We were set up on a blind date by a friend of ours and we've been together ever since! At the time, Ashley was a foster mom and Ryan thought that was so cool! Ryan lived in Arizona so we dated long-distance at first, flying back and forth to see each other almost every other week. It didn't take long for us to realize that we were perfect for each other, so Ryan moved from Arizona so we could see each other more often! We started to foster together with our first placement being twin 8-month-olds whom we loved very much! It was sad to see them go, and after we got married we decided to try and start our family!

We love our large families and can't wait to start our own! Ryan's brother and sister are adopted and he had always wanted to adopt children of his own. Ashley grew up with foster sisters, who have stayed in her life throughout the years. She also always knew that she wanted to adopt! After years of not finding a partner, she decided to become a single mother and open her home to foster kids with the hope of adopting. Over the years, she fostered 2 newborn babies, an 8-year-old beautiful girl, and together we fostered twin 8-month-olds. We loved every minute of it and want more than anything to provide a loving home to a child in the future.

Together we live in a beautiful 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house in a quiet suburb. We love hanging

out in our backyard with friends and family - grilling, swimming, gardening, and practicing pickleball. While we love to be active, we also enjoy a relaxing day inside watching TV or a movie!

The neighborhood is on a golf course with community pools, pickleball courts, tennis courts, and fun splash pads and playgrounds. The schools here are great and have programs that let teens learn anything that interests them - even welding or cosmetology!

Ashley through Ryan's eyes

From the day I met Ashley, I knew she was special and I wanted her to be my best friend, wife, and mother to our children. She is incredibly talented at everything she sets her mind to, she has a go-getter mindset so if she can't do something on the first try, she will figure it how to do it soon after. Ashley is caring and is constantly thinking of others before herself. She always has her eye out for new volunteer activities and ways to be a good wife, daughter, friend, and neighbor. She has a unique ability to make people feel included, loved, and cared for - at all times.

With our experience fostering, I've seen Ashley in the mom role with my own eyes. I've seen the way she cares for them, loves them, and makes sure they know that she will be there for them no matter what happens. She is literally the best person I've ever met, but she is somehow an even better mother.

Fun Facts

• Speaks English, Spanish, and Cambodian
• Volunteers in a variety of organizations
• Swam competitively in high school
• Loves reality TV
• Can always fix any technology issues
• The oldest of 8 siblings
• Enjoys cooking and trying new types of food
• Master at DIY Projects

Ryan through Ashley's eyes

Ryan is a guys-guy lol. He enjoys watching and playing sports, video games, boxing, shooting, and hanging out with friends and family. He has the ability to see someone struggling and help build them back up. He's heavily involved in the youth group at our church and kids that are struggling will naturally gravitate to him. He helps them get through hard times or mistakes with love and kindness.

He comes from a very large Italian family and keeps in touch with them daily. Anyone new that he brings around the family, is quickly treated like family as well. Together they cook many dishes from scratch (like their amazing marinara sauce), goulash, and vodka pasta.

Fun Facts

• Die-hard Phoenix Suns and ASU fan
• Loves any kind of animal
• Has been playing the Diablo video game for 18 years
• Goes to the gym daily
• Bakes his famous Rollo cookies for friends and neighbors

Mercy and Maverick are our 10-month-old Basenji puppies!

They came to us when they were 3-month-old puppies and we've loved the addition to our family! They are GREAT with kids and love playing with all the neighborhood kids!

They love to snuggle and take a nap, take long walks (with lots of sniffs!), and play with each other in the backyard!

We love spending time together and making sure we make the most of each day!

We enjoy being outside, whether it's taking our dogs for a walk, playing sports, or hanging out with our friends and family by the pool, we love it! We're always trying to do new things together as a family, we started our first garden last year and grew tomatoes, strawberries, corn, and watermelon!

We love traveling together and seeing new places! In the past few years, we've been to Mexico, Italy, and quite a few different states! We always try and become friends with some locals - they know where the best food is!

Most of all, we love spending time with our friends and family!

Things Ashley enjoys on their own: Pilates, gym classes with her girlfriends, Just Dance, playing piano, DIY projects, and karaoke.

Things Ryan enjoys on their own: Sports (Boxing, basketball, and football), cooking Italian recipes, and playing games with family and friends.

Ryan is the youngest child in his big family! We may live in different states now, but we make sure to see each other at least a few times a year.

If you see us all together, we're most likely cooking, eating, or talking about our next meal - we tend to always be around food! We love supporting each other, whether it's for sports, school, work, or personal - this family is full of love!

Ashley is the oldest of 8 children and it has gotten larger over time! With 6 nieces and nephews and a number of in-laws, the crew is getting big. We like to have big dance parties and make a point to travel together every other year. Over the years we have gone to cool places like Greece and Turks and Cacos.

Everyone is incredibly close and we all rally to support one another. My sister and brothers live close by so we regularly attend each other's birthday parties, have regular holiday pool gatherings, and go to sports games.

We love our church and it plays a large role in our life! We

attend church each Sunday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Ashley is a leader in the young women's group and Ryan is a leader in the young men's group and we love our roles and the weekly responsibilities that come with it!

We always do a family dinner on Sunday nights, and while our lives are all busy we prioritize our family time! We make sure and take a family vacation once a year so we can spend that time together!

We love to celebrate the holidays! We decorate our house for Halloween and Christmas and we make sure to enjoy the holidays as much as possible!

We try and participate in some volunteer work every week! We know that there are a lot of people that need help and we want to do everything we can to help whoever we can!

We promise to respect and love any child that comes into our family. We promise to provide a life where they will have the support, care, and opportunity to be whoever they want to be.

We promise to provide them with the ability to be successful and happy in life. We promise to provide a safe environment where they can make mistakes and learn from them. We promise they will know that no matter what, they are loved and they have a safe place to escape from the world when it gets tough.

With love,

Ryan & Ashley