We first met over fourteen years ago in college and started dating. As graduation approached, we started talking about our long term plans together. David had committed to Law School in Georgia, but this was away from both of our families and friends. After much discussion, we decided that it would be better for David to start his first year in Georgia while Katherine stayed in Texas. We both knew Georgia would be a good, long term fit for us. Katherine completed her first year of teaching in Texas and moved to be with David that summer.

The first year there, we lived with different roommates, but only a short walk away in the same apartment complex! We welcomed Laney to our lives that year, and we loved spending time with friends and getting to know the city. After his second year of Law School, David proposed to Katherine on our family vacation in Cabo San Lucas. We also moved in together that year and really started living as our little family of three.

We got married the following September after David's Law School graduation. We were so fortunate to have friends and family from all over come to celebrate with us in Illinois. It was a day full of love and fun, complete with karaoke! Then we enjoyed a restful week on our honeymoon in Punta Cana.

As we settled into our married life in Georgia, we purchased our first home in a neighborhood where we quickly met wonderful neighbors and friends. We were so happy with our jobs, our friends, and the city we lived in, but after a few years, we knew we were ready to take a big step.

At this point, we started considering adoption and knew we wanted to be closer to family. We have now settled in Texas and have been happily married for over six years. We have tackled long distance, raising our pups, and moving from apartments and houses together five times. We have learned how to love each other when it feels easy and especially when it feels hard.

We know that the future is long, but we could not be more excited to take this adventure together.

For us, the decision to adopt is a choice, but certainly not one we take lightly. We recognize and respect the many journeys of others, so we want to share our personal story with you.

When we started dating freshman year of college, we weren't thinking about having children. Even in our early years of marriage, we knew we would want to grow our family one day but never stopped to discuss how that might happen. Meanwhile, Katherine was suffering with ongoing medical anxiety that made it difficult to consider a biological pregnancy. When we began seriously talking about how that would impact our choices, the possibility of adoption seemed exciting for us both. Katherine's colleague connected us with a family who adopted through Gladney, and they were kind enough to have an open and candid conversation with us. After speaking to them for over two hours, we hung up and David confidently said, "That's what I want to do."

In our many discussions, we talk about what we're excited about. We talk about what will be difficult. Most of all, we talk about how much we will love this child. Our families talk about how much they will love this child. There has never been a doubt in our mind how much this child will be loved.

Hi, I'm Katherine! I am so thrilled that you are taking the time to get to know me and David.

The first thing to know about me as an individual is that I am a Kindergarten teacher who is incredibly passionate about her students and her job. All the clich?s about "ah ha" moments and how a hug can fix everything are true to how I feel about teaching. There is something so rewarding about the experiences I've had in my classroom, and I look forward to a long career in education.

Aside from my job, I have a lingering passion for music and dance. I was very active in choir and theatre in high school, and my original college major was Musical Theatre. While my career path changed and I graduated with a degree in Early Childhood Education, I still got my dance and music minors and always find ways to bring them into my life. From choreographing high school musicals to listening to old vinyl records on a winter day, music and performing arts will always be an important part of who I am.

Teaching and music are integral parts of what I do and enjoy, but I also want you to get a sense of who I am. I am a wife, daughter, and sister who puts immense value on family connection. I am an optimist who always tries to see the good in people or a difficult situation. I am a caretaker who gives my all to showing love to the people in my life. I cuddle with the dogs after a long day, and I love that they return the favor. I sing loudly in the car and dance around our living room when no one is watching - and sometimes when they are! I take the commitments in my life very seriously, but never take myself too seriously. And most of all, I try to appreciate the good in each day.

I was born and raised in rural Illinois near Chicago. Growing up, I spent summers with my younger brother and cousins on the golf course and swimming in our grandmother's pool. I also found a love for woodworking and other "fixer-upper" type projects there, which I continue to this day. In fact, you'll find several pieces of furniture in our house that I've personally built and projects where I've spent many a weekend making improvements to or fixing areas of our home.

I'm an attorney by trade. My specialty involves labor and employment disputes and other types of contractual matters. Since commencing my legal career, I've had a number of occasions to represent clients in trial and before various federal and state agencies. One of the things I love about being a lawyer is that I get to help people. I help them navigate business issues, legal problems and, in some cases, family squabbles. I take pride in the work I do on behalf of my clients and - in many cases - the skills I've learned in the courtroom have directly translated to the way I approach my family; I put the needs of those I love first anytime I can and, when appropriate, try to help them navigate difficult challenges. That's one of the things I look forward to most about being a dad; helping our children navigate the world.

