We have been married for over eight years and are truly excited about growing our family. Our dream of one day raising children started long before our relationship began, and we were thrilled to discover that we shared the same dream when we started dating. We planned on growing our family a couple of years into our marriage, but we received news from our doctor that our chance of biologically having children was not likely. We have made peace with our medical assessment, and we feel that God has another plan for our family to grow. Through relationships with friends and family, we understand that love and family are not tied to being related by blood; Family and love are chosen. We both choose to love each other unconditionally for the rest of our lives, and we will feel that same love for our child.

Our story began when we were in high school. Cody was best friends with Marissa's neighbor, and Marissa's mom owned an antique resale shop with Cody's best friend's mom. At that time, Marissa viewed the relationship as an acquaintance, but she later found out that Cody had a secret crush! Since we are two years apart, it remained a secret until Cody reached out 8 years later through a Facebook message congratulating Marissa for graduating from college. The corresponding messages grew longer and more frequent and then developed into phone calls and meeting in person at a nice Italian restaurant for our first date. We became best friends, enjoying our time together whatever we were doing (attending church where Cody played piano, cooking new recipes, taking walks through the neighborhood, visiting local parks, going on bike rides).

After a year and a half of dating, we truly felt that God brought us together at the perfect time and to share a life together. Cody proposed at the church we attended together after he finished rehearsing on the piano and before anyone arrived for the service. It was such a special, intimate moment. We were married 9 months later with our family there to support us and celebrate with us, and we have now been married over 8 wonderful years.

We are still best friends and truly enjoy sharing life together. We love eating dinner together every night, leaving little notes of encouragement for each other, and, even if we are working on different things, it means a lot to us to be in the same room (we call it alone together time). We also value finding beauty and humor in the little everyday moments (like a little walk around our neighborhood together or guessing what shape Cody's fried egg looks like every morning). We know that love is a verb, and we choose to love each other every day and show our love in many ways.

• Age: 35

• Education: Degrees in Music Finance

• Occupation: Educator, Business Owner

• Favorite Places: Home and the mountains

• Favorite Movies: Military documentaries

• Favorite Animal: Bear

• Favorite Music: Gospel jazz

• Something Silly: Enjoys popsicles after meals

• Fun Fact: He visits and names all the outdoor cats on his neighborhood walks

• Hobbies: Watching educational videos, listening to podcasts/audiobooks, playing games (basketball, baseball, cards, video games), neighborhood walks, biking, music, fishing during family trips

There are so many wonderful things to write about Cody; It is difficult to fit them all on one page! Cody is really friendly and truly has a gift with words; He can have a conversation with anyone. He is very dependable and thrives on a structured routine, but he also has a really silly side and a great sense of humor. Cody is so respectful, thoughtful, and kind; He often thinks of others first before himself. He is my biggest cheerleader; His love, support, compassion, and honesty are appreciated more than he will ever know. Cody's passion for learning and sharing what he has learned to help others is truly admirable, which is a huge part of his job.

As a financial educator, he shares his knowledge and experience to help the families he serves and also others within the financial community. It is so clear to see the passion he has for his work by the way his whole face lights up upon describing the positive impact his work has on others. His generosity also carries over into his work with giving his time, knowledge, and educational scholarships. Cody also loves the flexibility that comes with running his business from home; He truly values scheduling work around family, rather than scheduling family around work.

Before changing to a career as an educator and starting his own business, Cody was a professional musician for many years working mainly as a music director for a church. His background in music began at the age of 6 and continues today through volunteer opportunities at our church. Cody is already excited about playing piano for and with our growing family one day.

The foundation of every part of Cody's life is rooted in his relationship with God. Cody is a truly amazing man, friend, and husband. He gives his ALL in whatever he does (in his relationships, tasks, work, and, eventually, as a father). It is easy to see that he will be an incredible dad, especially after seeing him interact with our cat and children in our family, of friends, and at church. He truly values family, and he is really looking forward to growing our family.

• Age: 33

• Education: Degrees in Health Sciences

• Occupation: Homemaker

• Favorite Places: Home with Cody and Bear and in nature

• Favorite Movies: Inspirational sports

• Favorite Music: Christian and big-band jazz

• Something Silly: She loves eating slowly to savor her favorite foods and eating Asian food with chopsticks

• Fun Fact: Marissa did gymnastics growing up, and she can still do cartwheels!

• Hobbies: Cooking/baking, making gifts for family/friends, biking, spending time outdoors, playing games, reading before bed

Marissa is the most thoughtful person I've met; she is a light to everyone around her with her frequent acts of kindness, encouragement, and contagious smile. Her words are not only uplifting but also sincere; she truly cares about the well-being of others. She is a natural at helping others feel welcome and comfortable, especially when family and friends visit our home. Marissa shows her love in many ways, such as cooking and sharing homemade meals, crafting handmade gifts, and actively listening with genuine curiosity. Marissa's thoughtfulness is evident even in the small details, such as sending me encouraging text messages when I'm working or remembering special occasions (birthdays, anniversaries) with handwritten notes.

Marissa is a fantastic cook! She puts her heart into every dish, whether it's a mid-afternoon snack or a family dinner. We eat dinner together as a family, and she turns each meal into something special. She considers our meal plans far in advance to ensure we always have delicious meal options. She loves routines but is also very creative!

Marissa will be an incredible mother because of her nurturing instinct and genuine care for others. She also has a strong sense of resilience and is able to adapt to challenging situations with grace. Her ability to maintain a positive outlook is a testament to her inner strength and steadfast love.

Marissa prioritizes taking care of our family and our home. She ensures that our home is tidy and organized while also filled with warmth and comfort - with calm colors, family pictures, and encouraging scriptures throughout the house.

Bear came into our life rather spontaneously after being rescued by a friend. We have shared a life with our Little Bear for over 8 years now, and it is hard to imagine a life without her.

Funny story about Bear's name:

As a young boy, Cody loved his teddy bears, and, since then, he has wanted a bear as a pet. As a kitten, her face looked like a bear cub; So we decided to call her Bear since that was the closest Cody would get to having a bear as a pet.

Bear has such a fun personality, is very social, and loves spending time with us. She interacts well with our nieces and friends' children, and we are confident she will embrace her role as a big sister. Her favorite things are napping in boxes, bringing her squirrel toy to us, and watching her squirrel and bird friends through the windows.

We truly value making our house into a home by creating a loving, encouraging environment filled with laughter and focused on quality family time. Sharing a meal together every evening and enjoying fun family games are really meaningful to us.

Our 2-story home has 4 bedrooms upstairs, including Cody's home office. Downstairs is an open floor plan filled with natural light and includes a cozy living room, welcoming dining room with a large round table (perfect for our family games), and a kitchen that is often in use for preparing our yummy meals and snacks. Our home is filled with lots of family photos, books, games, and furniture passed down from family. We love our spacious backyard for grilling, watching the birds and squirrels at the birdfeeders, and tossing the baseball or football.

We live in a safe, quiet neighborhood with a diverse community in a good school district. Our neighborhood park is just a quick walk away and consists of a playground, walking path, and large grassy area. We also enjoy visiting other local parks, including our favorite place to feed ducks and geese. Our church is within a 20-minute drive and offers fun family events and a wonderful children's program.

Since we both work from home, our flexible schedules will allow us to be very present in our child's life - for school events, activities, and everyday moments.