Our story begins the summer of 2009. Josh was in his second summer working as a beach lifeguard, but had no idea that this season would be very different than the last. I joined the same beach patrol and as fate, and the beach patrol scheduler would have it, we would end up sitting in the lifeguard stand together on a regular basis, talking for hours on end.

At the end of the summer, we went our separate ways back to college, I went back to Virginia and Josh went back to Rhode Island. There was an obvious attraction from the start, but it went unspoken, and in the years to follow, we remained just friends. We kept in contact, but the timing and distance of finishing college and starting careers continued to delay the inevitable.

In the winter of 2014, I sent Josh a Facebook message which sparked the shift in our relationship. We were both still living in different states, Josh was in Physician Assistant school in Pennsylvania, and I was still in Virginia, but now working full time. This time the distance and timing wouldn't keep us apart. I traveled from Virginia to Pennsylvania for a Friday date night, officially undertaking the longest drive to a first date in modern history. As fortune would have it, one date was all it took for us to realize that the spark between us was still there.

Just over a year after our first date, on a beach in Cape May, NJ, Josh asked me to marry him. In the fall of 2015 in front of family and friends, Josh and I said, "I do." Josh joined the military shortly before we were married, and then shortly after we were married, we began a journey that would take us to the other side of the world and back.

Since our vows over 8 years ago, we've moved from Virginia to Georgia, then to Hawaii, and finally back to Georgia. Georgia has been home now for the last 5 years. It is where we purchased our first house together and worked to remodel it ourselves, making it a home. Throughout our years of marriage, we have always intended to grow our family.

Unfortunately, we have struggled with infertility and are unable to have children of our own. After 7 years of fertility treatments, we are now in a new chapter in our lives. We have so much love to give and are ready to complete our family through adoption and welcome children into our home and lives.

My wife and best friend, Laura, was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She moved with her family to Virginia where she spent a majority of her childhood and grew up with her two younger sisters. She's very athletic and trained or competed in multiple sports to include equestrian, gymnastics, swimming, soccer, field hockey, rowing and running. Laura attended college at the University of Virginia and after graduating in 2011 with a degree in Biology she went on to work as an environmental scientist... that was until she met me. I managed to convince her to join me on a trip around the world with the United States Army.

After our wedding in 2015, we set off on our adventure. In each new destination Laura has amazed me with her ability to adapt, quickly build friendships, and find meaningful work that helps shape our communities.

Laura has an entrepreneurial spirit and started her own woodworking business while working as a substitute teacher for special needs children in Hawaii. When we moved to Georgia, she started by working as a real estate assistant and is now a licensed Realtor in Georgia, Alabama and North Carolina with a blossoming business helping people find their dream homes. To think that she's been able to do all these things, starting essentially fresh every several years, all while making our house a home, is incredible.

As you may expect, outside of her professional life, Laura is a great friend, wife and an amazing dog mom to our three pups (she would have ALL, literally ALL, the dogs if I'd agree to it). It's simply that she is inherently devoted and selfless when it comes to everyone and everything in her life. Whether assisting those less fortunate around the holidays, fostering dogs, mentoring others in real estate, hand crafting creative gifts for family and friends or traveling half-way across the world (again, literally) to be there for one of my school graduations, she makes everyone around her feel loved.

Laura is supportive and is such an essential piece of me reaching my goals. I love that she is always by my side and is a voice of reason when I need it. She's warm, loving, creative, and hardworking. All the qualities you would look for in a life partner. From the first few months of dating, I was confident that she was going to be a great mother and I'm still constantly amazed by her and how natural she is with her sisters' and friends' children. She's everything I could ask for in a wife and was clearly meant to be a mother.

-JOSH

Josh was born and raised on the coast of New Jersey. He left his home state for college, when he attended The University of Rhode Island for undergrad and Arcadia University for his graduate program. Josh received his Master of Medical Science from Arcadia University and is currently employed as a Physician Assistant in the US Army.

Josh always had the desire to be a part of something larger than himself, so shortly before we were married, he joined the Army. He has been a PA in the Army for 8 years now and his job has taken us around the world! Josh will put his heart and soul into everything he does and is always striving to be the best. I am so proud of all that he has accomplished in his professional life, but he is so much more than his profession. He is an amazing husband, the cool uncle, and a loving dog-dad!

Although Josh has left the coast to pursue his professional goals, he is still a beach boy at heart. Given the choice he would much prefer trading in his tactical boots for board shorts and a shortboard any day! Josh loves anything to do with the outdoors. He enjoys working out, hiking, trail running, and water sports. He loves to relax by cooking, for him it is therapeutic and an artistic way to express himself. I don't complain because I like eating, so we are a perfect match! After a long day, we both like to relax with a well-cooked meal and a good movie. We are best friends, so from hiking to relaxing on the couch we love to do all these activities together!

Josh has all the qualities of a great man, husband, son, brother, and father. Josh will do anything for those that he loves. He is patient, compassionate, trustworthy and dependable. He is the ultimate supporter and protector. He has supported me in all my endeavors throughout our marriage and before we were married. He has provided a safe and comfortable home and stable life for our family. I know he has so much more love to give, and I can't wait to see him in his new role as Dad!

-LAURA

The Army life has moved us around quite a bit, but our family ties have only become stronger over time and distance. Both of our families are extremely supportive and have stood behind us throughout or military journey and adoption journey. Although we are geographically separated from our families, while living in Georgia, they are an integral part of our lives and we feel blessed to have them in our corner at all times.

Both of our families are spread across the East Coast. Laura's family is originally from Michigan and New Jersey but are now spread across Virginia and North Carolina. Josh was born and raised in New Jersey and that is where all his family still resides. Even though the families are spread far and wide, we still get together every year at Thanksgiving or Christmas and at all major life events throughout the year.

Laura has two younger sisters who are both married and have children of their own and Josh has an older brother. We have very close relationships with our siblings and our brothers-in-law. We are all super close, video chat regularly and have a group text chat we talk on daily.

Every year during the holiday season Laura's parents host a family holiday party at their house, which is the most central location and Laura's childhood home. These parties draw a big crowd with both of our brothers-in-law's families attending and Josh's family joining in when they are able. Laura's parents are always celebrating during that time of year and keep the house full of laughter and the smell of home cooked meals. We both come from big cooking families and the kitchen is bustling all day during the holiday weeks. Josh loves to cook and helps with all the holiday dinners while Laura, an expert in charcuterie and d?cor, helps her sisters make the house holiday ready and keeps everyone full between meals. The best part is that over the years the family has continued to grow, making gatherings ever larger and always an event to remember.

We have also started a new tradition over the last few years, family beach trips! Each summer the family chooses a new beach location and we rent a huge beach house with all our immediate and extended family. We meet up for a week of fun in the sun, long beach days, swimming and grilling on the BBQ at night.

Our life in the military has also afforded our families unique opportunities to travel for vacation and our families never miss a special event taking place at our duty stations. Both sides of the family have traveled to see us and explore the states and cities where we are stationed. We are fortunate to receive this type of unconditional love and we know that we will receive the same support when we bring our little one home.

Thank you again for taking time to learn about our family and life. We would love to get to know you more and share even more about us too. We hope that you know we are praying for you and want you to know how courageous you are in choosing this path for you and your child.