While, like Katherine, I take my professional responsibilities seriously, I'm about as laid back as they come. My favorite thing to do is spend time with family (and our dogs) either watching sports, playing cards, or hanging by the pool. I'm also an avid skier. Any chance I get, I trek west to ski in the Colorado mountains with my dad or friends.

In Atlanta, we were fortunate enough to find a home in a wonderful neighborhood filled with neighbors who would become our closest friends. When we started looking for new homes in Texas, we thought "What are the odds we could get so lucky again?" It turns out, we did. We arrived at the house we bought sight unseen after the twelve-hour drive from Georgia and immediately fell in love. The backyard is our favorite spot where we enjoy the pool, BBQ, and good company all summer. Our home also has a large traditional dining room. It was the perfect setting for our first Thanksgiving dinner in our new home, and we know it was the first of many. This winter, David enjoyed keeping the fireplace burning, and it made the perfect backdrop for our Christmas tree.

We love hanging around our house, but we have also ventured out and enjoyed our neighborhood! There is a beautiful creek and trail right down the block where many people gather to let their children and dogs play. Within months of moving in, we met several wonderful neighbors who host regular neighborhood gatherings. In the summer, there is a large 4th of July Parade and fireworks. During the holidays, many neighbors organized donation events, and Santa even came to visit all the children!

We are confident this is exactly the home where we want to grow and raise our family.

People often claim their dog is spoiled, but our dogs really take the cake!

Laney is a nine-year-old Lab/ Boxer mix that Katherine picked out from a shelter in Atlanta at eight weeks old. Katherine and David had considered getting a dog for some time, but Katherine saw her picture and knew she was the one. Taking her home was a somewhat spontaneous decision, but it is one of the best ones we have ever made. We always tell people, "Laney may not be the perfect dog, but she is perfect for us." If she has any flaws, it is loving people too much. She is not one for recognizing personal space and will give you a bath of kisses if you let her. She is also the best cuddle buddy you could ask for on a rainy, lazy Sunday morning.

Laney is also quite spritely for being nine! When we visit the pet shop or vet's office, they never believe that she is nine except for the growing number of gray hairs on her nose and face. Everyone who meets Laney is a quick fan, including kids. We are so lucky that we've had the chance to introduce her to young children in our lives over the last few years. We have seen her give gentle kisses when allowed and patiently tolerate small hands and fingers all over her. She especially loves sitting under a highchair waiting to see what drops!

Maggie is a new addition to our family, and she could not be a better fit. We were exploring the possibility of another dog for a while, but when Katherine saw Maggie at the local shelter, she knew that the one-year-old retriever mix had to come home with her. She and Laney are already two peas in a pod who play together, walk together, and even cuddle up on the couch together. Maggie has proven to be calm, sweet, and gentle to everyone she meets. We know that these two "sisters" will be thrilled to welcome the next family member that joins us.

Last year, our travel revolved around wedding celebrations! We enjoyed the opportunities to catch up with so many friends and family members, hit the dance floor to our favorite songs, and take plenty of pictures together. When he was younger, David had the chance for travel around the world including Australia and many countries in Europe on mission trips, band trips, and more. In the future, we hope to visit countries that are new for both of us like Spain, Japan, and Iceland. We would love to expose our child to cultures all over the world!

Closer to home, we love visiting local destinations. It can be dressing up for a fancy celebration dinner or walking the pups to grab a burger on the patio at the corner tavern. We also enjoy cheering on our local sports teams, though our allegiance might be different depending on who you ask! We love nights out with friends but try to make sure we always find time to spend together. Most weekends, you can find us binge watching the newest Netflix release or rewatching an Avengers movie for the tenth time. In the winter, David is sure to keep a roaring fire going in the fireplace, just to make sure Katherine stays warm.

David enjoys all sorts of woodworking projects, like a Green Egg table for BBQs or a sensory table for Katherine's kindergarten class. You can also find him on the golf course some weekends, sometimes driving to Waco to meet good friends from Austin at the halfway point.

Katherine enjoys running outside and anything else that gets her in the sunshine. In Atlanta, she participated in 5k and 10k charity runs and hopes to try a half marathon one day. She also enjoys making fresh flower arrangements to brighten up the house, but unfortunately has yet to develop a green thumb to grow them at home. She's not giving up yet though! And hopes to one day spend time gardening with our children.

By now, you've learned everything about us that you can on paper. You know about our story, our family, and our sweet girls Laney and Maggie. You know about our past and our hopes for the future.

Time has a way of changing all the plans you thought you might have, but we have never been more committed to being parents and raising a child with all the love we have to give. We promise to honor their past and embrace everything they become.

We hope that now you might consider connecting with us and building that future together.

Thank you

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