball and board games, watching football, drinking sweet tea and coffee

April also has one brother, who's married -- they're very caring of others and extremely adventurous. April's parents live only a few hours away, and come to visit pretty often. Her extended family lives nearby too.

What we like to do together: hiking and walking, doing puzzles, cooking/baking delicious food

Our church community group meets almost every week for dinner, dessert, or some other activity. We wrap around each other to support each other through life. There are young kids in the group who we get to play with and sometimes babysit. Being friends with so many parents has given us an up-close view into parenting.

We love our (non-denominational Christian) church and have been part of it since we were dating! It's thriving and filled with families with kids.

We love our home -- it's cozy, tidy, and has a lot of natural light. You might also be interested to know that the nursery-to-be has a big window, a fresh coat of paint, and super cushy carpet! Outside, we like the just-the-right-size yard for gardening and Kadie playing. We live at the end of a quiet dead-end street, and our neighborhood is made up of both young families and retired folks.

You can often find us...

• Cooking and eating food (sourdough pizza is a favorite)
• Snuggling on the couch of by the fireplace (including Kadie!)
• Hosting family or friends
• Enjoying the sun in our backyard
• Planting or harvesting in the garden (we grow berries, veggies, and flowers)
• Walking Kadie around the neighborhood and town
• Hiking (or Aaron running) in the forests nearby

The rhythms of our life add up to make our life what it is: they shape us into who we are. So we try to be intentional about the routines we make.

• We like starting our mornings with individual prayer/ journaling/reading. It's a solid foundation for our days.
• Once a week we do a date night to check in on each other
• We have a day of rest each week, which kicks off with a Saturday dinner/feast
• Since it's rainy most of the year where we live but gorgeous in summer, we do a lot of summer adventures. We like the challenge and beauty of backpacking and hiking. It will be a different experience doing it with a kid tagging along, but we'll sure try it out!

To love this child to the best of our abilityTo do whatever it takes to keep them safe and healthyTo laugh and play togetherTo instill a sense of wonder and beauty in lifeTo teach them and help them build strong characterTo model a life of generosity and love toward othersTo enjoy family meals together with nutritious and delicious food To fill our home with music and creativityTo bond through adventures together and trying new thingsTo help them form deep, meaningful friendships and connections To model the Christian faith with our actions and wordsTo provide them with opportunities to succeed and find fulfillment To share their story and background with themTo always honor and respect you as our child's first parentTo communicate openly and honestlyTo have FUN together as a family

Earnestly, tirelessly, dedicatedly, we promise to do our very best to raise this child to thrive.