In January 2017 we met online - both ready for a fresh start in a new year. We made the crazy decision to have our first date on Valentine's Day and Cupid was in our corner! We immediately connected and dated throughout the spring and summer with lots of fun dates; baseball games, concerts and weekend getaways.

That Fall, both of us were surprised and excited to discover we were pregnant. We quickly settled into the idea of starting a family together. We did not stay settled too long because the months ahead had bumps in the road.... Our daughter, Adelyn, was born 10 weeks before her due date. Weathering this storm only strengthened our relationship. Soon after bringing Adelyn home from the NICU, both Meghan and Adelyn faced serious medical complications. Once we made it through these challenges, we knew we could get through anything in life together.

Zac proposed, and we had a fairy tale beach wedding in the islands with our close friends and family. We celebrated our lives and our marriage locally with a Caribbean themed reception. Life for our family is stable, secure, loving, and adventurous!

We both dreamed of having a large family, but the pregnancy journey has not been easy. Prior to meeting Zac, Meghan had a stillborn son, Rhett, at 39 weeks due to unknown causes. The surprise and the medical challenges of our pregnancy with Adelyn proved her premature birth to be nothing short of a miracle. We went through the IVF journey, and always had adoption on our hearts along the way. As difficult as these experiences have been for our family, we are better spouses, stronger partners and blessed parents. We still have the strong desire to grow our family, and we are looking to add another miracle and blessing to our story. We have more love to give, and can provide a happy, committed, and financially stable home and family. More than anything, we want Adelyn to know what it is like to have a sibling - just like we do - a best friend to spend time with, go to school with and grow up with. We are excited to begin another chapter of parenthood and look forward to all the joys, challenges and adventures of growing our family.

The perfect way to describe Meghan in a word would be enthusiastic. As a self-proclaimed "morning person" Meghan jumps out of bed with the outlook that she can make today the best day ever for not only her family but anyone she encounters. Meghan can go into a room of strangers and make friends with each person she meets as well as know their life story after one conversation. Meghan's outgoing personality can be traced back to her Texas Panhandle roots where she grew up in a large, close-knit family being the oldest of four siblings, with grandparents and cousins close-by. Adelyn and I are big fans of her delicious dinner creations along with well-loved weekend breakfast specials. She keeps us busy with walks around the neighborhood, trips to run errands and evenings spent swimming in the backyard. Meghan always dreamed of being a mother and it comes naturally to her. Even on the hardest days, you can count on Meghan's sense of humor to keep us laughing as a family. I could never have imagined a better wife, mother and role model for my children.

Zac was born and raised in Oklahoma but made his way to Texas as soon as he could! I love teasing him about being "an Okie". As a partner, Zac and I balance each other out which makes us a great team. Knowing you have someone who cares enough to help out in times of need is an important relationship benefit. I admire Zac for his many strengths. He is great with family finances and an amazing provider. Zac is easy-going and even- tempered, staying calm in the most difficult situations. As a husband and father, Zac spends his free time hanging out with family and friends, enjoying many sporting events, and stays fully involved in Adelyn's busy schedule.

Adelyn is a sweet, kind 5-year-old, who is happy and joyful and always has a smile on her face. She is a girly-girl that loves her baby dolls, playing dress-up, braids and bows in her hair, and the color purple. When the sun is shining, she likes to be outside playing with bubbles and sidewalk chalk, riding her bike, digging in her sandbox, and swimming. This year she played basketball, dance, and soccer for the first time. We encourage Addy to explore different extracurricular activities, as we would with any future children. Adelyn loves school and starts kindergarten in the fall. Her favorite thing at school is reading books and playing at recess. Adelyn will tell you she is SUPER excited to be a big sister. We have no doubt she will be the best, most helpful big sister ever, and will build a strong lifelong bond with her new sibling.

