We feel that adoption is, and has always been, God's plan for us. After experiencing infertility struggles, we chose to pursue adoption instead of signing up for more doctors visits, tests and procedures. As soon as we made the decision, we felt a sense of peace that had been missing from our lives when thinking about the future.

I have always said that Claire is the glue that holds our family together. That is even more apparent now that I get to see her thrive as a mother. Claire is incredibly loyal. Some of her closest friends date back to elementary school! Recently, one friend was going through a tough break-up with a long-term boyfriend. Claire dropped everything and flew across the country to be by her side. She always goes the extra mile, and I know she will do that for our children. She works hard, both at work and in our personal lives, and makes me proud to be her husband every day.

Watching Claire become a mom has been one of the greatest joys in my life. I always knew I loved her a lot, but seeing the amount of care and dedication that she puts towards Sophie on a daily basis has made me love her even more. I know this will translate to our second child as well, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with her by my side.

WORDS TO DESCRIBE ME: Thoughtful, responsible & loyal

Drake is one of the best things that has happened to me. He is a joy to be around and brings a light to our home and family. One of Drake's greatest strengths is how kind-hearted he is towards me, Sophie, our families, co-workers and even strangers. He is a beautiful example of how to treat other people and is working to instill that in Sophie, too. He does small, thoughtful things like bring me a surprise Fanta and pack of M&Ms...one of my favorite treats. Nothing makes me happier than snuggling up together on our comfy couch with Sophie between us and Otis at our feet. I've never met ANYONE who doesn't like Drake. He gets along with everyone and is an amazing, gentle father and role model.

WORDS TO DESCRIBE ME: Kind-hearted, relaxed & funny

We were both lucky to have great upbringings, and it has given us a great example of how we'd like to raise our children. We are very close with both of our families, and it is such a blessing that they get along so well. We live very close to Claire's family, so we are able to have family dinners and do things together around town. Drake's family is spread out, but we go on trips together, and his parents come down to visit often.

Supportive is an understatement when it comes to how my family feels about Sophie, and our choice to adopt again. They are thrilled for another grandchild to love on just like they do with Sophie and our nephew, Davis.

When we visited the animal shelter in 2018, most of the dogs were going crazy, but then we saw Otis, sitting quietly in the corner of his crate. He's come out of his shell since then, but still has a very calm energy. He is always gentle, especially with Sophie. He loves walks around our neighborhood, and howls every time we see another dog.

Otis loves eating (he'll do anything for a treat), his pillow, and getting 'pets' from everyone. We can't imagine life without him.

From themed baby showers, to carving pumpkins and concerts, we love spending time with our friends. Some we've known since elementary school, and some we met after college. Everyone has welcomed Sophie into the "crew" with open arms. Most have children of their own and started giving us parenting advice years ago. We can't wait to introduce Sophie's sibling to this circle of friends, and see all of our children grow up together.

We live in the area where Claire grew up, so she knows all of the best spots - parks where Sophie can swing, ice cream places, and the comfiest seats in the local library. We love the safe and small-town feel that comes from living in a suburb of Atlanta. Our town even hosts the biggest July 4th parade in Georgia! There are great schools nearby (that Claire also attended), and we also get the benefits of being near a big city - sports arenas, theaters, a children's museum and an airport.

We go to the church that Claire grew up in, Claire's parents still attend, and Sophie was baptized in. We had a beautiful day celebrating that baptism with lots of friends and family during the service and at our house afterwards. Drake led a church small group for over six years and coached a basketball team (2020 league champions!). It is a supportive community, a place for fellowship and outreach, and a wonderful place to raise a child.

In 2019, we moved and chose our current house because of the natural light that brightens every room, the deck and yard for Otis to play in and more bedrooms to fill as we grow our family. We're close to Claire's parents, Drake's golf course, and favorite neighborhood restaurants. We also live in a highly-rated school district.

Our house is the spot where everyone gathers for tailgates, showers, or a random weeknight dinner. If friends are in town, they know they have a place to stay with us. It's a real joy to see our house transformed as it becomes our true family home.

There were countless God moments on our journey to Sophie, and continue to be day-to-day. We are blessed to have a great relationship with Sophie's birth parents. We share her accomplishments and send them photos and updates often!

Settling into our new life as a family of three was beautiful, hard, sleepless, and full of helping hands from every direction. Watching Sophie develop and thrive has forever changed our lives.

Drake has traded his Saturday morning tee times for breakfast dates and trips to the park. Claire continues to work hard, but spends her free time planning play dates at the pool and toddler activities. We know that these sacrifices will only increase with the addition of another child, but we wouldn't have it any other way.

As for the future, we hope to raise Sophie and her sibling in our current community. We were married in the church that Claire grew up in, and it's where we plan on raising our family.

We know we're not perfect, and we aren't perfect parents. But we will give it our best effort every day, love our children unconditionally, and do our best to raise them like our parents raised us...

With a confidence to take on life's challenges,

A gratefulness that acknowledges life's many gifts,

A humbleness to know that much of life is out of our control,

And a joy that makes life fun to live with those around you.

The world can be a crazy place, but we will do everything in our power to give our children the best chance to succeed. We will love them, support their interests, and give them the best opportunities for education, serving their community and any other activities they choose.

We promise to provide positive role models for our child. We promise to be fair, discipline when necessary, and always celebrate life's accomplishments. We promise to fulfill our pre-placement agreements, but to also respect your privacy and feelings.

Last but not least, we promise to continue investing in OUR relationship. To love each other unconditionally, challenge each other, and grow even closer in our marriage. We know that our relationship is crucial to being good parents, so we will not lose our focus on the entire reason we want to complete our family - our love for each other.