We love our extended family! Addy has 8 cousins, and two sets of grandparents that she regularly spends time with. Growing up in a big family with 27 cousins, Meghan experienced the great joy of extended family. Zac's family is smaller and close knit, and he has loved being welcomed with open arms into the big family. Cousins are built-in best friends at family gatherings and we are excited to watch our family grow and create lasting memories with their cousins and grandparents.

We live in the DFW Metroplex in an urban neighborhood and are surroung by great public and private schools with diverse populations. Our house has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms with plenty of room to welcome a new baby. We love our big, beautiful oak trees and backyard oasis. Many weekends are spend outside working in the yard, planting flowers, and just relaxing. Throughout the year we are swimming, grilling, and having friends over. Our neighborhood has lots of kids and we love spending time with other families in the area. It is important to us to live in a community where our children can enjoy growing up with lots of neighborhood kids, creating lifelong memories. We live just minutes from downtown which makes it convenient to explore fun restaurants, the zoo, special events, and many great parks.

Family traditions and holidays are an important part of our lives. Some of our traditions include:

• Pick your birthday breakfast, dinner & favorite cake
• Valentine's Day cookies & treats
• Visit from Easter bunny (she always brings spring outfits and toys)
• Homemade ice cream in summer
• Fireworks & parade on the 4th of July
• 1st day of school photos and treats
• Trick or Treating in the neighborhood
• Meghan makes pecan & pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving
• Elf on the shelf "Rose"
• Holiday cookies
• Waking up Christmas morning with stockings & presents from Santa
• Pool opening party with friends and family to welcome summertime

We LOVE the beach - whether it's sitting in the sand listening to waves, swimming in the ocean or walking down the coast looking for seashells. We know life is precious and we want to live life to the fullest. Travel allows us to get away from the everyday grind, connect as a family and learn about different cultures and places in this amazing world. Our family has a place in Florida that we visit several times a year. Additionally, we try to get away two or three times a year to visit the Caribbean.

"Meghan and Zac make a perfect team. They are committed to providing a loving, supportive and stable home to raise confident, kind kids. They fully accept and understand the challenges that parenthood brings and want nothing more than to share their love and life with another child." ~Meghan's mom

"As someone who has watched Meghan and Zac go through the process to have another child for the past 4 years, I've seen first hand the immense love they will pour into a new baby. The diligence and care they have put into this effort, despite setbacks, supports their commitment. I see Meghan on a daily basis and know how much this means to her and her family. She is someone I go to for advice about motherhood - a new baby would be so lucky to have her as a mom, and Zac as a dad." ~Ashley, Meghan's co-worker & friend

"Zac is a kind, funny, devoted father and husband. I am so proud of him for being the kind of dad who is actively involved in the routine day-to-day activities of Adelyn. He makes her breakfast and packs her lunch! And he even knows how to put her long, wavy hair in a ponytail!" ~Michell, Zac's sister

"Meghan, Zac and Adelyn have a home filled with fun, happiness, trust and love. They have the best extended family on both sides and an endless group of friends who love them. My family and I are so blessed to have them in our lives and we consider them part of our own family. I know if given the opportunity they will provide any child with a life filled with family, friends and a fulfilled future." ~Jennifer, friend for 20 years

"Aunt Meg is the nicest aunt. She takes us to get ice cream and will be very nice and snuggly to the little baby. I love when she plays with us." ~Ella, niece, age 8

We will:

• Celebrate adoption being an important part of his/her story.
• Provide a safe, loving and stable home.
• Be a role model to teach him/her how to be kind, respectful, to help others, and be a positive part of our community.
• Celebrate, encourage, and develop his/her interests and talents.
• Support his/her needs and development throughout their entire life.
• Honor his/her cultural background and ethnicity by providing strong mentors and cultural resources while committing to learning and understanding your child's background and incorporating this knowledge into our home and family.
• See the world, have fun and enjoy every adventure!
• Provide an amazing extended family who also encourages this model and will walk alongside our family.

With love,

Meghan and Zac